Whether it is a national title
or a neighborhood pick-up game of soccer, sports (deportes)
are obsessively popular forms of entertainment in Latin America.
Travelers who want to gain a better understanding of local
culture owe it to themselves to check out the venues that go
beyond traditional jalai and bull-fighting.
Professional leagues are found throughout
the region. There's no doubt that soccer is the favorite sport,
but it's by no means the only game. Baseball, basketball, football,
cycling and rugby all have their fans and organized tournaments.
You'll also find impromptu matches played in urban parks such
as Parque La Carolina (Quito, Ecuador) or Ciudad Deportiva (Mexico
City) and in less orthodox places as well. It might be a
cow pasture on weekdays, but there is always space to construct
a cancha de futbol.
While public and private schools rarely have the capital to
build large sports facilities a la the United States, the bigger
cities do boast some of the largest stadiums in the world. Brazil's
Estadio Maracana holds 90,000, down from its record capacity
of 200,000 built for the 1950 World Cup and Estadio Azteca in
Mexico City holds
120,000 and has hosted two World Cups, an Olympics and a PanAm
game.
Local sports stars, such as the Dominican Republic's Sammy
Sosa, who play in the international arena are revered in Latin
America -- particularly because they achieve their success by
their competence and commitment to excellence. Another factor
is that many players -- including Sosa -- give back to their
communities and assist other aspiring athletes from their home
countries.
There's no doubt that globalization of sports is on the rise.
While riding public transportation in Latin America, witness
the copious number of NBA and NFL caps, jerseys and jackets.
Yet national and regional pride are celebrated with equal fervor.
It's just that the marketing bug hasn't reached Latin America
the same way it has in the United States.
Outside Mexico City's baseball park, for example, vendors
sell memorabilia -- jerseys, t-shirts, coffee cups, key chains,
etc. -- for the capatalino teams -- the Tigres. The only thing
baseball fans won't find are baseball cards.
TRAVELER TIPS
Want to see a game?
It's probably not part of the standard city tour, so you will
have to get to the game yourself. Check the local newspaper
for information about the next game. When in doubt, ask fellow
travelers or the management of your hotel. Once at the stadium,
you'll just need to buy a boleto. Get in line. Buy a ticket
and see something fun!
For individual travelers, the issue isn't joining a team but
just trying to keep in shape. Travelers who want to keep fit
find health clubs open for visits. Many aren't in the best of
shape. In Quito,
I purchased a one month's entry to the gym, but was hampered
because the ceilings were too low to lift any weights over my
head!
If you'd like your team to play, you might check local websites
and see if they welcome visitors. Local rugby teams, for example,
welcome international competitors, whether they are individual
players or teams.
The following are just a few of the sports practiced and cheered
throughout the Americas:
Baseball is a popular sport in the Caribbean, Mexico and Venezuela.
Professional baseball scouts have been heading to Latin America
since the 1940s and 50s.
The sport has been played
south-of-the-border since 1864, when three students from Cuba
who attended college in the United States -- Alabama's Springhill
College -- brought balls and bats back to their home country
and founded the Havana Baseball Club. At the start of the 20th
century, marines from the United States and stationed in Nicaragua
introduced the sport, making the nation a baseball beachhead
in Central America.
Professional biking is a favorite sport throughout the region,
and Colombia
is well known for excellent cyclists who compete in the Tour
de France -- they are excellent mountain climbers. No wonder
-- Colombian cyclists train at high altitudes in one the world's
most mountainous countries.
Regional rugby is increasing in popularity thanks to the fine
showing of Argentina in the 1999 World Cup.
The sport has historical ties to schools in the UK.
Rugby is also getting more attention as regional games are broadcast
on the regional cable channels.
The most popular sport in Latin America is without a doubt
soccer, or as known the world surrounding the United States,
futbol. Introduced in Mexico
by British miners in the 1800s, the sport has been a popular
fixture in the region. Soccer is more popular in Latin America
than it is in the United
States where cynics say that 'it's a sport of the future
... and always will be.' Regional tournaments include the Copa
America for national teams and the Copa
Libertadores for club teams.
Futbol Americano is growing in popularity in Latin America,
though Mexico has the most fondness for the sport. Pre-season
NFL games have been played in Monterrey,
Nuevo Leon and Mexico
City five times since 1993.
