5. College Football – The atmosphere of a college football game compares to no other sport. For the most part, this is because of the strength of the fan base. Students from a school will attend the game and have the time of their lives. They will cheer their team on no matter what the score is. When a school is playing a rival, such as when the University of Michigan plays the Ohio State Buckeyes, the crowd becomes even more obsessive and energetic than usual.

The home team will storm the field with a grand victory, leaving the small number of visiting fans hanging their heads in shame. The atmosphere of college football makes it one of the best sports to witness in person.

4. College Basketball – Growing up in Charlotte, N.C., made me a diehard fan of UNC and a grand hater of Duke. Not only is the atmosphere amazing, but also the game play is intriguing.

Viewing UNC against any team is a great treat for me, but seeing them play the greatest rivals of all time, the Duke Blue Devils, puts me in a state of ecstasy. The love of one team through good years and bad years creates extremely loyal fans.

3. NFL – The competitiveness of professional football is the main draw of the sport. In some professional sports, the players seem lackadaisical. They just don’t try. Professional football is certainly an exception.

It is amazing to watch the most talented men in the world battle in an epic game of football. Knee-buckling tackles, 60-yard receptions and touchdown runs down the sideline provide an incredible amount of entertainment. Close games always intensify the atmosphere, as a last second-field goal or a goal-line tackle can finalize a game in a matter of seconds. Witnessing these games provides entertainment that can be found at no other place.

2. Hockey – Last Saturday night, I went to a Carolina Hurricanes game and regained my love of hockey. Hockey is not as interesting on television as it is live.

The nonstop pace of the game is the most alluring aspect of the sport. In football and other sports, play is constantly stopped for timeouts, injuries and commercials. Hockey only pauses for face offs, and every moment remains vital because one goal at any second can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Beyond the fast pace of hockey, the hard checks cause players to fly into the glass making loud noises, proving how tough these athletes truly are. In addition, Hockey is one of the only sports that stay interesting in one-sided games.

1. Rugby – The number-one sport to attend in person has to be rugby. Despite the fact that no one truly understands what is going on and game stoppage leaves fans puzzled, the hard-hitting aspect of rugby draws cheers from the drunken fans.

The amazing environment and the interesting style of play bring attention to this sport as one of a kind. Other sports may be more popular, but rugby is the best game to see in person because its style of play is unique.