When it comes to the debate on the most interesting and boring sports to watch, fans are often called upon to fiercely defend their favorites; opinions get heated, and sides are left divided. Some fans look forward to experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions throughout a soccer match, while others are drawn in by the strategic finesse of a tennis game. However, for every thrilling sport, there’s another that fails to grab the viewer’s attention. Whether it’s the slow pace of golf or the complex rules of cricket, not every sport is easy to follow nor interesting for everyone.
For sophomore Jasper Mackey, there is a key factor that determines how captivating a sport is: action. In his opinion, soccer is the most interesting sport to watch because of the excitement. A soccer game is fast-paced, with the ball moving from one side of the field to the other, evoking a wide range of emotions in the viewers. Mackey explained, “There is constant action, [… and] it is easy to understand.” To add on, he mentioned that the FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world; people from everywhere enjoy the matches. The simplicity of the rules, along with its global popularity, is what makes soccer appealing. While Mackey showed great interest in the game of soccer, the same could not be said of his views on squash. To Mackey, it is difficult to watch a squash match with larger crowds due to the enclosed court within a small space.
Some people are naturally drawn to watching the sports they play themselves, and that is the case for sophomore Prisha Tiwari. She enjoys watching tennis and shared, “[…] I have been playing tennis my whole entire life […] I love going to the US Open every year.” Not only is Tiwari passionate about her sport, but she is also captivated by the mental and physical challenges that come along with it. For Tiwari, her least favorite sports to watch are football and cricket because they are “a mix between boring and hard to understand.”
These opinions, of course, are purely subjective, and at the end of the day, one thing is certain: whether it is the anticipation and excitement that fans experience as they cheer on their teams or the connection they feel about a sport that they play, sports contribute significantly in one’s daily life—no matter which sport is the most interesting to watch.
