English Soccer

In England, soccer has a rich and long history. Soccer in England is taken much more seriously than any sport in the United States and every match is taken as a rivalry. In England, Boxing day is one of the most prized traditions. Boxing Day takes place the day after Christmas when every Premiere League team is in action. The only other time this happens throughout the season is on New Year’s and the final day of the season. In England Boxing day is treated like Christmas and families get together to root for their team of choice, where families center their meals around what times the games are starting.

                The teams represented on Boxing Day have sales go through the roof via Jersey Sales, Ticket sales and other paraphernalia. While all other major European soccer leagues take a break, English Premiere League takes on a schedule of 40 games in a span of twelve days. Boxing Day has a long tradition in England dating back to the King George VI Chase. Throughout Great Britain soccer and rugby games take over people lives as they go crazy for their teams. Although the Irish soccer league is also playing matches during the winter schedule the English Premiere league still takes the main stage around the world because of its popularity.

Many outsiders looking at the insanity of 40 PL games in 12 days around the Christmas and New Year period must seem absurd. In the United States, the only comparable event is March Madness, which is stretched over the course of a month. In the much consistent climates of Italy, Spain and France, players are given two weeks off to spend with their families during the Christmas season as well as prepare for second half of the season. That’s particularly helpful when national teams compete in massive tournaments in summer months.

                The Premiere League takes the main stage over other Leagues because it has the most recognizable team names such as Manchester United, Liverpool, or Arsenal. The best way for an American to understand the popularity of these teams is to compare Manchester to the Dallas Cowboys and all the other high level teams to the New England Patriots. The fans for these teams are dye hard for soccer teams. In the United States fans love many different teams that encompass a large variety of sports. In England that have their soccer teams. Every team’s fans look like a group of color blind Oakland Raiders fans.

No matter how much resistance there is by the few soccer scrooges for change over the festive season and to give PL players a winter break, it will simply never happen. Boxing Day is far to revered in English soccer and this joyous period of games will always be a mainstay for all the reasons I’ve listed and more no matter who is against it. I implore you to take some time next year to sit back, relax and enjoy the English tradition of Boxing Day which takes place the Morning after Christmas in the United States.