November has been an extraordinary month for Canadian Soccer fans. The country came together to witness two international men's soccer matches against Costa Rica and Mexico. In both games, Canada came out ahead. I was fortunate enough to watch Canada play Mexico, live from the stands of what is being named the coldest soccer match in history.
The day was filled with excitement. Work kept me distracted for most of the day. In the rare moments I found myself not thinking about teaching, research, or in a meeting, I spent debating what I would wear to the event. Negative 12 degrees Celsius doesn't seem too cold when you plan to ski, snowboard, skate on an outdoor rink, or snowshoe. -12 often feels like the perfect temperature for such activities. However, sitting in an uncovered seat shortly after a significant snowfall once the sun has gone down is another experience. What I learned before the half-time mark was that two layers were not enough. A third or fourth would have been sufficed. But, I and the nearly 45,000 other fans persevered.
Thousands of people took public transportation, carefully navigated icy sidewalks, gathered scraps to create barriers between frozen fan seats and bodies, and turned to one another to share hand and feet warmers. The game was filled with moments of excitement, joy, and gut-wrenching concern for players and the final score. As I reflected on the event, a few reminders and lessons surfaced for me.
The most glaring gap this event raised in my current research is that spectatorship is 'recreation'. Thus far, community members have shared how playing a sport or an instrument, volunteering, travelling, writing, and performing poetry are forms of recreation. Seeing the amount of red in the stands to represent Canada, hearing fans' roars, and witnessing players race towards fans during moments of excitement and when needing motivation displayed how being at events can be joyful, meaningful, and offers a space for belonging.
During the game, I overcame freezing temperatures, created conversations with those around me to liven up half-time, captured as many moments as possible to share in years ahead, and purchased merchandise to support the Canadian team without questioning the price. This experience has offered new insight into my research.
I am left wondering about the experiences of people who participate in recreation through spectatorship, through the energy of those that surround them in crowds, and how sporting events, ballets, orchestras, concerts, and other such events can act as a space of connection and belonging.
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