[Football] Atmosphere in Premier League matches

[Bakero]

Been to the Nou Camp and Levante's stadium when Real Madrid visited - no atmosphere created at all, zilch. Much worse than any English game I've been to.

Comparing apples and pears with Germany, Sweden, Turkey, Greece - our game moved forcibly to outprice the working classes some years back after Hillsborough, aswell as a move to get much greater numbers of kids and women. (successfully).

If you want atmosphere you need the male rough working classes (and I don't mean the England Away contingent).

However, I like English crowds as they are now, still reactive to what's on the pitch and humourous. Hate a drum, hate a "conductor" at the front. But then I have tinnitus ;- )

The only problem with the Amex is the North often singing two different songs at the same time or the same song out of sync.

My experience on Spain is similar. Not helped by the typically low away contingent, with the notable exception of derby games. Sevilla Betis gets pretty rowdy. Overall though, Spanish atmosphere is lacking. The Camp Nou in particular was awful.

When I lived in Cagliari I was a regular in the Curva Nord and it was rocking for 90 minutes every match, aided by booze, no seats and non-existent stewarding. Unfortunately, the fans in the Curva Nord have been in the news for all the wrong reasons recently

 

[herecomesaregular]

My experience on Spain is similar. Not helped by the typically low away contingent, with the notable exception of derby games. Sevilla Betis gets pretty rowdy. Overall though, Spanish atmosphere is lacking. The Camp Nou in particular was awful.

When I lived in Cagliari I was a regular in the Curva Nord and it was rocking for 90 minutes every match, aided by booze, no seats and non-existent stewarding. Unfortunately, the fans in the Curva Nord have been in the news for all the wrong reasons recently

Is there a link to atmosphere and a large far-right element in the crowd?

 

[rippleman]

The demographic has changed now with so many forced out of going to games because of the cost. The "we will strictly enforce the dress code to protect our revenue streams" sums it up really! That is the demographic that clubs aspire to; they want those with the money not with the footballing heart.

 

[Bakero]

Is there a link to atmosphere and a large far-right element in the crowd?

The lefties at St Pauli, and to a lesser extent Whitehawk, seem to do alright.

 

[Charlies Shinpad]

They have certainly done nothing for it.......40 years ago was happy to stand. However see you like myself are in your sixties. Would you/Could you stand now for couple of hours. I know I`d struggle.

I'm 62 nearly and love standing

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[schmunk]

The demographic has changed now with so many forced out of going to games because of the cost. The "we will strictly enforce the dress code to protect our revenue streams" sums it up really! That is the demographic that clubs aspire to; they want those with the money not with the footballing heart.

What? They're enforcing it now? I though the North Stand "two inches of gut showing" rule was more of an informal guideline.

 

[Drumstick]

I don’t think it’s that bad at all, could be better though.

I think the biggest problem is allocated seats.

Groups of those who wish to sing can no longer get together resulting in a more split up effort with different times and songs.


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[Perfidious Albion]

i agree with the comments about seating changing the atmosphere.

i am old enough to remember the good\bad old days at the Goldstone , crammed in front of the West Stand, shouting my head off. The North Stand boys would sing , some wag on the East Terrace would holler a ribald comment heard across the ground. One felt swept along by the crowd, half the numbers of today felt like a bigger crowd.But times had to change, the Bradford fire & Hillsborough disaster ensured that.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Amex, and when I was able to attend the crowd were strong in their vocal support, but the noise dissipates over a wider area . I think we have great supporters .

 

[phazza]

Interesting discussion in the Hamburg vs St Pauli thread.

So.. while I do understand not everyone likes pyro stuff, I'm a bit curious a lot of people seem to think that the often almost quiet supporter culture is seen by some as a good or at least acceptable thing.

People make fun of German fan culture where a lot of the teams supporters sing and jump for 90 minutes. "They dont care what happens on the pitch", they say, which is of course utter bullshit. Watching Brighton I hear more booing than singing, is that the common feeling about how supporter culture should be?

I understand that football sort of makes people a bit nationalistic. You dont want to admit your own football culture got flaws. And I imagine the people who can afford to go to games these days come from a class that call the authorities if kids laugh too much in the playground, but still... doesnt it sound the least bit exciting to be part of 30, 40 or 50 000 people passionately singing about your team for 90 minutes?

I remember about ten-fifteen years or so a lot of people reacted to how supporter culture in the UK was changing. This seems to be completely dead now. People have accepted the modern PL (and Championship for that matter), they seem to have accepted that 3000 away fans from Czech Republic, Sweden or wherever for 90 minutes can outsing the home team in European games.

