Considering that we've seen not
one, but
two surveys in recent months suggesting that individuals tend to prefer watching sports in the comfort of their own HDTV-equipped homes versus showing up in person, we're quite curious to see how this crowd feels. The question's pretty simple: given the choice, would you show up (face paint and all) on gameday, or would you kick back with a fresh bag of Cheetos and utilize that HD service you've spent your hard earned cash on? We know this may vary by sport / team, but we're lumping all sports together to get a general consensus. Feel free to give your input below, and sound off on your choice in comments.
P.S. - For whatever it's worth, this particular editor would take a seat in
Carter-Finley any day over an HD broadcast.
posted Nov 15th 2007 at 6:30PM
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Richard S. @ Nov 15th 2007 6:50PM
HD-TV all the way! Can't watch the game without pants in person.
Paul @ Nov 15th 2007 6:59PM
Nothing can beat the feel of a Saturday night at a college game.
If the price is right.
Anonymous Coward @ Nov 15th 2007 6:59PM
Football is WAAAY better in HDTV. Replays to keep you entertained between plays and plenty of camera angles to catch every nuance of the game.
Hockey on the other hand is much better in person. The non-stop action, seeing the play develop, being able to watch the benches to see who's on and off the ice...unparalleled.
Nostromo @ Nov 15th 2007 7:07PM
That's hilarious... I thought you meant "live" as in the SD version of most sports is about 20 seconds ahead of the HD... so you hear the neighbors cheering before anything happens.
Peter @ Nov 15th 2007 7:10PM
I vote other because I will go to a game if the price is right, or watch HD, either is fine with me. Plus, your HD option listes 1080i, I want 1080p sports already!
Ashraf @ Nov 15th 2007 7:11PM
HD is free with iO! (Optimum/Cablevision)
so i prefer HD
Eddie @ Nov 15th 2007 7:11PM
I refuse to vote until you remove the qualifier of "Manning's eyes are gorgeous".
Everyone knows HD programming is better than live, but only because games live are boring and hard to follow, especially baseball.
Hockey is the only sport I prefer watching live, it's a totally different sport live, and I'm not even really sure why.
RC @ Nov 15th 2007 7:16PM
I love going to Ravens games. If I can't go, CBS better have it in HD.
Keith @ Nov 15th 2007 7:23PM
I voted other because there are some sports that are better live, while others are better on TV. Football and soccer are best on TV, IMO. Hockey and baseball are best live.
DanMacMan @ Nov 15th 2007 7:39PM
There is no way that watching the Michigan-Ohio State game at home is better than it is from in my seat in Michigan Stadium? No way!
Plus when you're at the game you have the added benefits of no commercials, no stupid "game breaks", and most importantly, no Brent Musberger.
Watching a game live and in person is always better.
Tommy @ Nov 15th 2007 8:16PM
HD is better... you know it is free with Optimum/Cablevision
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2302204
Bret @ Nov 15th 2007 8:01PM
I go to the games and rewatch the HD afterwards. For me, they don't compete, they complement.
Kevin Murphy @ Nov 15th 2007 8:13PM
Baseball: given decent seats, live is better by far.
Football: No such thing as a decent seat, HD all the way.
Hockey: Live, no question. Hockey is chemistry, and you just have to be there.
Basketball: whatever.
witsend @ Nov 15th 2007 9:33PM
I might like to go to the stadium once or twice a year, but I generally prefer the HD setup because of all the hassles of parking and crowds. But I would take the stadium over SD.
Blake @ Nov 15th 2007 9:48PM
Live is way better there is nothing like feeling the crowd roar at a college football game
mmendoza27 @ Nov 15th 2007 11:43PM
I've got a question, how many of the people who voted or who took this poll have actually been to a real football game?
I mean, if you've never been, you'll probably chose HD because you don't know what you're missing. I just think this poll can be off a little bit plus HD is usually cheaper than the real thing.
modenadude @ Nov 16th 2007 12:36AM
It's rather sad, but I'd also rather choose HD over live. It's great to go live once in awhile, but I feel like I get more out of the game sitting at home :(
and even though the crowds are great, I'd rather sit at home with a bunch of friends in front of the HD set - kinda sad isn't it? :)
mike @ Nov 16th 2007 12:47AM
i voted other. To me sports are about hanging out with friends and having a conversation while watching a game. I dont watch sports by myself. I have better things to do then sit around for three hours alone and see a sport being played that I myself have played before.
Doesnt matter if its live or on hdtv, as long as friends are around to make the time enjoyable. I would prefer to goto a live event if I had the chance, but would only go if tickets were $30 or less.
I cant understand people who watch a sport(s) everyday for 3 hours and catch as many season games as possible. What a waste of life.
auwisner @ Nov 16th 2007 8:51AM
For my money, I'd prefer to sink a grand into a home theater than spend 100 bucks for a one-day bleacher seat.
If my team's not on (or losing), I can always check www.hdsportsguide.com and see if any other games are playing in HD.
