On Monday, we went to the Basel Soccer game. It was raining, but we had seats under the roof, so we were able to stay warm and dry. The stadium is very nice, and only a few minutes from our apartment. It was recently expanded to add more seats for the European Soccer Championships that will take place in Switzerland and Austria in 2008. The atmosphere at the game was much different than a Football or Basketball game in the U.S. There is a huge “rowdy fan” section at the end of the field. These are the people that are waving flags, singing songs, chanting, synchronizing their clapping, and whistling. They are quite loud, and they create a special atmosphere in the stadium. It really helps in getting the rest of the fans excited about what is going on. In the U.S. they try to create atmosphere and excitement by playing loud music during down times. Another difference to U.S. crowds is the use of whistling. In Europe, fans whistle instead of boo to show their unhappiness with things on the field. Basel won the game against Lucerne 3-0 which was nice for us! We had a great time, and we’ll go again for sure. You can see pictures of Basel events here.
