Why are there so many stoppages and commentators on televised American football games that make them so boring?

Answer 1

After consulting with the spirits of Stagg, Rockne, Bryant and Camp, they have determined that,in essence, what you see as a boring three hours of televised American football is actually a 2-3, or even 4, days event for real American football fans, the ones who actually attend the games. You refer to NFL & NCAA Division I American football games, since very few Divisions I-A, II, III or NAIA games are televised. Junior/Community College, High School, Junior High School, "Pop" Warner etcetera et al games are rarely televised because of their small TV marketpower. NFL football, as we know it, could not exist without television. The cost of televising American football is big money. Television commentators and commercials are the price that you pay to watch the game on TV. With all due respect, you should attend an American football game in person to learn a bit more about it. You can see yawners in person too, but REAL American football is not constricted by kick-off and final-gun times. Forty bucks, give or take a little, can usually get you a TICKET for a SEAT in an SEC, BIG-10 or other major college STADIUM where 30-100+ thousand FANS, Marching Bands, CHEERLEADERS, FOOTBALL TEAMS, COACHES, PEANUT VENDORS, SOUVENIER STANDS and real WEATHER make up the experience of witnessing a well played game IN PERSON. The kind of game where you save the ticket stub for posterity, with the score written on it. Some tickets are framed. I've watched a lot of both Rugby and American football, and while I find rugby a fast, exciting, rough and tumble sport, I also enjoy the strategy and execution of a well-developed game plan in American football. Along the same lines, I've heard a lot of folks say that Golf is like watching grass grow, and sailing is like being cold and wet while watching grass grow, but in my opinion, both of those assessments, while humorous, are borne of a lack of understanding of the intricacies and nuances of the particullar sport. I guess at the end of the day, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. Because you don't like football.