You often hear people say, “it was better in the olden days.” But there are some things for which that line of thinking does not apply. For example, being a football fan was enjoyable in the past, but it’s even better now for so many reasons. The quality of play has improved, and you can also watch virtually every game from anywhere in the world. Plus, it’s easy to engage with the sport on a deeper level. You can listen to in-depth podcasts or use the free bet offers listed at oddschecker to test your football knowledge. None of these things existed in days gone by! In this article, we’ll run through ten reasons why you should count your lucky stars that you’re a football fan in the modern age, rather than the past.
1. Quality of Play
The influx of money has led to better coaching, better facilities, and better fitness regimes. The result? A standard of play that is frankly out of this world. There’s every chance that we’re watching the greatest teams to ever play the game at the moment.
2. All-Time Greats
Most generations are lucky if they have one all-time great playing the game when they’re alive. This generation has two. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will go down as two of the best ever to play the game. Indeed, in Messi, we may even find the all-time best player.
3. Access to Games
The rise of television and the internet has meant that it has never been easier to watch football games. Fans can tune in to football matches taking place anywhere in the world, often in real-time. That’s a level of convenience that previous generations never knew.
4. Secondary Entertainment
It’s not just the action on the pitch that keeps fans entertained. Fans can place bets on who they want to win right from their smartphone or listen to football-related podcasts on their way to work. Today, it’s about more than the match. Football can fit into all aspects of our lifestyle.
5. Social Media Commentary
Talking about football is nearly as good as watching it. Fans can log in to Twitter and other social media sites and see what football fans all over the world are discussing. It makes those big events, especially controversial ones, all the more entertaining. Even though it does sometimes turn into arguments!
6. Highlights Galore
Missed some action? You can see all the goals and other highlights with a few clicks of your smartphone. No need to wait for the highlights show on television anymore! Plus, it’s not just this weekend’s action you can watch. You can see highlights from games that took place decades ago.
7. The Number of Games
There are more top-flight games than ever before. Between the domestic leagues, European competitions, and the World Cup, there’s barely a week that goes by without a sea of football matches taking place. And for people that live and breathe football, that’s about as good as it gets.
8. Team Merchandise
Want to show off your team pride? It’s easier than ever when there’s so much team merchandise available to purchase. There’s a business element to this, sure, but there’s no avoiding the fact that football fans love their footballing swag!
9. Easier to Play
It’s not just watching football that is better. You can also play a lot more easily than you could in the past. There are 5-, 7-, and 11-a-side matches that keen football fans can sign up for. New in town and looking for a football game to play? There’ll be an app for that.
10. Fan Engagement
Fan engagement is also at an all-time high. Thanks to social media, it’s easier than ever to keep up with all the goings-on at your favourite team. You can also talk directly to your favourite players, which is something that wouldn’t have been possible (except for in unusual circumstances) in the olden days.