In Europe, football was a culture widely recognized by all sectors of society.
In football matches, the ritualistic elements seen everywhere were all displays of social culture.
For example, the players from both teams shook hands before the match. Or when a player from one side went down, the other side would always kick the ball out of play at the first opportunity. When play resumed and the team whose player had gone down took the throw-in, they would always throw the ball directly back to their opponents...
There were many elements like this in football matches. Some were rules, while others were unspoken understandings.
This football culture was also an expression of social culture.
In the United Kingdom, sports—or football matches, to be more precise—played another role besides the familiar one for fans. They were a show, an activity designed to entertain the general public.
That was why many people could not understand why every other league had a Winter Break, while the Premier League was the sole exception. Not only did it have no break, but it always scheduled an especially packed run of matches between Christmas and the Winter Break.
It was actually easy to understand. As long as one stopped treating it as a football match and instead viewed it as a show, a grand event, everything made sense.
The whole country took time off during Christmas and the Winter Break. Wasn't that exactly when more activities should be scheduled?
It was just like the Spring Festival back home. Had anyone ever seen shopping malls, scenic spots, or cinemas close during that period?
Didn't they all rush to arrange more activities and attract as many customers as possible?
The logic was exactly the same.
And because football was a show designed to entertain local fans, the