As you know I am a sports fan and have attended lots of games. Yes I have been to the World Series, a number of all-star games, the Stanley Cup finals, the US Open in both golf and tennis and tons of other sporting events.
When I think about sporting events, most of them are in the United States. Yes I have gone to a Canadian football league game. I’ve seen rugby on an island in the Caribbean. Yes I have gone to a bullfight in Mexico — something I would only do once and we left early. But not many others.
The question is if I could go to any sporting event anywhere in the world which one would it be? I have friends like Mike M. and Ed S. who love soccer overseas and beam with excitement when they talk about world cup games in other countries. Owen J. is the same way with soccer teams he grew up watching as a kid.
- Is it golf’s British open?
- Is it the Australian Open or Wimbledon in tennis?
- Is it the Monte Carlo grand prix in auto racing?
- Is it the Olympics?
I think for me it would be Wimbledon. I love to watch tennis and that event looks incredible. I would love to go and watch tennis on the out courts and eat strawberries and cream for breakfast as I watch the matches. I am sure they have some type of store that is filled with memorabilia that I would like to look at for hours.
- What about you — what would your choice be?
I look forward to reading your comments.
Ed Sugar says:
No doubt – The English FA Cup Final is always first on my list. I was lucky enough to have attended the 1978 Final (Ipswich 1 Arensal 0) and fell in love with English football. I have been to World Series games, NBA Championship games, a NFC Championship game in Dallas (with Merrill in 1994) and the 1994 World Cup Final, but none compare to the noise, intensity and electricity of 90,000 British fans at Wembley Stadium.
2nd would be an Old Firm match (Glasgow Rangers vs. Glasgow Celtic) which is on the books with Mr. Graham in 2009.
Mike MacLeod says:
It’s not really a sporting event but I want to go to La Tomatina, a food fight in the streets on Bunol, Spain where up to 40,000 people throw one hundred tonnes of tomatoes at each other.
As for a traditional sporting event, I’d choose the same sport that Ed does. I’m really not a fan of soccer in any way, but I want to experience the atmosphere. Specifically, I’d like to go to a World Cup final where the host country is in the final match.
Bill Dunn says:
I have always wanted to see the Grand Prix of Monte Carlo. I have always been a fan of Formula 1 racing and this has to be the classiest racing event in the world.
Second place would be the Rugby World Cup.
Owen Jenkins says:
My choice would be New Zealand to Watch the All Blacks at rugby. It would check ‘the land of the long white cloud’ off my list of places to see but it would also be a chance to visit a ‘single sport’ country. Kiwis are fanatic about sports in general – but they are crazy about rugby.
Steve Kennedy says:
This one is easy for me. Any World Series game at Wrigley. I just hope I live long enough for this event to take place.
Anne Brown says:
I would love to attend the Palio in Siena Italy. The city, the excitement, the food…OMG! If I could go to a sporting event outside the US this would be the one!
Merrill Dubrow says:
Steve,
I would love to be sitting right next too you! The city would erupt for sure and they deserve to have the same excitement that Boston has had the past few years.
Merrill
Michael Mermelstein says:
I do not understand what people see in Cricket and would love to attend a match (if that is what they call it) to try and see what this is all about.
Ginger Blazier says:
One of my many loves is playing and watching tennis. (In fact, I got up at 3:30am EST on Sunday to watch the Mens final of the Australian Open.) When I lived in Jersey I used to go to the US Open every year and always dreamed about going to the other 3 Grand Slams. Wimbeldon will be next, which is what I would say every year, but as we know from a previous Merrill Dubrow blog topic, “Life is too short”. Plans are in motion to go to the tournament in 2009. In fact, I met someone at an MRA conference, who lives in Wimbeldon and has given me an open invite. After that, it will definitely be the Australian Open, where I have also been given an invite from a person I met at an AMA event. “Ain’t networking grand?”
-Ginger
Merrill Dubrow says:
Ginger,
Good for you. Maybe I will be sitting right next to you. I would love to go to that tournament!
Merrill
Willie Martin says:
Hello Merrill!
I will go off the beaten path and state that I would get a kick out of watching surfing competitions either in Hawaii at Waimaia with the 40 foot tubes, or down under in Australia. This is an instance where you have the elements of nature taking on the will and fortitude of man.
Second pick would be the British Open. To be able to partake in all that pomp and circumstance, history and tradition.
Thirdly I would welcome being able to watch the Winter Classic anywhere in Canada, where two hockey teams battle the weather and the elements and play the greatest sport on ice!
Great Topic Merrill! Enjoy the Super Bowl. I am taking the Giants and the points…
Merrill Dubrow says:
Willie,
Thanks for your thoughts. I have actually been to the OP Surfing Championships in Huntington Beach, CA which was an amazing sporting event to attend. The waves were huge that day and a number of surfers ending up slamming into the pier. They weren’t hurt just shaken up a little bit.
Go PATS!
Merrill