The general mentality seems to be "oh look at our world class league, so good, so perfect, its the Mona Lisa of football. That singing, drumming, pyro burning, the banners in other countries... barbaric bullshit". Well I'd like to tell you this: watching a game at Westfalenstadion, Cruyff Arena or likewise is a pretty ****ing nice experience.

To older fans, I'm curious about how you feel the atmosphere has changed over the years, because while English football fans have never been the most passionate or loud, there surely used to be more life, more lively singing and less dead, wealthy tourists. Do you feel something has gone missing, or do you feel it doesnt matter since the football on the pitch has become better and better?

I don't get the booing bit. we may boo refs or knobeds from the other team but I rarely hear us booing our own team. our cheering may not be constant, but it's better than many others. unless we rearrange everyone so that 'singers are all together (which won't happen) it will never be brilliant.

 

[Raphael Meade]

Since moving to LA and not being able to attend the Albion each week, I got season tickets at LAFC - new team in the MLS. Was very skeptical going in and just fancied watching football each week even if it was shit. The team is very fun to watch (Carlos Vela tearing up the leauge) but the atmosphere is insane. Not quite the artillery barrage of the Hamburg derby but constant singing - and very loud - for the entire 90 minutes, literally not even 5 seconds of silence from the north stand where the 'singing/fan section' is. Really impressive and honestly puts any premier league atmospheres to shame.

Very shocked by it at the start and they will of course never replace the seagulls, but a fun way to spend a Sunday evening. Seems to coordination that keeps it going, with a 3 little podiums along the front for a 'band leader' or whatever you want to call it to start/stop each chant. That and the safe standing seats/railings make a massive difference.

 

[AZ Gull]

Since moving to LA and not being able to attend the Albion each week, I got season tickets at LAFC - new team in the MLS. Was very skeptical going in and just fancied watching football each week even if it was shit. The team is very fun to watch (Carlos Vela tearing up the leauge) but the atmosphere is insane. Not quite the artillery barrage of the Hamburg derby but constant singing - and very loud - for the entire 90 minutes, literally not even 5 seconds of silence from the north stand where the 'singing/fan section' is. Really impressive and honestly puts any premier league atmospheres to shame.

Very shocked by it at the start and they will of course never replace the seagulls, but a fun way to spend a Sunday evening. Seems to coordination that keeps it going, with a 3 little podiums along the front for a 'band leader' or whatever you want to call it to start/stop each chant. That and the safe standing seats/railings make a massive difference.

I have only ever attended one match at an MLS stadium and that was at Portland Timbers. The atmosphere was similar to the one you describe (complete with "Timber Joey" sawing off a slice of tree trunk that was then carried around the ground when the team scored!). And all this even for a mid-season friendly against a South American side (I've never been to an actual MLS fixture).

 

[BN41Albion]

Since moving to LA and not being able to attend the Albion each week, I got season tickets at LAFC - new team in the MLS. Was very skeptical going in and just fancied watching football each week even if it was shit. The team is very fun to watch (Carlos Vela tearing up the leauge) but the atmosphere is insane. Not quite the artillery barrage of the Hamburg derby but constant singing - and very loud - for the entire 90 minutes, literally not even 5 seconds of silence from the north stand where the 'singing/fan section' is. Really impressive and honestly puts any premier league atmospheres to shame.

Very shocked by it at the start and they will of course never replace the seagulls, but a fun way to spend a Sunday evening. Seems to coordination that keeps it going, with a 3 little podiums along the front for a 'band leader' or whatever you want to call it to start/stop each chant. That and the safe standing seats/railings make a massive difference.

To be honest that is a little bit depressing. Even the Americans can create a better atmosphere than us for a sport that lives in the shadow of the NFL etc (yet i accept is growing rapidly)

 

[BeHereNow]

It really isn’t rowdy enough anymore and it can become a bit boring at times. The away end should be next to the North, that would liven things up.

Safe standing will come in eventually, but I think we should have terraces.

I think match by match tickets should be cheaper, and with us being in the Premier League it’s probably a lot more possible to do that than when we were in the Championship, but I doubt that would be sustainable if we were to be relegated. Because of the prices, I think we are missing out on a lot of potential fans who would really get behind the team and create a better atmosphere.

It seems like the only way we are going to get all the singers together is if we get relegated to League 1 and the less hardcore fans give up their season tickets. Every cloud.

