The World and American Sports

[Anomaly]

Hello All,

First time post, I hope it is in the right forum. I was looking for an information forum but couldn’t find one. Anyway I’m a sports and recreation major at NorthWestern and I’m writing a term paper on how to improve American sports around the world especially American football. In the course of research, I discovered I have to identify the reasons why the world is not readily accepting of American sports or maybe it’s the influence of soccer that has made the world turn a blind eye to other sports. I figured this would be the best place to get answers as it has quite a large foreign community and people who in one way or the other might have had certain opinions about American sports. I’m just looking for constructive arguments and reasons on why the World doesn’t like American sports especially American football. All inputs are highly appreciated. Thanks for your time.

[Roehl Sybing]

Just to borrow a lesson from my old music teacher...if American football was shown on every television set around the world, 24 hours a day, the NFL would be the most popular league in the world.

Likewise, if soccer was broadcast on every channel in America all the time, soccer would replace everything else and become the de facto national sport.

Why is American football not as popular as it could be? Because it's not shown often enough.

Why is soccer not very popular in America? Because it's not shown often enough.

[zingostar]

Hello Anomaly…. Welcome to the board. Hope I can be able to help. An American here but I have traveled extensively throughout all 5 continents and have quite some understanding on certain cultures and occurrences around the world. As for Football,I don’t know really, honestly you will be surprised a majority of people around the world doesn’t know what the NFL stands for or what it is all about. Like the first peron said… its all about exposure. It is also a culture thing to an extent as some cultures might find the apparel overtly sexual or even certain stances in the game. In Europe and Asia where they are weight conscious, the idea of a 250 pounder playing sports doesn’t register too well. Then you have the helmet thing and the pads and all. The NFL just has a lot going against it and I believe it can only thrive here in the US where people are used to it.

I wouldn’t say the world doesn’t like basketball, it is the 2nd most popular sport in the world and its reach is getting bigger by the day. Like you said…. Soccer has been out there for ages and has captivated the world… don’t see that changing, just hope basketball will continue pulling fans around the world.

[michaec]

I think that part of the appeal of football is the ease with which you can start a game. When you can use a couple of marks on a wall as goalposts and a coke can as a ball it's easy isn't it?

[Justin O]

Can I assume that American sports means football, baseball, bsaketball and hockey? Anyway, I get almost 500 channels on my current satellite and have gotten numerous others on other systems in other countries. Basketball is extremely popular in an huge variety of countries. It' popular to play, domestic leagues are popular, and NBA highlights are not difficult to find in numerous languages, though it rarely leads anyone's sports report. Hockey is extemely poplular (again, to play, domestic leagues and the NHL) in northern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Baseball is popular in much of Latin America and a little of Asia. Football is really the only one that doesn't have an international presence.

Keep in mind a couple of things - Canada has a very similar attitude towards sports. And also, the "rest of the world" is often really just means Western Europe to people. If you use that definition things change of course. If you take away the exception of soccer, "American sports" compete well with other sport in terms of international following, again with th exception of football. Soccer is hugely unique and I think it's quite misleading to use it as a comparison to American sports or to any other sports.

[Dr. Wankler]

. Football is really the only one that doesn't have an international presence. .

My take is similar to Justin's only I think that American football has local appeal for reasons similar to the local appeals of Gaelic football or Australian Rules football. It's a sport that emerged under particular historical and cultural circumstances, and has become identified with a particular place and culture. Now, soccer, baseball, and basketball all had similar origins... but for some reason they traveled better than have the variants of Rugby football that emerged in the US, Ireland, and Australia.

I don't know why any of this occured, but if you're really interested, Anomaly, you need to check out two books: Offside: Soccer and American Exceptionalism by two guys whose names are escaping me, and Beyond the Boundary (or maybe "a" Boundary) by C.L.R. James. It's about cricket, but it is very insightful about how that sport traveled and became immensely popular among those who were on the receiving end of British colonialism. Neither of these books directly addresses your questions, but if you read enough to get an idea of the writers' main points, then skillfully skim the indices of each volume, you can come up with an impressive array of scholarly quotations.

[pc4th]

American Football is as popular world-wide as Australia Rules Football is popular world-wide.

And since I don't see many Americans playing Australia Rules Football, I don't see how it will happen the other way either.

It's not popular for various reasons:
1) The rules are difficult (just like Australia Rules Football)
2) Equipment are costly.
3) No body play the game and thus no really grassroot fan base.
4) No TV coverage
5) If there is TV coverage, too much commericials interuption.

[Vic#10]

I have found that much of the young generation (teenagers) in Europe have seen American football. I have never been to other continents so I cannot speak for them. Much of the problem does come with the roots of sport, soccer has been around for a longer time and kids are raised in an environment filled with soccer. Much of the appeal of soccer is that it is so simple to play.
Rugby clearly has many similarities to football; a reason for its higher popularity in Europe is its fluidity. And once again children are raised in an environment that promotes it. Lastly, football has only really spread to some western European countries, (e.g. Spain, Holland) There is no national pride behind the game.

Top 3 Reasons why football is not accepted
1. Soccer based environment
2. Lack of game fluidity
3. Lack of National pride

In time the newer generations will grow with more exposure and things will change. Just like soccer’s growth in America, Football will grow in Europe.

