The other day I was in the dentist’s chair losing my mind. The dentist wasn’t removing my mind, she was performing dental duties as prescribed. But I was losing my mind because someone had stolen my idea. The hint that an EPL match was coming up was on the screen above me (my dentist has TVs AND muzak to enjoy while you bleed). What the what? In a medical office? EPL soccer?

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My next thought is, could I get LFC on this dental TV? Why not? And who broke the cable-controlled barrier first?

Somewhere out there, there’s a person with sparkling teeth and the power of a production coordinator in the control room! They brought the beautiful game to the dentist’s chair. And everywhere else.

But watching alone is a painful experience because you can’t share the joy or the dismay. Watching a match in solo is akin to floating in one of those egg-sensory-depravation-torture-things. Being near people is part of the elixir of a superior football experience, and it’s not always possible.

So, what are the options? If you’re an EPL fan, or better still an LFC Supporter, it’s vital that you find an ideal viewing location for the matches. Simply put, this occurs when you:

…are in a European-style pub with multiple TVs and numerous REDs supporters;

…stand in front of your seat for 158 minutes at Anfield while Liverpool dispatches another foe with extreme prejudice;

…create the ultimate home viewing experience with a plunge pool, nonstop greasy appetizers, giant TVs (two at least), and a partner who loves Liverpool as much as you do (or has a craft obsession that they’d like to dive into on weekend mornings). Win win win win win;

…or the best of every world…you land a cooperative agreement with a venue that loves Liverpool as much as you do, you create the official supporters club in your area, and you build up a membership of hundreds, and you have a regular awesome place to view our matches.

But, it’s not always that simple. Sometimes a pub closes or there are business decisions that change the viewing environment. Without going into lurid details, the Boston, MA area is host to multiple EPL sides’ bars. These include Arsenal, Man U, Tottenham, and of course LFC.

Well, in the time I’ve been an LFC supporter and Scouser in Training, I have seen a few significant changes in the landscape. The biggest has been fan groups moving to new locations.

Two examples that come to mind are the double loss of pubs that Tottenham has endured. There’s also been a recent change of venue for LFC Boston.

Tottenham Supporters Club revealed on the last day of the season a few years ago, that they had lost their ‘home’ and were moving to another bar. The committee had to stay after the match with screwdrivers and drills to remove their team memorabilia from the pub’s walls. Horrifying.

For LFC Boston, I’m not sure what happened, but on Christmas day 2024 the OLSC’s home was one pub…and 24 hours later the group had unveiled a new home for the supporters. Some of the posts online and a letter to members made note of space considerations and member numbers.

Regardless, it was a shocking change for me – already in a pub desert and now having to find the new location. Perhaps I’m making this out to be a huge deal, but I’m exactly two hours and 18 minutes from the door to The Phoenix Landing, and I think about 10 minutes longer to the new LFC Boston pub.

This includes parking time and a moment or two to carry my mug and chair to the line outside the building. If I decide to visit Boston to watch a match, it’s valuable for me to have my ‘home’ pub to watch Liverpool…now it seems I might have two.

Circling back to the original quest, any number of factors can interfere with your enjoyment of a match. It’s bad when you can’t watch because of scheduling and family. But when you finally get a pass to watch the Reds, the primary decision is where to watch.

In fact, watching a soccer match at a genuine European pub is far more valuable and exciting than watching anywhere else – except maybe Anfield. The people and the facility are usually bound by the same social contract – to have an ultimate viewing and entertainment experience.

Without that home pub, you’re in a pickle. Lucky for you, the happier section of this column is about to emerge. Here are some ideas to keep you happy and connected as much as possible with Liverpool’s season.

In no particular order, since I’ve been up in Maine for almost three seasons I have performed multiple actions to keep Liverpool matches in front of me. I still go to Cambridge for important matches, but my choices are a little wider than they were when we moved up here.

Befriend a bartender – the bartender is the person with the most access to the television remote control. This is possibly the most important relationship during the EPL season. Using this method, I have three bars/restaurants near me that are generous with the clicker.

Check the listings – It usually takes a visit to find out what channels or cable packages a bar subscribes to. In my case, my favorite bar has three TVs and NO PEACOCK. The other two have access to both Peacock and ESPN+, so I’ve covered all bases.

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Make yourself aware of wider sports broadcasts – detailed above, there are dozens of bars who will turn on soccer if you ask, but they have no loyalty to the sport in most cases. There have been a handful of times where I was watching a match and the bartender asked if they could switch over to a local game (NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL). When you’re outnumbered, it’s best to see if you can move to a satellite TV.

THE CAVEAT – I have a friend who was so interested in having control of the televisions at the bars he frequents. He went for a heart-to-heart chat with Xfinity. It turns out that by sweet-talking the clerk, he was able to walk away from the service center with a voice-activated Xfinity remote.

Flash forward to match day when my friend decided to test his plan. We went together into one of my regular bars on a Liverpool game day. I’m not sure who we beat because we grabbed a high-top near one of the screens in the room and got to work. His research told him that the bar had remotes for each of the three TVs, so he selected the one just out of sight of the bar.

Doing a bunch of button pressing on the remote, it took about 12 seconds for him to pair it with the cable box near us. Then, we went nonchalantly all the way across the room, keeping the screen in view. Once settled at a more comfy table, he pulled out the remote and tested it from that distance. It worked!!

As long as the game isn’t on Peacock, we found that we can select channels from outside the bar. No lines, no waiting, and Liverpool served up right. For the other bars, I’m privy to where the remotes are held. Most of the time I’m turning from a game show or soap opera to the Reds. Clearly not harshing anyone’s desire to watch throwball or other American sport.

Remember, we are living in the future. If you’re not a complete wanker, you’ve probably found 30 more ways to watch/stream/record/enjoy the side we all love.

Do it carefully and maybe you’ll be able to eat your cake and have it too. Regardless of how you do it, just do it. Find a way to enjoy the Reds, for this is a magic season.

When you come to see a match in the Boston area, look me up. If it’s a biggie, I’ll come down and meet you at the pub to watch the game. No matter where you watch soccer, try to do it with a fellow Scouser.

YNWA

*This was an editorial piece and doesn’t necessarily reflect American Scouser’s views.*