 

[Raphael Meade]

To be honest that is a little bit depressing. Even the Americans can create a better atmosphere than us for a sport that lives in the shadow of the NFL etc (yet i accept is growing rapidly)

Oh yeah I've definitely viewed it the same way coming from my years at the goldstone, Withdean, gillingham, amex - we've had great days of course, but the way they keep it going for a solid 90 minutes, win lose or draw, for a team that's less than 2 years old is pretty incredible.

 

[Raphael Meade]

I have only ever attended one match at an MLS stadium and that was at Portland Timbers. The atmosphere was similar to the one you describe (complete with "Timber Joey" sawing off a slice of tree trunk that was then carried around the ground when the team scored!). And all this even for a mid-season friendly against a South American side (I've never been to an actual MLS fixture).

Yeah I think Portland, LAFC and Atlanta are probably the leading teams for atmosphere.. Seattle is good but they play in such a big NFL stadium so gets tricky if its not packed to the rafters.

 

[Bozza]

Since moving to LA and not being able to attend the Albion each week, I got season tickets at LAFC - new team in the MLS. Was very skeptical going in and just fancied watching football each week even if it was shit. The team is very fun to watch (Carlos Vela tearing up the leauge) but the atmosphere is insane. Not quite the artillery barrage of the Hamburg derby but constant singing - and very loud - for the entire 90 minutes, literally not even 5 seconds of silence from the north stand where the 'singing/fan section' is. Really impressive and honestly puts any premier league atmospheres to shame.

Very shocked by it at the start and they will of course never replace the seagulls, but a fun way to spend a Sunday evening. Seems to coordination that keeps it going, with a 3 little podiums along the front for a 'band leader' or whatever you want to call it to start/stop each chant. That and the safe standing seats/railings make a massive difference.

I have only ever attended one match at an MLS stadium and that was at Portland Timbers. The atmosphere was similar to the one you describe (complete with "Timber Joey" sawing off a slice of tree trunk that was then carried around the ground when the team scored!). And all this even for a mid-season friendly against a South American side (I've never been to an actual MLS fixture).

To be honest that is a little bit depressing. Even the Americans can create a better atmosphere than us for a sport that lives in the shadow of the NFL etc (yet i accept is growing rapidly)

Not sure if the link below will work or not, but I went to Orlando City a couple of years ago and stood behind the goal amongst their ultras. It was fantastic fun - non-stop for 90 minutes - I would imagine any football tourists doing the opposite would be very disappointed with the atmosphere they find in England.

I saw New York City a couple of months back and the crowd were also non-stop, although it was somewhat difficult to generate much in the way of atmosphere in the cavernous Yankee Stadium.

https://www.facebook.com/DarrenMcKay/videos/10154428145046811

 

[LANGDON SEAGULL]

Yeah I think Portland, LAFC and Atlanta are probably the leading teams for atmosphere.. Seattle is good but they play in such a big NFL stadium so gets tricky if its not packed to the rafters.

Agree - went to see New York RB last year and the atmosphere was as flat as a pancake . Didn’t help by the home team going 3-0 down in 20 mins though


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[herecomesaregular]

Since moving to LA and not being able to attend the Albion each week, I got season tickets at LAFC - new team in the MLS. Was very skeptical going in and just fancied watching football each week even if it was shit. The team is very fun to watch (Carlos Vela tearing up the leauge) but the atmosphere is insane. Not quite the artillery barrage of the Hamburg derby but constant singing - and very loud - for the entire 90 minutes, literally not even 5 seconds of silence from the north stand where the 'singing/fan section' is. Really impressive and honestly puts any premier league atmospheres to shame.

Very shocked by it at the start and they will of course never replace the seagulls, but a fun way to spend a Sunday evening. Seems to coordination that keeps it going, with a 3 little podiums along the front for a 'band leader' or whatever you want to call it to start/stop each chant. That and the safe standing seats/railings make a massive difference.

Sorry, I wouldn't want this. Prefer to join in spontaneous crowd chants rather than 3 people dictating all the chants.

 

[Swansman]

Sorry, I wouldn't want this. Prefer to join in spontaneous crowd chants rather than 3 people dictating all the chants.

A good capo can usually inspire people to go from having spontaneus feelings to expressing them. Its really not a bad idea and more or less every really lively crowd in Europe got a capo or two.

 

[Nottseagull]

A good capo can usually inspire people to go from having spontaneus feelings to expressing them. Its really not a bad idea and more or less every really lively crowd in Europe got a capo or two.

I think the word you meant has been lost in translation
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capo

I see it's a device to raise pitch, but I've never heard of a person being called it. We use 'cheerleader'.