Australia’s cavernous stadiums, such as the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, are intimidating places for visiting players.
Photographer: Scott Barbour/Getty ImagesThe Curse of Angry Crowds Has Now Reached Every Sport
Cricket’s long-running rivalry between England and Australia offers lessons for those shocked by alcohol-driven behavior at golf and tennis tournaments.
The punch landed with a crack and sent a tooth spinning to the floor of the concourse under the Grand Stand at Lord’s, the stadium on a 200-year-old site that calls itself the home of cricket. Two grown men, likely fueled by alcohol, had come to blows on a steamy evening in 2023 as they and hundreds of others filed out of the ground at the end of a match. For those nearby — including myself, my 10-year-old son and one of his friends — it was a shocking incident more memorable than the game itself.
The punch-up, at one of sports’ traditionally most well-mannered venues, was a reminder that rowdy fans are a feature of even the most genteel events.