Airports and sports

By Sarah Kuta

One of the most interesting facets of large airports is people watching. Yesterday, I flew from Denver to Tampa for the 2011 Sports Journalism Institute. Instead of catching up on sleep, I kept my eyes open. Among the many plush blue seats on my flight, I saw newlyweds, screaming babies, Blackberry addicts, business suits and sunburned vacationers just returning from their trip to Disney World. I also saw fans of the Rays, Rockies, Broncos, Nebraska, Cardinals, Florida, Cubs, Texas and more. It seems as if dedicated sports fans use airports as their personal billboard; many won’t travel unless they’re representing their team for all to see. It’s a good conversation starter, especially if your team is playing on the day of your flight or was recently involved in some scandalous or incredible event. Sports get people talks—it’s one of the many reasons I enjoy writing about players, teams and their fans. I often flaunt my Northwestern pride at the airport, but not this trip. I’m heading into a week of training to become an unbiased, balanced sports reporter, after all.