Why the experience of watching games on your computer screen pales in comparison to that of a live game
I’m a huge basketball fan, spending far too much time online, watching games on my NBA League Pass.
I very much enjoy my live-streamed basketball games, and I’m not willing to let them go.
There is no spectator experience that comes close to attending a live game and seeing it through your very own eyes.
I’ve been to two pricey basketball games in the last two years. I went to see the the Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets play the Raptors, with the Raptors taking the win for both games. My fondest anti-Andrea memory was Kevin Garnett dunking hard on Andrea Bargnani, a moment I will relish forever. I also recall DeMar DeRozan driving the lane, dunking over two tall, green uniforms.
I remember the long, wild dreadlocks of then rookie Kenneth “The Manimal” Faried soaring through the air, as he made monster dunks and hard blocks in his breakout game, while the entire stadium went silent, each play in protest.
I recall my heart sinking when José Calderón kept his dribble for the last eight seconds and hit the buzzer beater against Denver behind the arc. At the same time, I was excited, captured by the spectacle of a tight game. The last 20 seconds felt more like minutes, and as much as I was cheering for Denver, I was actually thrilled when Calderón hit the shot.
Then I was overcome by a feeling of sadness because I lost a bet to my friend and had to buy him a drink.
These are moments that have stuck with me more than any of the several dozen games I’ve streamed online. When you watch a live stream, you see continuous replays that you can’t see when watching a live game. But all the replays I’ve seen online are quickly forgotten, and the single moments I witness in person become their own vivid replays in my head.
With live games, the experience is shared among friends, thousands of roaring fans, and the players on the floor. Screaming my demands to players through my laptop screen is not nearly as exciting as it is in the stadium. It’s hard not to raise your voice at a game when everyone else around you makes you feel like you’re part of the action just as much as the players are.
Live streams don’t have that. The interactivity between fans and players is lost in livestream games. There are merits to live streams, which is why I watch them all the time. They’re much less expensive than paying to watch live games. They’re also non-committal. I can leave a stream on and eat my breakfast or pause it and do my homework (yeah, right).
The design of the NBA League Pass is impressive because I can watch four different games in four different windows at one time, which is great on busy NBA nights with 8 to 10 happening in a row.
The downside to live streaming is you’re less attached to the moment, and as a result, big plays don’t really seem like big plays. That’s a real shame.
If you’re wondering if I’m going to stop watching my live streams, my answer is no. As a busy student, I don’t have the time or the money to watch all the games I want, so live streaming basketball games is my best option. But make no mistake—the convenience of live streams can’t compensate for the exhilaration that comes with watching a game unravel right before your eyes.
Watching the shots go up and swish in front of you, hearing the announcer’s booming voice, and sitting next to the angry old man whose passion for the game results in your shoe becoming the landing pad for his nachos. The whole experience disappears behind a computer screen.
Fuck it, I’m buying tickets now.
By Alex Hum, Features Editor