Ben @ Nov 16th 2007 8:54AM
Neither. I'd prefer they didn't take up precious HD bandwidth on any form of sports.
WallyB @ Nov 16th 2007 9:22AM
I've attended one football game in person this year (yes, it was NC State versus Wofford in beautiful Carter-Finley Stadium!), and watched several NC State and NFL games on TV. I prefer to watch in HD at home. Having that fast-forward button on my HD DVR remote is worth it.
Joe @ Nov 16th 2007 9:50AM
Live for home games, HD for watching your team knock off the #1 team in the country.
The Fuzz 53 @ Nov 16th 2007 9:53AM
I like to going to big games that are live. I went to the Giants-Colts season opener last year, and it was amazing, even though the Giants lost. You just can't feel the crowd energy from you couch. But for so-so games, I'd rather watch them at home.
Andrew @ Nov 16th 2007 10:06AM
Haha, I dunno man. Going to a State game is pretty depressing. Sadly, they aren't doing horrible for one of our local teams. Even though I'm in Raleigh, I've never been able to get into NC teams. I guess it's because I was born and went to Oklahoma. ;)
Then again, I guess you'd have to get State games in HD for it to be a debate there huh? They are usually on those crappy Raycom feeds which are not only not HD, but the worst SD I've ever seen.
Anyway, being there beats HD any day. My only exception is Canes games. If it's going to be on HD, I'm less worried about getting tickets because I know I can at least see it in decent quality at home. I need to get my season tickets back.
Big Sam @ Nov 16th 2007 10:06AM
I like watching NFL and NBA on TV, but I'd rather see college sports live (my alma mater anyway).
mike @ Nov 16th 2007 10:54AM
HD for sure, the only reason why I'd choose live is because I meet a lot of people. That's where I met my ex-girlfriend. To bad she was a ***t and liked to cheat. Otherwise it was good.
Eric @ Nov 16th 2007 11:03AM
I've spent 10 years on the sidelines of the Kansas City Chiefs, photographing them for my newspaper and wire services. That is hands-down the best view. Especially when it rains and the cheerleaders hide with me under my umbrella!
Raiders suck.
Wade Starnes @ Nov 16th 2007 11:40AM
This is somewhat off topic, but I don't know where else to ask. Most every Saturday DirecTV has been blacking out whatever game is on ESPN at 3:30 pm Eastern for me. I don't have specific examples, but typically the prorgram guide will say "Purdue at Michigan State OR Boston College at Maryland" . One of these games, usually the Big 10 game, because I live in it's footprint ends up on ABC, but ESPN gets blacked out. I don't get it.
When I called DirecTV, one of the customer service morons told me that I the game on ESPN was also on the PPV Gameplan package, so I should just get it.. but that's not the point. I pay for ESPN. Why shouldn't I get the "OR" game?
This hasn't truly screwed me yet, as I've always been able to see the game I've wanted to see, but I can see a day coming when I'm going to put my foot through the tv.
Iscariote @ Nov 16th 2007 1:03PM
It depends.
Football: HD. Football is boring in person because of all the downtime between plays.
Baseball: Live. Sitting at Fenway in the summer drinking overpriced beers and talking for hours with friends is probably what heaven is like.
Hockey: Live. Nothing like going crazy with 18,000 people when your team scores.
teej @ Nov 16th 2007 3:58PM
my thoughts exactly
Eric Carroll @ Nov 16th 2007 2:49PM
Live in almost every situation. But having HD is a great runner up for out of market and non-accessable games. So, would I rather go see the Angels play the Rangers in a game that has no bearing on my Detroit Tigers live and miss the Tigers-Indians Game on TV? Nope. But if all things are equal team and so on, Live wins with me.
DJBro @ Nov 16th 2007 3:27PM
I voted other, because I am against any comments supporting Gayton Manlover (beautiful eyes? dont make me laugh... he looks like he has Down Syndrome in HD)
I do, however, like to watch Gayton get sacked... and intercepted against 6 times... in Glorious HDTV (like last Sunday's game) :D
teej @ Nov 16th 2007 3:54PM
i would rather watch a football game at home in HD. hockey, i would rather go to the game. who even watches baseball on TV? yawn. golf in HD is pretty BA.
reasons for football:
1) Instant replays. At the Fedex Field, replays are NOT from a normal televised station's camera, some crappy one the stadium puts at the top (at least at Fedex Field). You can barely see the players, and everyone at home get's a nice view from all angles.
2) TV timeouts. If you've never gone to a game, you've probably never thought about the timeouts they take between commercial breaks. Meanwhile, you're sitting in the bleachers, twiddling your thumbs through these many timeouts.
3) Commentators. Sometimes, i like to hear what the commentators have to say (some commentators blow though).
4) Food doesn't cost a million dollars. gogo $4 hot cocoa and $5 dog.
teej @ Nov 16th 2007 3:55PM
whoops, Iscariote pretty much said the same thing.