Isnt It Strange

[dargonking999]

As i look at basketball and football, it looks like the once american sports are becoming international, but yet football gets better as it stays on the american side.

My question is, do you think footbal is harder to get into as an international sport than basketball or baseball,

or do they just spend more money advertising to the international counties to bring in players?


Hopefully that made sense

 

[jksmith269]

I would say since it hasn't been played in the olympics countries haven't shown the intrest like they would if it where an olympic sport; which IMO has limited its popularity on a global scope.

 

[Gent]

Football is WAY harder to get into than baseball or basketball. Soccer, hockey, and basketball are, in a basic sense, the same game. Baseball takes about 5 minutes to learn.

Football is like a miniature war. All 22 men are engaged in some kind of battle, regardless of who has the ball. The procedural rules are complex and the penalties confusing to the beginner. Hell, it seems like I learn something new about football rules every year.

I think that learning curve makes football a richer game than many others.

-Gent

 

[parchy]

Football is also a lot harder to just pick up and play... in third world countries, it doesn't take a lot of resources to play soccer, baseball or basketball (or cricket for that matter)... not only can they play those sports with little equipment, but they can play it as it was meant to be played/as they see and hear about. With football, the only real ways you can play are tackle or touch, but you won't have helmets/pads etc... there's just no way to replicate the game outside of an official format.

Even in non-third world countries (like England and Japan), football hasn't caught on because of the playability factor. It probably also has something to do with pride as well... I'm sure a lot of people think it's just an American sport and they have their own (which they do)... I don't really care if other countries never 'get it.' Football is the greatest sport there is, and if it doesn't garner international attention, more chance I'll get a good seat at a game

 

[gbrittain]

As i look at basketball and football, it looks like the once american sports are becoming international, but yet football gets better as it stays on the american side.

My question is, do you think footbal is harder to get into as an international sport than basketball or baseball,

or do they just spend more money advertising to the international counties to bring in players?


Hopefully that made sense

I lived in a foreign country for many years and visited several others.

The biggest reason why football will never be an international sport is $$$.

It takes money and lots of it to field a tackle football team no matter wether it is little league or professional.

Many Americans are blessed to be able to spend hundreds of dollars just to outfit Little Johnny for his "Football Season".

I promise you that is not even an option in most countries.

 

[gbrittain]

Football is also a lot harder to just pick up and play... in third world countries, it doesn't take a lot of resources to play soccer, baseball or basketball (or cricket for that matter)... not only can they play those sports with little equipment, but they can play it as it was meant to be played/as they see and hear about. With football, the only real ways you can play are tackle or touch, but you won't have helmets/pads etc... there's just no way to replicate the game outside of an official format.

Even in non-third world countries (like England and Japan), football hasn't caught on because of the playability factor. It probably also has something to do with pride as well... I'm sure a lot of people think it's just an American sport and they have their own (which they do)... I don't really care if other countries never 'get it.' Football is the greatest sport there is, and if it doesn't garner international attention, more chance I'll get a good seat at a game

I see you essentialy beat me to my point. Agreed 100%.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I would be surprised if Football ever caught on in other contries, outside of the Americas. Soccer is the sport that rivals football, IMO, throughout the world and Soccer aint going anywhere.

The real problem, IMO, is the investment it takes to play organized football. It's to significant. I do believe that football is one of the easiest of the three major sports to master. You do not have to be as physically gifted to be good at it as say Basketball or Baseball IMO. Superior athletes play basketball at the highest levels. Athletes with superior coordination play at the highest levels in professional baseball. In football, I think the demands athletically etc. are less but you have to we willing to endure. To me, this makes it more of a commen mans game. I believe that this is why it has become the most popular sport in the United States.

On a side note, Baseball and Softball have just recently been excluded as Olympic sports. That's a shame if you ask me.

 

[ravidubey]

Many excellent points have been brought up here.

I think no sport has anything to rival throwing and catching a football. It is physically liberating to be able to heave a ball that was designed to be thrown and catching that same ball while standing or running without using any special equipment like a mitt. Rugby comes close, but it's not nearly the same.

You can play even tackle football without pads, cleats, or uniforms, IMO, the biggest barrier is the cultural learning of the game. There are 22 unique positions on offense and defense and maybe more on special teams alone.

Even if they had a football, why would kids go to the playground and start playing this game if they haven't the first clue what they are doing?

 

[Eddie]

The rules of football are very easy ... and you don't need alot of equipment. It's even easier than basketball ... there, you need a net.

For football, you need a few friends, and a football.

You need one person to throw, and everyone else goes out to catch the ball.

On Defense, you need one person to hike the ball to the thrower and count to 10 Mississippi. Everyone else pick a person to cover and don't let that person catch the ball.

Simple.

 

[dargonking999]

The rules of football are very easy ... and you don't need alot of equipment. It's even easier than basketball ... there, you need a net.

For football, you need a few friends, and a football.

You need one person to throw, and everyone else goes out to catch the ball.

On Defense, you need one person to hike the ball to the thrower and count to 10 Mississippi. Everyone else pick a person to cover and don't let that person catch the ball.

Simple.

Thats kids football

 

[Yakuza Rich]

My question is, do you think footbal is harder to get into as an international sport than basketball or baseball,

or do they just spend more money advertising to the international counties to bring in players?

Football is far more expensive and more difficult to form teams than either basketball or baseball. Organized basketball can be played with a minimum of 5 players on a team. Organized baseball can be played with a minimum of 9 players on a team.

In football, you could certainly play with 11 players on a team and have them play iron man, but in reality that's just not possible. You need upwards of at least 25 on the high school level and that's still pushing it.

In basketball and baseball, the injury risk is much much lower and thus you'll have more people interested in the game. And since the injury risk is much lower, insurance costs are dramatically lower than in football.

Lastly, the cost of equipment is entirely higher. Go to any sport goods store and pay for a few bats, some balls, mits, and baseball helmets.

Then go to the same store and try to find football pads and football helmets. The difference is astounding.


Rich...............

 

[parchy]

Thats kids football

Exactly... you can play a diluded form of the game if you want, but there is absolutely no way of playing it the way you hear about without putting down some serious dough

 

[SweCowboy]

I used to play football here in Sweden and there are several reasons there are only a couple of hundred players i Sweden.

First of all few people know anything about football. And even fewer enough to coach a team. The only games shown on any swedish channel is monday night games and the playoffs. And few people start playing a sport they know nothing about and buy pads and such.

When I played we used to have to double up on off/def because of to few players.

Baseball isn't any bigger in sweden but we have a similar/simpler game that kids play. But you really don't compete in it.

I really don't think its only the $ factor, hockey is a big sport in sweden and it costs just as much or more to play hockey. Its more a combination of $ and the lack of exposure I think.


/David