The Bulls vs The Glovers

On Tuesday night I was at the United Center to witness the Chicago Bulls take on the Boston Celtics. It was both my first NBA game and my first Chicago sports game and it was quite a cultural experience for me. Back in Somerset my sports team is Yeovil Town FC, aka ‘The Glovers’, and their football games could not be more different to the Bulls’ basketball games. In this blog post, I will compare and contrast the United Center, home of the Bulls, with Huish Park, home of the Glovers.

The United Center                                                                                  Huish Park

Average attendance

United Center: 21,617

Huish Park: 3,891

Car park price

United Center: $20

Huish Park: £2

Sponsors

United Center: McDonald’s, Lexus, Dunkin’ Donuts, BMO Harris Bank, Budweiser

Huish Park: W & S Recycling Services of Poole, Screwfix, AgustaWestland, Thatchers Gold

Attempts to get the crowd going

United Center: Hired staff wearing McDonald’s shirts holding up signs saying ‘SHOUT!’ and ‘STOMP’, firing t-shirts high into the stands using some kind of cannon, and prompting sections of the crowd to chant ‘Let’s Go Bulls, Let’s Go Bulls’.

Huish Park: A group of teenagers standing behind the goal singing trite football terrace songs, occasionally accompanied by a single trumpeter.

Entertainment for the fans during time-outs (Bulls only) and between halves/quarters

United Center: Drummers, Luvabulls Dancers, Senior Swingers (old and fat dancers), the mascot attempting to score baskets from half-way with his back turned, the KIA Parachute Plunge, giant inflatable Bull floating around the stadium, a Cirques Experience carnie named Wolfgang performing tricks inside a giant wheel, game highlights on the big screen, the McDonald’s Big Mac race, and the Dunkin’ Donuts race  - a race on the hanging screens between an animated coffee cup, donut, and bagel, that guaranteed a third of the crowd a free coffee/donut/bagel (depending on who won) and drew one of the biggest cheers of the night.

Huish Park: An old man methodically reading out the half-time scores from around the grounds. Drawing of the ‘Golden Gamble’ raffle winner. Music from 2004.

Percentage of fans who are female

United Center: 46%

Huish Park: Maybe 3%?

If you want a drink or some food…

United Center: Get it delivered to your seat!

Huish Park: Get it yourself you lazy git!

Likely response to the spectator next to you flailing his arms and swearing profusely at the officials

United Center: Someone texting ‘UCASSIST’ with the row and seat number to 69050.

Huish Park: Others joining in.

High quality sport on display

United Center: Yes

Huish Park: No

The greatest sport on Earth on display

United Center: No

Huish Park: Yes

The giant floating Bull, Wolfgang and his Circus Wheel, the Senior Swingers.