The place where I'm working was giving out free tickets to a minor league baseball game (the Mets' farm team) at Coney Island, and I decided to go because I've always wanted to check out a baseball game. Granted the minor league would be a little different from the MLB, but I was looking forward to having an all-American experience where you eat franks, drink beer, and chat with your friends while watching the game.
When I first got there it was pretty fun, and the atmosphere was great. The people there were having a good time, it seemed like a nice neighborhoodly kind of place and event where families went to be American. We got these "bam bams" which are basically two long balloons that you blow up which when you hit together lengthwise would make this loud annoying noise. There was an announcer on the loudspeaker, music, and strange bagpipe performances between innings.
I left after being there for four innings. Partly it was in order to go get some other food at the boardwalk, but I was glad to be getting out of there because the commentator would not shut up but never actually commented on the game, the music was too loud, the kids behind me were too annoying, and too many people were walking around blocking my view of the game. Apparently they're even crazier at major league games. I don't know if this is a cultural difference, but when I used to go to NHL games in Vancouver, sure the people were crazy about the team but they were always really into the game and following what's going on. At the baseball game I felt as if the main point is to sit around and talk and eat, and it just so happens that there are a couple of guys tossing a ball around in the background. Plus, I can get all the sensory overload I want in Manhattan, I didn't need to take the subway for an hour to Coney Island for more of the same.
(I say this but I'll still try to go to an MLB game one day to see what it's like - maybe in Boston since everyone there is crazy about the Sox.)
(Also, I've got to say that their fireworks show - it was Irish culture celebration day at the park - at the end of the game was nice. Much nicer than what I managed to get glimpses of for five minutes half obscured by a building of the July 4th fireworks.)