What is a better atmosphere to be a fan, college or professional?

In being a recent participant in both, there is a clear answer.

In recently attending a Detroit Pistons game, as well as a University of Michigan basketball game and a Notre Dame football game, I have been fortunate enough to fully assess the age old question.

College is a more enjoyable experience simply because…it’s simpler.

In attending a professional game, such as the Detroit Pistons, there are many things to observe and partake in.

There’s just too much.

Once you look past the flames, the loud music, the dance team and the cheerleaders, the air balloon, the pizza giveaways, the cheer squad, the rock band, and the t-shirts being thrown around, you realize that there is an actual basketball game going on.

The Pistons, who currently have the second best record overall in the NBA, had three all-stars participating in All-Star Weekend in New Orleans and are on their way to their seventh straight 50-plus win season.

Shouldn’t this be enough for fans to get excited about?

But for some reason, talent, tradition and loyalty aren’t dependable resources when it relates to the professional setting.

Perhaps the organization and professional sports in general, question the loyalty of the fans, not trusting that watching 10 amazingly talented athletes would be entertaining enough.

So how does college do it?

By sticking with what works.

The focus of the college game isn’t the glitz and glamour — it’s the game itself.

All the other factors that college sports bring — the marching band, cheerleaders, and mascots — reemphasize the game. The cheerleaders clap after a big play, the marching band performs a fight song with a scoring touchdown and the mascot goes nuts after a big dunk. Each factor of the college setting are dependent variables — they couldn’t exist without the game itself.

Even the halftime show is really just a glorified performance of the fight song, which is provided not only simple entertainment value, but building up the anticipation of the second half of the game.

The college game works because the atmosphere is built upon foundations of talent, tradition and loyalty for entertainment value.

The college game can rely on this because the fan base already has a built in sense of devotion to the team.

College sports have such a faithful fan base because the athletics aren’t the lone variable in developing loyalty. After all, devoted college fans are typically an alumnus, where they met life-long friends, their spouse and had their first taste of autonomy in their young lives.

When going back to the one’s alma mater, it’s not just for the athletic event — it’s also for reliving the memories.

Professional teams just don’t have those experiences to build upon. They are just a team that is in the same state or area. Sure, they may have won in the past, and perhaps you have had a few fun nights watching them, but that’s really it.

I am sometimes accused of having an older spirit, but the good ol’ days seemed to be a more rewarding experience for the fans. They were relied on more to start cheers and were expected to intimidate the other opponents.

Lose the glitter, the flames, and the glamour.

Or as the old saying goes, keep it simple, stupid.