“It’s passionate. That’s how I describe it. It doesn’t matter what sport it is, people come out. People are intense. There was a lot of suffering for most teams, as obviously a die-hard Eagles fan, I can relate. I can just name losses and just very sad moments for decades until finally the day when 41-33 happened [at Super Bowl LII as the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots].
“But I think people are very passionate here. We don’t care if you’re a fan of an opposing team or you’re a Santa Claus that had it coming… Just get ready. There might be some batteries thrown at you!
“But, no matter what, whether it’s the Eagles, whether it’s the Flyers, whether it’s the Sixers, whether it’s the Phillies, or even the Union – unbeknownst to many people, the Philadelphia Union are a team built by fans and by fandom, so that’s a great story, as well. And college basketball from Big 5 from back in the day. This is a sports town. This is America’s sports town. It’s the birthplace of America. Where else?”
Outside of Philadelphia itself, Buskei said the essential Pennsylvania sporting experience comes back at his alma mater.
“When Penn State plays, Beaver Stadium becomes Pennsylvania’s third-most-populated town. So 110,000 of my best friends go into a whiteout [where everyone wears all white to the game].