[Vic#10]

Basketball is extremely popular in an huge variety of countries... Hockey is extemely poplular (again, to play, domestic leagues and the NHL) in northern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Baseball is popular in much of Latin America and a little of Asia.
A great example of country representation creating fans. There are always people in every country who are willing to play a sport. It is the main step of actually finding the people, after that the sport will create fans. I guess your main job, Anomaly, would be to find the direction of cause and effect. Does a sport become popular because you know people who play it (e.g. your national team) or do people you know play the sport because it is popular? My opinion is the first option.

[ZeekLTK]

Like one guy pointed out, there are A LOT of other sports that are "nation-specific" that pretty much only the people in that region, or maybe only that nation, play while the rest of the world does not. I'm sure there is some sport that is popular in Central Asia that no one in America has even heard of, let alone are fans of.

The topic of your paper, to make more sense, would be to look at why America does not accept a sport that the rest of the world does. Doesn't it seem odd to you that a sport in which a vast majority of the globe support and play is "looked down upon" here? Like that one guy said, no one is questioning why Australian Rules Football (whatever that is) isn't popular world wide, it's just not. But the people in that specific country/region like it, so that's fine. If no one else likes our type of football, we shouldn't be too concerned. However, when a sport, such as soccer, is popular in every corner of the globe except for pretty much two nations in North America (I'm assuming Canadians aren't too big on it either)... well, that is an anomaly.

Oh yeah, I'm from Michigan State, so how'd you like that basketball game* last night? :D

*For those who don't know, MSU whooped Northwestern 69-58. :)

[96Squig]

Football is way to less fluent for us soccer-used Europenas... it is gaining some attention though, NFL Europe here in germany, #5 behind soccer, hockey, handball and basketball I think. But: The season is way to short (sport has to be all year around, like soccer is, you can allways get some firendlies or internationals if it is off-season)
Than the american game is to much built around the show and not the game (superbowl commercials), so if europeans want to watch a show, they'll just watch a normal show and not a football game (which would be way to late here anyways)

We have had quite agood thread about the superbowl in world rivalries I think, you'll find a lot in there (a lot of BS, too :-) )
But basketball is not that unpopular, baseball caught on in Asia, football a bit in germany and hockey in eastern/northern Europe, so...

But afterall it is just a different concept of sports in the US and the rest of the world... have you ever thought why you will hardly find any cheerleaders in a soccer game? Why does our half time show just suck? because we want to see the sport, not a show.

[FARFAN 17]

The number one reason why football is not popular around the world is because... Its american!

[gomez]

Why is soccer not very popular in America? Because it's not shown often enough.

While I don't think this is the only reason, I agree and I want to put a curse on the head of ESPN for the States.

Chess, the Spelling Bee and bowling all get air time, but we can't get more than one Champion's League match per playing week with the occasional USMNT game?

I don't want to throw this thread off topic, so please don't mind me. It is just that yesterday I saw curling, yes, CURLING on ESPN. Surely a soccer match would get higher ratings than curling! :mad:

[musicl]

Because its called 'AMERICAN football' to everyone else.
People just think its something americans do.

Also every 10 seconds the game stops.

[aloisius]

Just to borrow a lesson from my old music teacher...if American football was shown on every television set around the world, 24 hours a day, the NFL would be the most popular league in the world.

Likewise, if soccer was broadcast on every channel in America all the time, soccer would replace everything else and become the de facto national sport.

Why is American football not as popular as it could be? Because it's not shown often enough.

Why is soccer not very popular in America? Because it's not shown often enough.


All sports are not created equal. It’s not about promotion.

[96Squig]

Because its called 'AMERICAN football' to everyone else.
People just think its something americans do.

Also every 10 seconds the game stops.
well, why is it called football the first place? They kick the ball quite seldom compared to real football...

[Auriaprottu]

Hello All,

First time post, I hope it is in the right forum. I was looking for an information forum but couldn’t find one. Anyway I’m a sports and recreation major at NorthWestern

It's spelled "Northwestern". The W isn't capitalized.

My bet is that you're a sock trying to answer the completely logical thread about why Soccer hasn't caught on in America with an illogical one mocking the question.

[|--LdC--|]

The number one reason why football is not popular around the world is because... Its american!
No you are wrong, the main reason why isn´t popular is simply because nothing can be compared with the REAL FOOTBALL the one everyone else in the world plays and loves ;)

[pc4th]

Just because a sport is really popular in one country doesn't mean it will be really popular with many other countries.

Take for example, ping pong in China. It is hugely popular, plays by hundred of millions people but I don't see it becoming popular like soccer or basketball. The same thing with American football.

Basically, once cricket is popular in America, American football will be popular in India/Pakistan.

Do you see cricket being popular in America any time soon? If it's a no, then don't expect American football to become popular abroad anytime soon.

[Big George]

I don't want to throw this thread off topic, so please don't mind me. It is just that yesterday I saw curling, yes, CURLING on ESPN. Surely a soccer match would get higher ratings than curling! :mad:

It is really funny that you say you saw curlingon ESPN, up here in Canada curling is huge, the sports station that shows live Champions league games will show curling instead of live CL soccer games, then show a tape delay game at 3 in the morning.

On the topic of why American football is not as popular ...
A big reason would be the short length of the schedule and it is only available two days a week for 5 months a year. Means in a year, incluyding playoffs there are on 42 days in a year that it can be seen live (Sunday and MNF) and playoffs.
Further in many European and Southern hemisphere games people world compare it to rugby, in rugby the game flows better with fewer stopages. Rugby players are seen as stronger and better athletes, not to mention they wear no equipment. To me the biggest problem now is the slow pace of play and the fact that the league cares too much about big bottom lines, games used ot take under 3 hours, easily, now games take 3.5 to 4 hours, too many comercials.