What modern sports spectacles keep the rich on view?
April 13, 2012 8:43 AM   Subscribe

Sports spectacles and arenas of the modern world: I want to know about them, especially if they keep the rich on view rather than hiding them.

While I know quite a bit about North American and European arenas and spectacles, I was hoping to find some examples a bit further afield. I'm particularly interested in finding examples of modern, in use arenas or sporting spaces that don't try to hide the rich in private boxes, but where you pay extra to be very visible. (I know basketball has the courtside seating, but most modern arenas seem to want to enclose the rich and protect them from view). I'm also interested in hearing about sporting parades or celebrations that try to either unite the community in very visible ways or to mark out the audience by class or some other unit. I don't care what the sport is. And by modern, I mean anything build over the past 100 or so years. (Anything older than that is also of interest if it's still in use and not Roman in origin.)
posted by lesbiassparrow to Society & Culture (8 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Yankee Stadium
posted by empath at 8:48 AM on April 13, 2012


Best answer: Also, the Kentucky Derby
posted by empath at 8:50 AM on April 13, 2012


Best answer: Virtually every racetrack (e.g. motor sports, horse racing) has an infield, garage, pit or paddock area. For example, here's a shot of the Daytona 500 where you can see the division between the stands and the infield. These infield areas are generally more expensive, harder-to-get tickets.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:41 AM on April 13, 2012


Best answer: Following on Cool Papa Bell's comment, the Formula 1 paddocks, especially at high-profile circuits like Monaco, are chock-full of rich folks, and they practically go on parade during the pit walks.
posted by evoque at 10:33 AM on April 13, 2012


Best answer: Boxing. The closer to the ring, the flashier the spectators.


But, most modern arenas seem to want to enclose the rich and protect them from view

Well, yes and no. I think most private boxes are for corporate accounts, not movie stars, rock stars, etc. especially for basketball or baseball.
posted by Ideefixe at 11:30 AM on April 13, 2012


One thing I enjoy about polo is that it's traditional for everyone in the stands to take to the field at halftime to "stomp the divots" made by the horses' hooves.
posted by carmicha at 1:06 PM on April 13, 2012


Yeah, boxing and MMA as well. Always a bunch of celebrities sitting in the first few rows.
posted by TheRedArmy at 5:07 PM on April 13, 2012


Response by poster: Thanks for the replies. Great answers.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 7:25 AM on April 15, 2012


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