American Football in England

[Madmonk]

The National Football League, NCAA College Football and High School Football dominate the sports landscape in my hometown in Ohio. But this year, the NFL is trying to expand into the British market with a game between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins at Wembley to be held on Sunday (Oct 28, 07). But how will the British market percieve this? Is it a novelty version of Rugby? Or something more legitimate? Is it doomed to failure like the the European Football League? Or is the NFL actually set to make inroads on the other side of the Atlantic?

Just curious?

[tinchote]

The National Football League, NCAA College Football and High School Football dominate the sports landscape in my hometown in Ohio. But this year, the NFL is trying to expand into the British market with a game between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins at Wembley to be held on Sunday (Oct 28, 07). But how will the British market percieve this? Is it a novelty version of Rugby? Or something more legitimate? Is it doomed to failure like the the European Football League? Or is the NFL actually set to make inroads on the other side of the Atlantic?

Just curious?

I would be really really surprised if it generates some interest.

[Rollo]

Because of the insular nature of American sports (and the media in America), the reporting and development of "foreign" sports in America just didn't really happen.
Conversely "American" sports outside of America don't generally travel either, apart from baseball which does very well in ex-American occupied countries.

To make inroads against football in the UK, you'd need an advertising budget probably bigger than that of the NFL in America. The 5 year TV rights for the NFL in America were US$3.735bn. The Premier League last year had UK domestic rights valued at £1.1bn (US$2.238bn) for a single season, that's not including overseas rights either.

The odd trial match here and there would probably fill Wembley, but I wouldn't count on the NFL breaking through the biggest media pie in the world.

[Hawkmoon]

I've followed the NFL since the late eighties and seen it's popularity rise and fall in Australia. At the moment it's an entirely niche sport that only gets televised on Pay TV and never get's mentioned in the news except for the Super Bowl.

I can't see the day when American Football will became a major sport in Australia. I think it is impossible for it to become mainstream in the UK and Europe because soccer is more than just a sport, it's a way of life.

I think the NFL is wasting it's time playing games in England and wish they didn't rob my Dolphins of a home game to do so. The 'Phins need all the help they can get. :(

[Mark]

Most do see it as just rugby where the players wear a lot of padding and stop all the time.

Not even Rugby can challenge the football (real football) juggernaut so what chance can the NFL stand?!

[BDunnell]

I don't think it has a chance. There have been all sorts of efforts over the years to get the British public into American sports and, sadly, very few people are really interested.

[Donney]

I think it is way too slow for European audiences, matches last forever and they stop every single minute to decide what and how they are going to do next.

I don't think it will generate much interest.

[Drew]

It'll be popular with a lot of people that idolise America. To the general public I doubt it'll make much interest at all.

As has been said, people consider American football to be rugby with padding.

[Daniel]

It'll be popular with a lot of people that idolise America. To the general public I doubt it'll make much interest at all.

As has been said, people consider American football to be rugby with padding.
And with forward passing allowed :p

[Malbec]

And with forward passing allowed :p

But nowhere near as fluent with too many stops and set-pieces.

[CCFanatic]

I think the Giants/Falcons game this coming weekend at Wembly would be a big show of support.

[BDunnell]

I think the Giants/Falcons game this coming weekend at Wembly would be a big show of support.

As a novelty, perhaps, but the reality is that hardly anyone in the UK cares about American sports. Why should we? We have our own that aren't popular in the USA. It works exactly the same the other way round, too. Any attempt to interest Americans in cricket would understandably meet with a similar lack of support.

[alfa155btcc]

was a waste of time and monet could`nt think of anything more boring
:s mokin:

[CCFanatic]

As a novelty, perhaps, but the reality is that hardly anyone in the UK cares about American sports. Why should we? We have our own that aren't popular in the USA. It works exactly the same the other way round, too. Any attempt to interest Americans in cricket would understandably meet with a similar lack of support.

Now to voice that to the NFL Comisioner Roger Goodell, whose plans for the next 50-100 years for the NFL include expanding worldwide with teams in every continent, players form around the world, a SuperBowl at Wembly or somewhere in London in the next 10 years. NFL Europe failed, no players from Europe in the league, and not much interest form the people outside N.America shows only Americans care about the NFL, and it should stay that way.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

It seems a little strange to me. What would people here think if Man Utd versus Liverpool was played in New York? :s

[jso1985]

it will surely create some interest as it's a novelty(like when the stadium in my city had 25000 people to watch a rugby match) but I think on a regular basis American handball will fail miserably in other countries like England, too slow for their taste

[Rollo]

I think it is way too slow for European audiences, matches last forever and they stop every single minute to decide what and how they are going to do next.


in other countries like England, too slow for their taste

I dismiss this argument:
American Football has 34 Laws and takes approximately 4 hours.
Cricket in Contrast has 42 Laws and takes 6 hours per day and up to 5 days to finish a match. Even a One Day International can last for 7 hours.

