ADSactly Sports: A sport fans passion: How I became hooked on the NFL.
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Can you remember that moment? That moment when you became a fan? That moment when you saw something that captivated you so much that you were hooked right away. That moment happened for me on Sunday January 11, 1987. I had just gotten my first Television for my bedroom. It was a Christmas present hand me down from my parents. I had just gotten it set up in my room and the cable was hooked up on January 10th. The following day is when I watched the first football game I ever witnessed. It was at that moment that I became a die-hard fan of the NFL and the game of football.
The game was the AFC Championship game between the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos. John Elway, the Broncos quarterback, led his team to an epic come from behind victory. He led his team on a miraculous 98-yard drive in the final minutes to tie the game and then stole a victory from the jaws of defeat in overtime. This comeback would go down in history as “The Drive” and it would also be the beginning of my love of the Denver Broncos and football.
What got me thinking about this moment was when I was asked recently, why I was such a big fan of the NFL. I was quickly able to start talking about all the little intricacies of the game and the action. I went on about the excitement of big moments like that first one I experienced. I talked about the athleticism of the players and the spectacular plays that are made on the field. Then I started to talk about things like training camp, and the draft and realized that football had become so much more than a game for me. It was bigger than just Sunday Football games. How did this happen? How had football become such an important part of who I am and occupy so much of my entertainment time? I thought I had an idea what the answer was but decided take a closer look at what can only be described as “The NFL Monster”.
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There are a lot of really popular sports out there and I am a big fan of many of them. I know that you are reading this post right now and thinking that the sport you love is so much better than football. I am in no way writing this to put American Football above any of these sports. In fact, American football is actually ranked significantly behind several other sports when it comes to recognizing people’s favourite sports in the world. It ranks behind hockey, baseball, basketball, tennis and as you all have guessed already, the world’s most popular sports football (soccer). I will be discussing the “world’s” game in an upcoming post.
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However, American football has taken a stranglehold on the crown of most popular sport in North America. Many people would actually tell you that it has even ripped away the title of “America’s” game from baseball (now ranked #2) in popularity behind football. Baseball has been experiencing a decrease in popularity for a variety of reasons that I will save for another time. When you look closely at the numbers, most sports are fairly stagnant of show slight increases in popularity in recent years while NFL football seems to get more popular all the time. The NFL has even started playing games in Europe in recent years.
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So what has made football the sports phenomenon that it has become? How has the NFL become bigger than the game? The NFL has become a spectacle, unlike any other sport. Not only has it developed a huge group of core fans, they have also been able to capture the attention of the casual sports fan. Nothing the NFL does is on a small scale. Big, loud and in your face best describes the powerhouse that is the NFL.
The NFL is an advertising and promotional powerhouse. Ten years ago, that would’ve meant that it dominated television ad revenue, which is still true today, but in the promotional landscape of 2017, being a bonafide heavy-hitter means having a commanding presence on social media, too.
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The NFL is everywhere and fans are eating it up as advertisers pour out billions of dollars to fill the NFL’s cup.
I could sit here and tell you all about how the sport of football is amazing and how the game is the best to watch but it is so much more than that. These are some of the reasons, beyond the game itself, that I believe that the NFL has been able to take such a tight control of the sports entertainment market.
The Season
Professional sports all have dedicated seasons and the NFL is no different. However, the NFL has been able to make it so that each and every game has so much significance. The NFL season is only 16 games long. This makes each and every game matter. Losing 5 or 6 games can be the difference between making the playoffs and a season lost. In comparison, NHL teams play an 82 games season that spans over 7 months and the MLB season is 162 games long. It is hard for all these games to have the importance that each game does in the NFL.
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The 16 game season is spread out over 17 weeks. Each team only plays one game per week with one bye week (a break week). The majority of games are played on Sunday meaning that fans can enjoy an entire day dedicated to their favourite sport. Fans are able to spend the entire day completely engrossed in football. It begins early in the morning with the pre-game analysis of all the games. You can find these on several different channels. The games have been split up throughout the day. As one set of games ends, another begins. The reason for this is to accommodate different time zones but it has created an endless display of games for people to watch. This is topped off by the big post games shows all over T.V and then the Sunday night “Prime Time” game.
The genius of having games played only once a week is that fans have to wait. They spend their week looking forward to the next game. With most sports, you can catch a game 3-4 times a week so missing a game is not a big deal. With only one game per week, it creates a feeling of necessity for fans to watch. Then there is “Monday Night Football”. The NFL really hit a home run when they decided to save one featured matchup for a special night and put in on television during prime time.
