Why is football so incredibly popular?

Answer 1

American Football and International Football (soccer) are popular for a variety of reasons which may vary between countries, cultures, and individual people. Some varied reasons, taken from sociology, psychology, and various disciplines, might include:

• A team represents a country, and a city or even a region.
• People like to root for a team that in a sense represents "everyone" from that country, city, or region.
• Football and European soccer are "icons" among the various sports. Few other sports have reached this icon status.
• Marketing and Advertising certainly affect viewership, especially now with multi-million dollar contracts.
• With marketing and skill on the field, the team leader or other primary players can become so well known that he becomes a regional or national icon. As a test, name 25 people who were lesser players in Football or Soccer from the last 25 years of all played games.
• Viewers feel they become, in a sense, participants on the field with their favorite team or favorite players.
• Both "love" and "hate" can each influence viewership. People might watch a game simply to jeer a team they dislike, though more people watch to root a team they like.
• Some people watch to argue rulings the play officials make. It can be fun to see if you're right when they repeat an instant replay film.
• Both of these sports have made considerable "social activities". Sunday night football televised games are reason to hold a "party" for friends. People visit Sports Bars to watch TV games and drink.
• Group dynamics of an audience are similar to group dynamics of teams. Watchers live vicariously through the team. But it's a symbiotic relationship too-- A great play prompts a thunderous reaction in the stands; a bad play prompts deafening boos. Audiences in stands use this dynamic to attempt to negatively influence an opposing team, and give "their team" an advantage. A large crowd can drown out communication between team members.
• As a reason to party or make mayhem, after-game celebrations often flow into the streets until early morning hours. Group dynamics often sweep through the crowd; usually law-abiding citizens can be influenced by crowd behavior to commit criminal acts-- climbing poles, stealing street signs, breaking into stores, looting, rioting, etc.
• College Students often hold parties around team sports, both collegiate and national sports.
• People may also watch from curiosity or to better understand the rules. But once they understand, they've become hooked on rooting for "their team".
• Men often introduce women to watching televised sports. As a couple, the woman becomes just as avid a fan as the man toward a particular team.
• Even when a person or family moves out of a state, their team affiliation often remains just as strong as when they lived in the other state. For example, people who move between PA and Ohio often find it hard to switch to either the Pittsburgh Steelers or The Cleveland Browns. It may take 20 years or more to fully adopt the new region's team as your own.
• Sports become a passive hobby or pasttime.
• For some people, sports are a niche of unique knowledge about player and team stats, the ultimate body of Trivia-knowledge.
• Sometimes, people watch from boredom, from nothing better on TV, from channel-Surfing, etc.

Answer 2

Because it is outrageously exciting and the most entertaining television broadcast ever. No one can resist the TV when football is on. From the family/friend rivalries to glorious smell of game day chili, there are so many aspects that make football the best show on earth.

Answer 3

Football (Soccer) is played in almost every nation in the world. It is popular because it can be played just about anywhere with little or no equipment.

Answer 4

id say because its taken so seriously all over the world ulike Basketball and Baseball there only really incredibly popular in the states.

Answer 5

Its very simple to play, all you need is a ball or something that can stand in for a ball and some sort of vague area to be the goal.

Answer 6

because people from England love football