It could be argued that there is a national obsession with football in the USA.
Most of us will agree that football is king. The National Football League (NFL) as an enterprise is worth a staggering $9 billion USD and college football is also worth an estimated $6 billion USD. These revenues do not even take into consideration the gambling or legal aspects of the industry such as fantasy football and other things that drive these numbers forward. At the end of the day, football has never been more popular which is pretty cool when all things are considered.
The issues around American football players suffering long-term brain damage due to the sport is still a concern among many and the game has been under siege recently for this very reason. There have been several high-profile lawsuits based on concussions of various players and jury is still out on the true long-term implications of playing the game. However, the game continues to grow exponentially in popularity and football fever is here to stay. We all love watching our favorite team band together with the common purpose of winning the game and teamwork is everything when playing this game.
Of course, all Americans have different interests. While a considerable amount of us love sports, some people love other games such as chess or video games. Whether you love video games or sports such as baseball or hockey, the availability of such activities is extensive but it could be argued that football is the most popular of all which is a curious thing considering the ever-increasing scrutiny within the game.
Football teaches individuals all about the fruits of hard work and perseverance whilst also teaching about the importance of standing up and taking responsibility. The physical aspect of the game is also important but the mental side of things also plays a prominent role in driving a team onto victory. It’s the combination of all these components that make football such a popular game amongst the public. This is all highlighted by how exciting it is to cheer your favorite team to victory and there’s nothing like being at the game in person.
In contrast, there does seem to be an awful lot of bad publicity surrounding the game also. The Jerry Sandusky scandal is one such example and the power football has over our universities is a concern to many. We are also aware of the toll that the game can take on its players but it isn’t only head injuries that are making the headlines. Other injuries such as knee ligament damage or quad damage also occur within the game with several of these accidents happening every single week.
Of course, injuries happen in every sport so it really is about finding the best methods to prevent these from happening in the first place. While seeing a player carted off the field is always sad, the bad goes with the good in the game and we all still continue to watch football. There is no simple explanation why and the reasons are complex but in that sense, we almost follow the game almost religiously!