After a two week delay, the Argentine football (soccer) season has gotten underway. Apparently the global economic crisis and profligate spending has resulted in total club debts of around US$160 million. To solve the problem the teams, I believe, unilaterally tore up their TV contract (which was a pay per view deal with a private company) and received a US$100 million bail out from the government, which put the games on free TV. President Kirchner called it, "a historic day for football, for Argentines and for the possibility of living in a more just and democratic society."
To celebrate this momentous victory for democracy, I went to opening day at La Bombonera, the home of Boca Juniors. Boca Juniors is one of the most popular teams in Argentina. Their big rival is another team from Buenos Aires, River Plate. I understand that the matches between the two teams ("superclasicos") gets a little testy.
After having some pizza and beer in the sunshine near the stadium (Boca is much nicer during the day!), a British friend and I scalped general admission tickets and sat with some of the fanaticos.
In order to get into the stadium we had to pass through several security gates. When the game started the fans threw confetti in the air and then the steady beating of drums and singing began. Boca fell behind 0-2 in the first half, but rallied back for a 2-2 tie. The fans were pleased. The riot police could save their batons for another day.
La Boca attempted to secede from Argentina in 1882
A typical neighborhood house
This is what happens to River fans in La Boca
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