The “Unknown Culture”; Sports in Stockholm


Posted May 13, 2016 in More

Riddarholmen_from_Stockholm_City_Hall_tower

What’s the deal with Stockholmers and their sense of fashion and interest in sports? Our ex-pat on the ground is curious.

The Scandinavian heritage of Sweden is an element that plays on our subconscious when we think of this part of the world; the lore combined with the rolling luscious countryside makes it both a beautiful and culturally rich destination.

Culture, in all its various forms, is a huge part of the countries mystique, and is definitely part of why fashionable cosmopolitans like Stockholm are so popular among visitors. With Sweden depicted as a trendy hub, and its capital the epicentre of these ‘fashion wonders’, it is unsurprising that so many non-inhabitants think only of the high fashion locales of the city. One such place that fully encompasses this lifestyle is Söder, formally known as Södermalm.

After receiving the highest of approvals from ultimate fashion guru Vogue, the cobblestoned municipality was named the coolest location in Europe, and as such oozes creativity and style in abundance. There you can discover numerous upcoming brands as well as intricate avant garde clothing pieces that perfectly capture the chic designs that Sweden is associated with. Often people think of the Scandinavian homeland as a creator of modern, unusual furniture, and yet their clothes are just as interesting, if not more so, than their furnishings. This diverse glamour, while dominating and inescapable, is accessible to all whom visit. Fashion is an inseparable part of the Stockholm way of life.

Although this renown cultural facet of Stockholm society is widely discussed, there is another important part of the country’s life that isn’t as acknowledged as it should be, and that’s sport. Physical activities are a huge part of the life there, a fact that soon becomes apparent the moment you start to immerse yourself in the raw local culture that conservative tourism can overlook.

There are no end of sports that heavily infiltrate residents day-to-day activities, such as ice hockey, bandy, and gymnastics, however none resonate as powerfully with spectators as football does. Allsvenskan, a professional league consisting of 16 teams, can be argued as the epitome of the sport and its community, which is why international names such as Betway deliver so many odds surrounding this particular League.

But it isn’t just the prestige of the teams that make sports the ‘unknown culture’ of Stockholm, it is the sense of community and intimacy that is created that truly makes it so enriching.

According to those who have moved there, and swapped British teams for Swedish ones, there is a different atmosphere that surrounds this part of the city. Instead of heavy commercialism and interpersonal branding, a sense of family and closely knit relationships are formed, which has converted some die hard UK football fans to this European way of thinking and living.

More often than not, culture is seen as something that belongs strictly to the arts and fashion, a subjective mistress that is part of the high brow niches, and yet in reality it couldn’t be further from the truth. Culture, ways of life even, are about so much more, as shown by the relationship between sport and its fans in Stockholm.

Image: Benoit Derrier, Wikimedia Commons

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