4 ms·

There is. Other sports play a lot more games. Football has a predictable and consistent schedule, Friday nights in the fall. The limited number of home games (

There is. Other sports play a lot more games. Football has a predictable and consistent schedule, Friday nights in the fall. The limited number of home games (only 5 or 6 usually) also keeps involvement at a level that's not overwhelming for the student body. Additionally, football teams can support a lot more players than any other sport with rosters typically 50 players or more. Especially in smaller schools, this means almost everybody will know somebody who plays. Lastly, football is the most diverse sport in the US. There's a role for everybody. From smaller faster guys playing receiver, more medium sized athletes playing defense at linebacker or defensive back and bigger stronger guys playing offensive and defensive line. Even the soccer players can find a role at kicker / punter. It brings together more people from different racial backgrounds than any other sport as well. I was not an athlete in high school by any stretch. I was an overweight kid who played MtG, DnD and Duke Nukem all the time who just happened to be 6 feet tall. I played football for 4 years and learned a lot about hard work while I got in much better shape. Even though I was never a starter, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

taeric 4y ago
This is ignoring federated football. Rugby. Baseball and cricket have more games... But probably far fewer injuries and seem really able to muster fans. Don't get me wrong. I'm not fully against football. But praising the sport that has more money spent on it for reaping the rewards of said money feels... Not that charitable to other sports. Edit: I feel ashamed to have omitted basketball I'm my list. :(
- brightball 4y ago
  This is a chicken and egg situation. Football has more money spent on it because it became so popular that people started spending more money on it. I can't say for sure WHY it became so popular, but people in my area know college football history back 100+ years so well that it's a common topic of conversation. Usually the 2 big state schools would play a football game at the state fair every year and it became a major social event. The games themselves were almost secondary to the social event.
  - taeric 4y ago
    Agreed it is chicken and egg. I just think it is silly to say that it is a natural and sole fit. Football was likely popular in it's origins due to not needing a lot of equipment, amusingly. Is the reason pickup games were so popular in local parks. If you have a local court, basketball is rather popular for similar reasons. If you are out in the court, you are there to play and the main equipment is the net. And, at large, any sport or group activity is good. Remember back when schools would have large tug of war contests? Tons of fun that most anyone could join in on. Fairs were neat in the sheer variety of offering. Shame we lost those in favor of organized game nights, to me.
jonp888 4y ago
> Lastly, football is the most diverse sport in the US. There's a role for everybody I don't know whether to laugh or cry that you would unironically write that about a Sport that excludes 50% of the population.

taeric 4y ago

This is ignoring federated football. Rugby. Baseball and cricket have more games... But probably far fewer injuries and seem really able to muster fans. Don't get me wrong. I'm not fully against football. But praising the sport that has more money spent on it for reaping the rewards of said money feels... Not that charitable to other sports. Edit: I feel ashamed to have omitted basketball I'm my list. :(

brightball 4y ago
This is a chicken and egg situation. Football has more money spent on it because it became so popular that people started spending more money on it. I can't say for sure WHY it became so popular, but people in my area know college football history back 100+ years so well that it's a common topic of conversation. Usually the 2 big state schools would play a football game at the state fair every year and it became a major social event. The games themselves were almost secondary to the social event.
- taeric 4y ago
  Agreed it is chicken and egg. I just think it is silly to say that it is a natural and sole fit. Football was likely popular in it's origins due to not needing a lot of equipment, amusingly. Is the reason pickup games were so popular in local parks. If you have a local court, basketball is rather popular for similar reasons. If you are out in the court, you are there to play and the main equipment is the net. And, at large, any sport or group activity is good. Remember back when schools would have large tug of war contests? Tons of fun that most anyone could join in on. Fairs were neat in the sheer variety of offering. Shame we lost those in favor of organized game nights, to me.

jonp888 4y ago

> Lastly, football is the most diverse sport in the US. There's a role for everybody I don't know whether to laugh or cry that you would unironically write that about a Sport that excludes 50% of the population.