There is nothing more exciting in sports than a match with the whole season on the line. That's going to be the situation in Shanghai on Sunday when the Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) football team hosts Shenhua. 
I'll be there with about 40,000 other people. That number will include hundreds of foreigners who've developed a fondness for Chinese football. Despite some snobbery from the Europeans among us, what we'll watch on the field isn't that different from the game in Europe. What is different is everything else about match day in China. 
For an American, seeing a game in China is like traveling back in time. The first thing I notice is the price on my ticket. A decent seat at Shanghai Stadium costs 120 yuan ($18). That's what it cost when I was a kid in San Francisco. Nowadays, a good seat at a sporting event in the US can range anywhere from 1,350 yuan to 10,000 yuan.
When I walk into the stadium on Sunday night, I'll see a gorgeous green field and not much else. In US stadiums, every place your eyes could possibly fall on is branded with a corporate logo. It creates visual clutter and a sense that you're a lab rat more than a fan. 
The next thing I'll notice is the sound. SIPG season ticket holders will be chanting and pounding drums with songs and exhortations of their own invention. It creates a charming, emotional atmosphere. US stadiums are a dystopian din of high-volume, worn-out pop and rock. Massive high definition scoreboards tell you when and how to cheer, and most fans obey. 
But perhaps the biggest surprise for foreigners at Chinese football matches is the amenities. Setting aside the "luxury box" stadiums in the US offer fans for a price, the options are usually a coke, a beer or a cocktail, your team's jersey or other souvenirs, and dining options ranging from cheap and easy to gourmet. 
At Shanghai Stadium, your culinary options are tea, water and bad popcorn, and your souvenirs are possibly bootlegged jerseys from the ayi outside the stadium grounds.
Still, I can't help thinking of this as a golden age for Chinese fans. The league is in a sweet spot where the matches are good and commercialization hasn't overtaken the stadium experience. Enjoy it while you can.