The cars raced past in the blink of an eye, roaring toward the Daytona 500’s checkered flag as rubber debris flew from their tires. A shockwave of wind hit my face and my ears began to ring and I couldn’t help but feel the excitement during the moment as I knew I wouldn’t have been able to experience it if I watched it at home.
However, many others may have not appreciated the many factors involved in watching the race live, such as the time and cost of transportation, weather delays and the loud environment.
So, many wonder if there is worth in watching events live or if it is best to watch them from the comfort of your own home?
Well, from personal experience as someone who used to prefer watching events from home, I can say that attending live events has changed my perspective and created more memories for me to look back on.
This spring I was lucky to attend the Daytona 500, a thrilling atmosphere that I definitely wouldn’t have expected. Of course, it was loud due to the cars but in real life the speed and expanse of the race track was unmatched compared to what was always broadcast on TV.
As my family sat in the front row and the drivers started their engines, the ground rumbled until it was as if a full-blown tornado flew past me as they sped by. That sheer amount of energy is something I never would have gotten to feel if I had watched it at home, and it allowed me to immerse myself in the experience.
It’s common knowledge that when you’re watching live events at home you can turn up the volume, get riled up with friends and family as you yell excitedly at the TV, but when the yelling dies down and the commentator stops their dialogue, there’s silence.
There’s no shockwave of air hitting your face, ringing in your ears or even debris getting in your eyes. Though some may see this as obnoxious and uncomfortable, it’s the real reason I believe watching events in person is immensely better than at home.
It’s because you remember you are there, alive, and in my experience, feeling as if I was one of the drivers in a way. Despite the 4-hour road trip, two flights and a lot of key lime pie later (I can’t complain about the pie), I am forever left with memories that I can quite literally feel in my bones.
