‘Our proud tradition of horrendous traffic!’: Fans give their verdict on the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Birmingham after an epic show at Alexander Stadium, with special praise for ‘incredible Brummie Bull’
- The Commonwealth Games kicked off with the opening ceremony
- Fireworks, classic cars and a giant bull from Birmingham were all featured in the show
- The Commonwealth Games consists of 72 countries and will run until August 3
- The extravagant opening ceremony received mixed reactions on social media
The 2022 Commonwealth Games have started in Birmingham on Thursday night when the weird, wacky and wonderful produced an opening ceremony of the major sporting event.
From car parade segments featuring the Prince of Wales, to fireworks displays, hot air balloons and some of the craziest artistic creations we’ve ever seen, you could be forgiven for forgetting sport altogether.
As athletes from the 72 different countries and territories paraded around Alexander Stadium, it was largely the events taking place nearby that caught the attention of the thousands in attendance.
A collection of the Midlands’ most famous cars on display at the Birmingham ceremony
Social media roared with praise for the masterfully crafted giant mechanical bull
Social media has been booming with reactions from people at the stadium and at home, with some praising the creativity of the event and others mocking the exuberance on display.
Sportsmail covered some of the best and worst reactions on social media at the start of the 22nd Commonwealth Games.
One person compared author Samuel Johnson’s strangely magnified artistic depiction to the famous Star Wars character Jabba The Hut while the green and purple creation was on display for all to see.
Another instead compared it to the snail known as Roz in Pixar movie Monster’s Inc.
This was intended as a representation of the famous English writer Dr. Samuel Jackson
Some were quick to compare the strange creation to a famous children’s movie character
Kinder contributors praised the beautiful recreation of the famous Bull welcoming shoppers to the Bull Ring shopping center in Birmingham city centre.
One social media user praised the “incredible display,” while another summed up the thoughts of many onlookers, saying, “Loving the big Brummie bull.”
The bull in all its glory – Twitter users praised the brilliant ‘Brummie bull’
The huge bull structure certainly impressed the thousands in attendance and those at home
Some were quick to find the humor in the brilliant British car demonstrations featuring a host of classic and modern cars made around the site during the Midlands cruise.
Vintage and more modern Aston Martins, giant Land Rovers and science fiction McLarens were all showcased, but many online were not as impressed as organizers had hoped.
A collection of some of Britain’s most iconic cars has been compared to rush hour traffic
A user threatened to take action if the famous children’s TV car Brum was not included in the show
One joked that the display symbolized the daily rush hour in Birmingham and tweeted: ‘Our proud tradition of abominable traffic’.
And another viewer mockingly threatened serious action if the famous children’s TV car Brum did not appear.
Other social media reactions sparked an international debate suggesting that the 2014 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Glasgow would not be topped for the giant Tunnocks teacakes featured in it.
Part of the ceremony was also likened to the 2017 binmen strikes when a mountain of colorful bags and suitcases were propped up between a guitarist and accompanying dancers draped in white dresses.
Who did it best?! Some argued the 2014 Commonwealth Games ceremony in Glasgow was better
Strike! A pile of colorful suitcases reminds a user of the binmen strikes of 2017
During the 2022 Commonwealth Games, 72 different countries and territories will compete against each other in a series of sporting events.