Some manage travel agencies, others prefer to go alone, according to their inspiration and sometimes even on a whim. Over the years, these sports travel enthusiasts have developed a few tricks to live the experience to the fullest.
Choose a hotel close to the stadium, even if they are often more expensive » Because if you calculate parking and travel, the costs often end up being quite similar [si vous prenez un hôtel moins cher, mais situé plus loin] “says Martin Beauregard. By moving away from the stadium, you will have less time to enjoy your trip.
Combine sports or games (and aim big)Marc Queenton encourages people to combine several sports on the same trip, in order to “get the most out of them”. “We can also take the opportunity to go see less mainstream sports that take place in the same place,” he says. And don’t think there are no tickets available. Usually there are. »
Be careful before booking on “hotel comparison sites” Martin Beauregard, of Voyages Sportifs MB, explains that with these sites, the customer has no protection and that the details of the reservation may change without notice. “It’s happened to me before,” he says. We had chosen a hotel with breakfast and the next morning there was no breakfast, because the establishment had changed its banner. A travel agency must help its customers if such a situation arises.
Take for the local team “It really makes a difference! explains Jean-Sébastien Cloutier, who has visited several NFL and MLB stadiums. The avid New England Patriots fan tries never to attend a game for his favorite club while away. “What I do is buy myself a jersey or a cap from the local team and that way I really get in the gang,” he explains. This way you can get in touch with other hobbyists. When you tell them you’ve traveled so many miles to see their team, they’re often generous. It must be worth it, because Mr. Cloutier says he once had a Bills jersey in Buffalo, even though he hates them.
Buy good tickets If your budget allows it, “buy good tickets”, advises Martin Dalpé, who has visited twenty NFL stadiums to date. As long as you have several hours of flight or road, you might as well have a good view of the action, he underlines. “Often it’s not more expensive to have a ticket in the end zone. Also plan your parking. “At SoFi Stadium last year, it was between $100 and $150 [entre 135 et 200 $ canadiens]…”, adds Mr. Dalpé.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, they say. This is also true when you ask great sports enthusiasts what their greatest favorites have been during their epics. If they remain subjective, their favorite destinations still have something to inspire – or make dream – those who do not know what their next trip will be.
A weekend of football in Los Angeles
Photo provided by Martin Dalpé
With his daughter Frédérique, Martin Dalpé offered himself a dream trip last year: a match in the gigantic and brand new SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, home of the Chargers and Rams of the NFL, a meeting of UCLA at the mythical Rose Bowl and a match of the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. He still talks about it with emotion. Other favorites of this great fan of the oval ball also include New Orleans, “for the atmosphere which is difficult to match”, Green Bay and of course Indianapolis, as a fan of Peyton Manning.
A football match in Rome with 80,000 spectators
Photo courtesy of Éloi Queenton
It’s an atmosphere you don’t see in North America, says Eloi Queenton. “Even the Canadians in the series are peanuts compared to that. His father remembers arriving at the Olympic Stadium one hour before the meeting. The place was already crowded. “So much so that it was impossible to access our seats! he explains. We showed our tickets to an employee, who seemed a little clueless about the situation. She said to us: “Gentlemen, you have no chance of reaching your benches. Stay here, it’ll be fine. » »
Pittsburgh, city of (all) sports
It came back often, the city of Penguins, Steelers and Pirates, when we asked our frequent travelers about their favorites. “All the stadiums are in the city center, notes Éric Grenier, from Rêve Sportif. There is the baseball stadium [le PNC Park] et the soccer stadium [l’Acrisure Stadium] which offer a view of the bridges. It is truly exceptional as a destination. She is also very popular with the company’s customers. “We’re not going to hide it, it’s a small town, but for two or three days, it does it very well,” he adds.
Indian Wells, for locations and proximity
The Langlois family loves Tournoi d’Indian Wells, an event in the Masters 1000 series of tennis in which they have participated on several occasions. The event takes place over a week and a half at the beginning of March, and the competition takes place right next to the hotels where it is possible to play tennis. But what they like in the Californian desert, in addition to the beauty of the place, is the proximity to the players. “It’s the best place to get autographs after practice,” explains Pierre Langlois.
Philadelphia, for “sick” athletes
Martin Lafleur has an impressive track record: twenty NFL stadiums, 15 NHL arenas and almost as many MLB stadiums. For this great enthusiast, there is a must-see North American city: Philadelphia, with its Eagles, its circulars, his Phillies and also, the 76ers, in the NBA. “People there are sicker than here,” says Mr. Lafleur. They are really dedicated to their team. And it’s not too far from Quebec. »
These stadiums that offer a magnificent view
Among the various baseball stadiums he visited, Jean-Sébastien Cloutier was particularly charmed by that of the Seattle Mariners, T-Mobile Park, and that of the Colorado Rockies, Coors Field. Both offer magnificent views of the city, he says. “In Colorado, it’s magic,” he explains. When you sit behind home plate, if you look to one side, you see the skyscrapers of the city. On the other you can see the Rockies. And in front of you is the baseball game. »
The “old places”, for a return in time
the Wrigley Field de Chicago, home of the Cubs, Fenway Park in Boston, where the Red Sox play, or Lambeau Field, legendary home of the Packers. All these period places have left their mark on the travelers encountered who have visited them. “It allows us to go back in time, in the years when there was not so much “digital” in the stadiums. We can walk there with our children and show them what it looked like before,” says Martin Lafleur.
The Foro Italico, for its great beauty
Photo courtesy of Éloi Queenton
Inaugurated in 1932, the Foro Italico, hôte du Rome Masters 1000 on the ATP Tour like no other tennis stadium in the world. “It’s considered the most beautiful in the world,” says Eloi Queenton, who went there last spring. The clay courts are dug into the ground and all around the stands you can see marble statues.
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