We have a vibrant sports culture in the United States. The massive importance of football is clear from how big a deal the Superbowl is. The insanity of March Madness demonstrates our love of basketball. If you’re not in love with one sport, there are many others to hold your fascination.
The problem is that our sporting culture is particularly American. Other countries love sports, but they don’t have the same attraction to American sports. Time zones also make it difficult for people in other countries to keep up with US sports. Any country not in the Americas is likely to be ahead of us by at least a few hours.
This is why traveling is so difficult for an American sports fan. We love seeing other countries and getting to know other cultures, but it is tough to keep up with our teams.
The good news is many have managed, and I’m here to show you how.
Download a VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) is security software that hides your location and identity. See this ExpressVPN review for more details on how it will keep you safe. An added benefit of hiding your location is that you can pretend to be somewhere you are not.
When you’re traveling outside the US, chances are you don’t have access to channels that show US sports. In recent years, it has become much easier to stream sports online. However, US sports channels only work in the US. They are blocked for copyright reasons in other countries.
Using a VPN, you can pretend to be in the US, giving you access to sports streaming services. Make sure you get it set up before you go so that you know how it works.
Look for expat sports bars
Ideally, however, sports is not consumed alone. You want to watch with other fans, no matter where in the world you are. This is especially true if you are watching it at a crazy hour, which is likely the case if you are traveling East of the continent. Watching through heavy eyelids on your laptop by yourself is disheartening.
Fortunately, there are Americans around the world, who have left their lives here to seek adventure and opportunities elsewhere. They love sports too, and generally have sports bars they run or go to when they want to watch particular sports. The vibe in these places is incredible, considering the camaraderie we feel when we get together like this in a foreign country.
They’re also sure to have a reliable connection to the internet and to the VPN or website they use to show the game.
If you want to find these bars, just do a simple Google search or search on Facebook for groups. Sites like TripAdvisor also help, as well as Internations, which is a service that connects expats or world travelers.
This is also an excellent way to meet people who have been in the city you’re visiting for a while. They’ll be able to show you the ropes, introducing you to the locals they’ve befriended along the way.
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