On the occasion of the Super Bowl—which begins in a couple of hours—here is my ‘Reflections on American football‘, that I posted the day of last year’s game. As I explicated in some detail, American football is a perverse sport in several respects, very much an American exception, and with zero export potential. And I point out that the notion that much of anyone outside the US—and who has never lived in the US—may have any interest in the Super Bowl is a laughable American illusion.
On the subject, here is a pertinent essay I just read by Andrew O’Hehir in Salon, who argues that US football is in a “death spiral” and “may eventually collapse.” He makes a number of good points, one being this
it’s such an unforgivable time-suck — a few minutes of action surrounded by oceans of advertising, high-end graphics and idiotic banter
I felt the same thing while watching an NFL playoff game in the US in December. There were so many commercial interruptions—literally every five minutes—that I stopped watching and did something else. I don’t see how even the most diehard fans can put up with the constant breaks in the action and advertising assaults. The game is unwatchable.
Another article worth reading is by sports writer Will Leitch in NYMag from last August, “Is Football Wrong? Even to a devoted fan, it’s getting harder to watch the NFL.”
As for tonight’s game, I know nothing about the 49ers or Ravens and couldn’t care less who wins, but, like last year, I’ll try to watch the whole thing (which for me means staying up to at least 4 AM). What the hell…
UPDATE: Joshua Keating has a piece on the FP website on “America’s Game: Why don’t other countries like football?” (and in which I weigh in in the comments thread).
Arun, pro football certainly is going through some changed, and basically hating every one of them. But predicting its demise is like predicting the end of the auto industry; it’s corporation in which American society is too fully vested to fold its tent, in this millennium anyway. Neither dementia in NFL vets nor restrictive rules to eliminate the pulverizing blows that cause it will turn Americans off a game that defines the values of so many of them. The TV commercials angle is a non-starter for an audience that needs breaks to replentish beer and nachos and hit the john. And beyond all that, the game is concluding one of it most entertaining years, even with perennial biggies the Giants and Pats falling by the wayside.
Lloyd: On the coming demise of football, I was quoting Andrew O’Hehir on this, not predicting it myself. I would never make such a rash prediction (and O’Hehir himself says that if it does happen, it won’t be anytime soon). Given football’s huge popularity and the zillions of dollars involved, the game will remain n°1 in the US for a long time to come, that’s for sure.
Recently heard a comment on NPR concerning the US debate about the widespread use of weapons in this society: America is a violent country; it
was founded on violence and violence continues to be exemplified on TV each
weekend during the football games. One could hardly call it a sport and why
it is popular is a mystery to me. With its constant interruptions for commercials
it is running a close second to “American News”.
“US football is in a ‘death spiral’ and ‘may eventually collapse.’”
I live in hope. The way I feel about American football is not unlike the way Unberto Eco feels about soccer. Passively watching others play just never made much sense to me.
Can’t say anything about football’s demise other than: no time soon. As to the commercials and banter: those times are spent socializing and ignoring the TV, which makes the whole experience more enjoyable than just watching the game could ever be.