Monday Night Football was so successful because it turned reporting sports into entertainment during primetime. To the addition of Monday night football during primetime hours, brought a whole new audience to sports and became entertainment to all instead of only targeting sports fans
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Monday night became an “event” more than a game. From the renowned “Monday Night Football” song by Hank Williams Jr to the big game moments, people felt like they had to watch. This has started to change since ESPN purchased the right to the game but Monday Night Football is still a big draw.
The Spectacle (Bigger is Better)
Everything the NFL does now is on a massive scale. The draft last week is a great example of this. The NFL draft was held in Dallas and was a larger than life production usually reserved for the Oscars or Grammys. The entire thing was televised on the NFL network and at a production level that is second to none. The potential draftees were entered the event “red carpet” style. They and their families were dressed in the finest designer clothes and were interviewed on their way in. Fans are on the edge of their seats as they await their teams picks. The NFL draft is jazzed up like no other league.
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The hype starts even before the draft with the NFL combine. This is a three day event where all the potential draft eligible players come to showcase their skills for all the world to see. Millions of fans tune in to see who is the top prospects are and hear analysis and interviews. Training camp and preseason have yet to start and the fans are already getting excited. All this hype around offseason events makes it feel like the season never really ends. There is always something coming up next for fans to look forward to. I haven't even mentioned free agency time.
Going to a game is not just going to a game. It is an entire experience. Football games are famous for the party that happens before the game. Tailgate parties have long been part of the true NFL experience. Showing up at the games hours before and having cookouts and mingling with other fans creates an atmosphere of comradery. Once in the stadiums, you are treated to entertainment from all directions as teams keep you engaged at all times. If the game is not playing then there is something to see and admire.
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The spectacle is highlighted by the Super Bowl. Consider the way I described the NFL draft and just imagine how big and bright the NFL championship game is. From the pregame party, the fireworks, the fighter jet flyover and the extraordinary halftime show, the Super Bowl is an event not to be missed. Even non football fans are drawn to the Super Bowl. Some watch for the halftime concert, some watch for the amazing commercials which have become a water cooler talking point and then there is the game. Super Bowl parties are common practice and fan or not, most people have attended at least one.
Fantasy Football and Gambling
The NFL is by far the most popular sport for people to bet on. You can bet on almost anything when it comes to football games and people do.
With an estimated $95 billion expected to be bet -- mostly illegally -- on NFL and college football this season, research shows that a legal sports betting market in the United States would be the largest in the world and could potentially generate as much annual revenue as the NFL itself.
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The sheer dollar amount gambled on NFL betting is staggering. There are a plethora of ways to “place” your bet. The birth of online wagering has made it extremely easy for people to make bets and gamble on their favourite sports. When people have money on the line they are more engaged in the games. This also translates to, if there are games to bet on then people will follow the sport. You don’t need to be a fan to place a bet and cheer for an outcome. A whole post could be dedicated to the different bets and ways to gamble on football.
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Fantasy sports has evolved into a massive industry over the years. Fantasy sports is the fans opportunity to draft a team of players and compete against other people as if they were the owners of a team themselves. This brings fans to a deep statistical level of football as they are now watching every game to see how their fantasy players are doing. Every yard and touchdown can be the difference between winning and losing. You can trade players and choose your lineup each week just like a real GM or coach would do. I am personally a huge fantasy football junkie. It takes the game to a whole new level of excitement for me. Fantasy football is also a big money business as the majority of fantasy leagues involve wagering an amount and the winner taking home the cash. Fantasy football has also made things like the combine and the draft more interesting as people are now looking at new players that they could potentially snag in their fantasy draft in the upcoming year.
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The NFL is here to stay and becomes bigger and more dominant all the time. Other sports are already starting to make changes to try to compete with the NFL in an attempt to eat into some of the market share it holds. Whether you are a fan or not you have certainly heard of the NFL and are likely aware of its status in the sports world in North America. American football still has a massive mountain to climb if it ever hopes to compete with soccer worldwide but they are definitely giving it a try and with hopes to expand to Europe in the future it will be interesting to see how the landscape changes. With the grandiose way the NFL does things they are creating new moments for people all the time. My moment way back in 1987 has brought me a long way.
What is your favourite sport? Are you an NFL fan? Was there a moment when you were captivated by a sport or team? I’d love to hear about what sports you are passionate about and why.
Authored by: @broncofan99
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