In this series of 52 weeks, (1 year to be exact) every Thursday I will talk about a city in the world where it is famous for its sports teams as well as the rivalry between them. I will try to talk about all sports. If you think during the series that I need to speak about a specific city, please comment on which city you would like to investigate for the following week. Thank you very much once more for reading me. This is how it starts "The best sports cities in the world"
LONDON
Although the origin of football is claimed by several civilizations, the only thing that we have as true and documented is that London was the place where what today is the most practiced and important sport in the world started. The famous Freemason's Tavern was the place where representatives of some of the most important clubs of the city met in 1863 to write and harmonize the first official rules of football. This gives the British capital the honor of being the birthplace of this sport.
From then until today football has evolved along with the city, becoming the protagonist of many historical events in the capital of England.
The attraction that this sport generated in London made it a very early show. The desire to see the geniuses of the ball in action offered the possibility of a new business in the aftermath of the second industrial revolution.
Football offers flags and signs of identity to neighborhoods, churches, schools and workers of the main factories of the city. People who reserve Sunday not only to play football, but also to admire the best players.
The rivalries with other cities like Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham or Leeds, will not be as severe as those that were born among the London clubs themselves.
It is famous and it is still today that keeps the reds of Arsenal with the targets of Tottenham in the north. But more ardent is the Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace in the south, the Millwall vs West Ham in the east, and we must not forget the rivalry unbalanced by the Russian rubles between Chelsea and Fulham, clubs separated by just a few kilometers in the South West.
Not only has interest, intensity and rivalry in the game grown. The city has grown. So much that some teams have had to move their stadiums to expand. The Arsenal left the nostalgic Highbury for the imposing Emirates. Tottenham have a brand new Stadium for this season. The West Ham will occupy the modern and functional Olympic Stadium. However, the only European Champion who has the city, Chelsea, remains in his old Stamford Bridge. The tradition mixed with British phlegm prevents the owner of the club and the stadium from reaching an agreement that allows the blues to grow.
Six teams will have this season London in the top flight of British football, the Premier League. Few capitals in the world can boast something like that. Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham, Fulham and Crystal Palace combine the feelings of this Megametropoli that not only revolves around the British Royal family, the pounds that move in the City or the tourism attracted by the change experienced in the city for the 2012 Olympic Games. Football is a feeling of belonging for Londoners.
Also, the NFL and the city of London have an agreement to have 4 matches per year for the following 5 years. Besides that, the MLB had also sign some international officials game for the next summer. The American sports are looking for new and vibrant markets and without a doubt, London is the city to go after.
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