Experiencing Some of the Greatest Sports Stadium Anthems of All-Time
Just about every sports team, be they domestic or national, has its own set of songs that fans will bellow around stadiums during home games. Most of them are sung without accompaniment – or with a drum brought in by a fan – and mostly pertain to the team.
However, there are also the tracks played at the start of a game, when the teams or athletes are on their way to center stage, and the organizers want to hype up the crowd. These stadium tracks can change from game to game or season to season, but some become so entrenched with those home fans that they become must-plays before any contest takes place.
When they resonate with the fans, true stadium anthems can greatly enhance the atmosphere and get even the most disgruntled attendees onside. Having such a special impact on people, we’re exploring some of these team-specific and more widely-used stadium anthems that have stood the test of time, as well as what effect they have on the spectators.
How Matchroom and their golden boy get the stadium singing
Matchroom Boxing has swiftly positioned itself as the premier boxing promotion in the UK, boasting more talent and pull than many of the storied US promotions, too. Part of their surge to the top has been the stacked, competitive cards put on by lead promoter Eddie Hearn for the TV broadcasts, creating an exciting atmosphere from a sporting level alone.
However, another aspect that gives the stadium experience a real sense of awe is the tradition of playing Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond shortly before the main event. In the 90,000-seaters that the biggest fights sell out, the fans make the stadium shake. It’s even more impressive when Olympic gold medallist and unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is on the bill, too, as the promotion will play Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes, which the golden boy’s name snugly fits into for the fans to bounce to just before the ring walks.
The madness of college sports fandom intensifies
College sports fandom is very much an American thing, with many stats indicating that college sports – particularly college football and even more specifically March Madness – are more important to sports fans than the professional leagues. The massive stadiums for these student-athletes are always packed, with everyone wearing team colors.
Nowhere is this phenomenon more profound than in Iowa. For Iowa Hawkeye Football, everyone beats their black scarves to the tune of AC/DC’s Back in Black before erupting into what is best described as a mosh of cheers as Enter Sandman by Metallica rumbles through the speakers. Strangely, the AC/DC track only became a part of the experience and walkout ritual after the 2005 Kinnick Stadium renovations.
Pumping nostalgia of a legendary era for each home game
The Michael Jordan era of the Chicago Bulls will almost certainly remain the greatest period in the franchise’s history. He won all six of his NBA Championships with the Bulls, establishing two dynasties from 1991 to 193 and 1996 to 1998. The tune most synonymous with the team’s dominance at the time is, without a doubt, Sirius by the Alan Parsons Project.
Played as the team’s introduction tune before home games, it only gained importance with each trophy added to the cabinet. Now, it’s become a tradition for the Bulls, with the track helping to pump nostalgia-induced cheer into the crowd.
Anthems used around the world for the big games
Easily one of the most recognizable and most modern additions to the stadium playlist is Kernkraft 400 (Stadium Remix) by Zombie Nation. Nothing quite epitomises German industrial musical efficiency than the techno DJ’s track, which echoes around stadium seats whenever it plays. Without any real lyrics, all that attendees have to do is bounce along and howl the beat back around.
Of course, many of the stadium anthems are what would now be categorized under classic rock, or at least a form of rock from decades past. Easily the biggest of the bunch is Queen’s iconic stadium anthem We Will Rock You. On the biggest occasions, you’ll feel the rumble of thousands of people doing the stamp, stamp, clap. In equal measure, particularly for walkouts, Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train has become the stuff of legend.
Those bangers certainly influence us beyond a point of mere excitement
The upbeat tracks, booming bass, and singing fans around you will put you into a near state of euphoria when the right stadium anthems are played. While this is all well and good for the spectator experience, it can be very counterproductive if you’re someone who partakes in side activities during matches, such as live betting on the game at hand or surrounding fixtures.
Whenever anyone wants help to get better at betting, the first point made is always that you need to do your research, learn from experience, and trust hard facts. Other elements like arbitrage betting and betting strategies can also come into play, but the focus is on being cold, collected, and rational. These are essential, particularly when betting live and the hype in-game is building, which is why stadium anthems can be adverse.
Research into neuroscience has deduced that one of the reasons why people enjoy music so much is because it helps to immerse us in the present state. In this state, as defined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, people get so involved in the activity that nothing else seems to matter. When it comes to betting, money and rational decisions should matter, and so, a banging tune can be the downfall of a live bettor.
It cannot be denied that stadiums that have found their staple anthem enhance the experience for all of the fans, but some spectators will want to be knowledgeable of its effects.
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