This is what I think is lost in modern sports, and I don't understand why people find them enervating - going to a local baseball game run by the minor leagues is fun and entertaining and engaging, I would rather have a reasonably bad sunburn than sit through an MLB game.
I had an NHL season ticket plan that included AHL games (the teams played in the same building at the time). Major league, minor league, it doesn't matter. What sets live sports apart from watching on TV is the crowd. Nothing beats the atmosphere of a full barn all cheering in unison for the home team, living and dying with each play.
Yep, I paid $33 to to see the New York Red Bulls play (Major League Soccer) and it was just that. It's not the insanity of a Premier League game but it's the closest thing to a European soccer game that you'll see in the states, they even have a seating section to concentrate the die-hard fans right by the opponent's goal. Watching on TV is not the same.
