I love football. American football. So much. I love the NFL, I love college football, doesn’t matter whose play. I love it.

Can you tell I love it?

So, a few weekends ago, my husband and I scored pretty great tickets to the opening day football game at UNC Chapel Hill. They were on the 50-yard-line about three rows back, not too shabby.

picture of me and my friend at the game. taken by my husband. that’s why he’s not in it.

We then proceeded to stand in line, go to our seats, and then, for the next four + hours, sit, BAKING in the sun. It was hot. Really hot. No shade, no breeze.

I got up at the start of the second quarter (after the LONGEST first quarter known to man) and went to concessions to get something to drink. I proceeded to spend $14 for two bottles of water and a Diet Coke.

I took the drinks back to our seats and then proceeded to sit again and bake some more for the next two and a half hours.

I watched the Heels destroy Elon… 62-0.

Yes, it was a Heel win so it was fun, sure. But then I got home and saw the sunburns that both my husband and I suffered. And I put on50SPF sunscreen.

Well, like 12 days later and I’m still peeling. That’s fun, but besides the point.

As I sat there sweating, dying of thirst, and baking in the sun, I daydreamed of air conditioning, a soft couch, and free snacks… in my home.

My husband and I certainly don’t have a home theater by any stretch of the imagination, but we have a decent 44” Sharp HDTV, a comfortable couch, air conditioning, and snacks. So many snacks. And cable TV.

I think we could have watched that SAME football game… the one where the Heels beat Elon 62-0 from the comfort of our home and enjoyed it SO much more. No sweat, no sunburn, less money spent, and we’d even be able to see the plays up close… and of course there are the instant replays.

And honestly, there are only a few games this season that my husband and I are considering going to in person… when the last few years we’ve gone to EVERY SINGLE home game. We may only attend two or three more home games this year.

We don’t love the Heels less, it’s just more convenient to watch from the comfort of our home or our friend’s home on their nice big screen display.

What do I mean by all this?

Well, as I walked the aisles of CEDIA Expo last week and saw newer and nicer home theater furniture, larger displays, bigger screens, clearer picture, and some of the most amazing home technology amenities I’ve ever seen, it only made me realize that the home-viewing experience is only going to get better.

I mean, when you can sit in a CRAZY comfortable chair that reclines and has a remote and massages and all that… with a popcorn maker… a cooler nearby… and a crystal clear 1080p display, why WOULD you drive to the game, sit in traffic, park, spend money on parking, sit, get sunburned, or freeze, spend money on concessions, walk, and sit in more traffic?

So, does that mean live sporting events are doomed?

Not totally. Or not all of them.

I mean, SEC schools or the Super Bowl… people are going to go and experience it LIVE and in person… those are experiences in and of themselves. Experiences the home-viewing experience can’t touch.

But general weekend games? Games like Elon and UNC? Yeah, I’d take the home viewing experience any day.

What do you think pro teams or college teams can do to keep butts in seats in the stands? Or do you think the constant improvement of the home-viewing experience will ultimately doom them?