Top 10 Tips for European Sporting Events

American sports fans often focus all of their efforts on domestic events – intimidated to go abroad and overseas. Here are some tips to ease your transition from American sports fan to international sports fan. The payoff is well worth the trip and the adventure.

1) Monkey See, Monkey Do
Since you are a guest in their country do your best to fit in. Cheer for the home team, sing with the crowd, and patronize the local pubs and restaurants. For instance in Italy, some of the best meals we have eaten are outside the stadiums in Rome, Milan and Siena where at pre-game “tailgates” (to use an American term) the locals serve home made Italian delicacies – sausages, hoagies, pizza and pasta. We saw the locals swarming around these trailers and decided it was something we had to try.

2) Surprise! The bathroom may not have toilet paper. Double surprise! It may not have soap either.
These two unpleasant (“not to mention unsanitary”) accommodations can make for a nasty experience at any sports venue. We have found this common in countries like Spain and Italy where it seems that public money is not used for such “extravagances.” Instead, local fans seem to bring there own supply of TP and we are not quite sure about the hand washing, but we were not inclined to ask. So be prepared for any event since you never know what to expect. We suggest Purel and a pack of Kleenex to do the trick.

3) Third Surprise! This one is more for the ladies. You may have to stand over a hole to pee.
We wish these surprises were over, but at least we are breaking them to you gently. Some older stadiums (read football in a cage) have toilets that are mere holes in the floor. Squatting requires a considerable amount of leg strength, balance and a solid door handle to hold on to. This is not for the faint of heart. Be mentally and emotionally prepared. Some extra squats would not hurt either.

4) Ticket scalping is not for amateurs.
Since you may out of your league or at least out of your language comfort zone, come prepared with a note pad or a cell phone in hand. Numbers are the universal language so write down or type in an offer if you cannot speak the language well enough to negotiate. Don’t be afraid to walk away even if a strong willed Italian man seems to be cursing your name. The scalping rules and tactics in America seem to translate quite well to Europe. Be sure you understand the different countries laws as each country has varying standards. The way we judge is that if you see scalping out in the open with police around then you are probably in good shape.

5) Fourth Surprise! They do not sell beer inside most stadiums.
Given the bad wrap of crazy soccer hooligans, most European countries have developed limits to alcohol intake within the stadium. Some stadiums do not serve at all (Spain). We found this out the hard way. After buying what we thought was a real beer, we then read “Sin Alcohol” – translation…you just pissed away your beer money! Instead you should get to the game early and enjoy the pub scene outside the stadium. Since most European games only last 2 hours you should still have your “buzz” when the game ends and can continue patronizing local pubs after the game.

6) Try to have tickets ahead of time to avoid unnecessary walking around the venue.
In the US, tickets can be purchased through scalpers outside the stadium even for most sold out events at reasonable prices. However, this may not be the case in Europe as ticket scalping laws and demand for high profile matches (Champions League, EPL, and World Cup) may vary. In order to keep your spouse and friends from wandering around stadiums with you try to purchase tickets to the events ahead of time.

7) Do not be afraid of public transportation to and from the game.
We Americans are so used to driving to games; it seems difficult to leave our cars at home, unless you are from Chicago or New York. Brave the subways and buses for a bit of local culture. If you feel lost, try to learn how to say the name of the stadium in the local language and people will surely point you in the right direction.

8) Check out the area around the stadium before entering
As with stadiums in America, some stadiums are not in the best neighborhoods. Since you will most likely be there after dark and taking public transportation play it safe and avoid any areas that unpopulated with heavy graffiti. For instance, at Getafe in Spain, outside Madrid the local playgrounds were empty, there were few souls to be seen (only police), and no restaurants and bars. We hoped back on the train and headed back to the city.

9) American sports gear at European events do not mix.
As we stated in #2, it is better to blend in then have the word tourist emblazoned on your Yankees hat. You will stand out. Ditch the American gear and buy some soccer or rugby merchandise. And cheer on the local team because you could find yourself in the middle of a pub brawl or the target of a flare within stands.

10) Flares!
It is not uncommon for zealous sports fans to smoke bomb their own section or even light up multiple flares. In fact, flares are such a crucial part of “football fandemonium” that insane fans at the recent World Cup were sneaking them into the stadium via body cavities (let your mind go wild!). As an American, seeing a section on fire can be quite unsettling. Don’t be alarmed, but you may want to avoid the riotous epicenter of any explosion.