Groups of people who love spending their free time watching major league baseball games and individuals who enjoy cultural theater productions might have more in common than they realize. While these activities might seem very different at first glance, the experiences offer the same kinds of enjoyment.
The seats these two different groups of people sit on to enjoy the show will be different. The snacks fans of either activity eat before, after, and during a show won’t match either. But these details are irrelevant. Why? Because at their core, major sporting events and theater plays are both cultural touchstones. They both reveal how members of a society think, feel, and experience the world around them.
This might seem obvious for plays that explore human truths and universally resonant narratives. But it’s less obvious when the same definition is given to sporting events like baseball. So, using theater as an example, let’s take a closer look at how watching baseball events offers chances for fans to enjoy culturally significant experiences.
Different stages, similar rules
Both baseball games and stage plays have well-defined rules. The athletes all have specific roles to play, much like the actors on a stage. These roles have been defined over decades or even centuries. Individuals have to practice to be great at their craft on the diamond and in a theater.
Even the outfits these performers wear are culturally significant and have specific meanings. While the outfits athletes wear while playing baseball are designed for different reasons, they still build off of many years of established tradition.
Fans who spend money to view a show in the theater or around the diamond have similar expectations too. They expect the performers to flawlessly perform their individual roles and make the show enjoyable to watch. Just as a captivating scene relies on an actor’s stunning performance, every baseball play will hinge entirely on the skill of the players on the field.
The show is elevated by technology
Technology has improved both forms of entertainment. As these new changes come about, the human experience of enjoying baseball and theater has to change in some ways too. Now, features like instant replays allow fans to really savor incredible plays and upsets. The way fans place bets on potential results has changed pretty dramatically over the years too.
Today, thrill-seeking fans who want to engage with Major League Baseball in a way that feels more personal can place a friendly wager in an instant using nothing but their smartphone. They can also take a peek at AI-powered MLB computer picks before placing any wagers to decide which bets will offer up the best odds. This has changed the game in some ways, but not every way. Using algorithm-based predictions is still a niche activity for now. Maybe this will change too soon.
Technology has left its mark on theater and stage plays too. Looking back on old videos shows us that the lighting and special effects producers use have improved by leaps and bounds. These improvements have made plays more immersive and more expensive. This might be why tickets to the theater have become so expensive.
More than entertainment
Without a doubt, both baseball and theater productions are popular among Americans today. Perhaps even more so now that tech has made them more interesting to watch. Nowadays, it’s common for people to talk about baseball players and statistics in everyday conversations. Many people have a working knowledge of which players are most iconic and which historical showdowns are most memorable.
When a baseball enthusiast finds another fan in the wild, the two strangers can immediately connect over their shared interests. This is also true when two fans of theater meet up for the first time in the wild. This instant connection is why theater, baseball, and other sports are so culturally significant. They have the power to bring people who belong to the same nation together.
You had to be there
Now that live streams of games and movie adaptations exist, these forms of entertainment are more accessible to wider audiences. But people who don’t go to the shows and see the performances live have a diluted experience. They know what happened, but they didn’t get to feel the excitement in their bones the same way an audience member probably did.
Live baseball games and live theater musicals or shows give fans more. By being there, individuals get a chance to feel closer to the action and to each other. Cheering for a beloved team alongside scores of strangers reminds people that they’re part of something so much larger than themselves. Theater audiences feel the same as they make their way to their seats with fellow audience members.
In summary
By using theater as a comparison, hopefully, it’s now a tiny bit easier to see how watching sporting events live can be such a special experience. Many of the rules athletes and performers have to follow are very similar. As technology gets better, both forms of entertainment are easier to view and enjoy. At the end of the day, sports events and theater plays are different, but not as different as people might think.
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