[stevie_gerrard]

Didnt i hear though there were over 1 million requests for tickets for this game? Also, apparently the NFL is very popular in London according to Inside Sport, i doubt the craze will catch all over britain, but i do try to watch the big games over the season, and the superbowl of course. I think it would give sports fans something else to watch rather than Football or Rugby.

I doubt it will be a regular thing, but it deserves a chance like most other sports :p :

[Camelopard]

The Amercans can't even get their northern neighbours the Canadians to play Amercan football :) . How do they expect to spread it around the world :p : .



I believe the Canadians play 'Canadian Football' which has a different sized field and number of players on each team.

[Dave B]

The biggest barrier American sports face in the UK is the lack of local support. The main reason football is so massively popular is that you can get behind your local team. Loyalties have been formed over decades, and is more akin to a religion in many cases. The more fanatical followers travel all over the country supporting their team, and although the vast majority of the Premiership is made up of overseas talent, in lower divisions it's a matter of intense pride to see a local boy doing well.

An American Football game may well be entertaining, but I can't see how it would ever attract the same passion as the domistic game, and therefore I don't believe it will ever be more than an interesting novelty in the UK.

[MrJan]

It will get interest but largely they'll be preaching to the converted of Yanks over here and people that are already interested.

As Mark said it's Rugby's ponsy twin where everyone wears pillows and hats. Admittedly the same rules regarding tackling aren't in place but most Brits don't care.

Also it gets very tedious. If I go to watch my football team on a Saturday or Tuesday night I know that from a 3 o'clock kickoff I'll be home around half 5 and from a 7:45 start I'll be in by quarter past ten. You get 90 minutes with about 6 added for injury time and a 15 minute break at half time.

In American football it can last for ever. I watched the superbowl the other year and I just got bored about two and a half hours in. Seriously the game is supposed to be an hour long but people keep dropping passes and you have to wait 5 minutes before a bloke will throw the ball again. And how many people do you have in a team, they keep bloody changing. 11 blokes, 3 subs that's the way to play football, less confusing for everyone.

Seriously though I don't mind the game too much but I'd much rather spend my Saturday watching Football or Rugby. And if we did have 'American' sports over here I'd be watching NBA and NHL (Now there is a sport, low scores and fighting)

[CCFanatic]

Didnt i hear though there were over 1 million requests for tickets for this game? Also, apparently the NFL is very popular in London according to Inside Sport, i doubt the craze will catch all over britain, but i do try to watch the big games over the season, and the superbowl of course. I think it would give sports fans something else to watch rather than Football or Rugby.

I doubt it will be a regular thing, but it deserves a chance like most other sports :p :

The million could be just people who want to say, "I went to an NFL game". Just like people who go to the Super Bowl (NFL Championship), they do not go because their fav team is in it, but because of it is something only once a year. It is the thing to do. The glamerous place to be seen. Maybe the NFL game in London is seen in the same light.


The Amercans can't even get their northern neighbours the Canadians to play Amercan football :) . How do they expect to spread it around the world :p : .



I believe the Canadians play 'Canadian Football' which has a different sized field and number of players on each team.

Correct. I have an uncle who played in the CFL. The field is 120 yards. The NFL moved the field goal posts behind the endzone (try zone in rugby), while the CFL field is like a rugby field with the posts are in front of the endzone.

[MrJan]

I doubt the game in London will be seen in the smae light as the superbowl. Afterall at the superbowl the people may not be interested in the teams but they like the sport (we get the same with football here for the FA Cup Final. Even just regular league games because a lot of us don't watch Premiership games week in week out. My team is in the 5th tier so I'll go to other games just for the experience). For the NFL here people will go but it'll largely be because they want to go to Wembley. I just think it'll be a novelty that people will forget very quickly.

[Drew]

was a waste of time and monet could`nt think of anything more boring
:s mokin:

You've never watched Baseball have you? :p : The most interesting thing that ever happened was when the pitcher threw the ball and it hit a bird :p :

[MrJan]

But at least with baseball you know it's boring, like cricket. American football seems like it should be exciting but really misses the mark.