NFL schedule is out. Do people outside the States really care?

There's another London game this year, and it's not even a good one (St. Louis and New England). The NFL's been trying to turn Europe and other regions of the world on to (American) football for a while. So is it working at all? Why or why not? I'm curious to know what people think.

Personally, I'm pretty goddamned fired up about this season. I'm a Detroit resident and lifelong suffering fan, and it looks like the NFL gods might finally be parting the clouds for my poor Lions.

I'm inside the states and don't care if that's relevant.

@YI_Orange said:

I'm inside the states and don't care if that's relevant.

What he said.

Apparently enough people care to sell out Wembley Stadium most/every year. I quite like Friday Night Lights, if that counts.

I live outside the states, and I've been following the NFL for a while, I love it.

A lot of people outside of the states watch the Super Bowl.

I'll watch the Superbowl sometimes, but that's about it.

I felt bad for you in Detroit for a few years there... but, being from Chicago, we have a much darker future now.

I'll trade this guy for megatron, what do u say?

Rugby is just a better version of football anyway so why would they care

@Ravenlight said:

@YI_Orange said:

I'm inside the states and don't care if that's relevant.

What he said.

Same

Why would they? It's the national football league.

NFL/football is popular in Canada, more popular than baseball or basketball, I personally couldn't care less, but I know lots of people that are nuts for it.

The NFL schedule making the news is a good reminder that the CFL preseason is less than 2 months away. Toronto seems like they have putting together all the right pieces in the offseason. It'll be nice to see a second good team in the east this year.

Wembley does sell well generally, but I think it's 'cause it's OHOH NEW SHINY FOREIGN THING, not 'cause anyone gives a shit.

I might watch the Super Bowl but I haven't much lately. I think for most British folks reared on football (the one you play with your feet) the US version is too slow, too bogged down in tactics and swamped in advertising and marketing. I like slow games, am a big fan of cricket, but American Football seems to be broken up for no other reason than to put in adverts and it never seems to build any momentum. It drives me mad the way teams can kill off games or slow them down using Time Outs, which are unheard of in UK sports.

Each to their own, and maybe if i'd been bought up in the US i'd love it, after all sports are so entrenched in the culture of a country (look at baseball - a sport which would seem an anathema to the fast paced life of the US yet is the national sport), but I just can't really enjoy it as a whole game - highlights can be spectacular but games just drag.

I've been to the Wembley NFL games the past two years, so at least 80,000 people care. But do most people care? Definitely not.

I hate sports also why don't they call it handegg? Now good day sir [puts on fedora and farts]

I've been to the NFL at Wembley 3 times. It's always a great atmosphere especially when the game is close like last year. A lot of people will turn up to watch the Pats play but it doesn't look like it will be a good game.

There's a decent amount of coverage in the UK and it does have quite a big following. I wouldn't be surprised if London gets a franchise at some point.

NFL schedule doesn't really matter because we know who's facing whom already, just not in what order. The London game is always going to be a blow-out or the worst teams in football because season ticket-holders (or fans, in general) wouldn't appreciate the best game of the season for their team or even a division/rival game on the other side of the pond. Plus, it's mostly just teams that volunteer, like the Rams. In fact, I think the Rams will play a game in London for the next few years to develop some sort of a devoted fan base over there, which might lead to London getting their own team (worst plan ever).

The NFL schedule only applies to season ticket-holders. I couldn't care less about the order.

No.

That said, the game is fucking Bulldog, so I'm surprised people aren't nuts for it over here in England. Bulldog was the shit.

Nope. Sports that actually stop mid-game for commercial breaks and who have players that are basically obese come off as some kind of joke to me. I get having a long commercial break at half time, but between plays? Are football players that fat and out of shape? Rugby is like football for real men.

@Tylea002: Are you referring to the game named after the professional wrestler?

@artgarcrunkle: If that's the one which is exactly like american football, but without a ball, then yes.

It got banned at my school. Always a shame when that happens.

@zudthespud: As a Pats fan I would like to know why would they come to see the Pats? Is it just because the Pats have been good for a while?

Also I'm a football fan and I don't give a shit about the schedule if that's what you're asking about. I'm not sure if you are asking if people outside the U.S. care about football itself or the schedule being out.

Outside the States here and nope I don't care. Frankly I don't know anybody who cares, inside or outside the States.

@MikkaQ: There are 350 pound guys running 40 yard dashes around 5 seconds. That's not out of shape. Good to see rugby trolling is as tired as ever.

I'm sure there are people outside of the US who like American Football but I doubt there are many, which is fine. I love football and soccer (football) doesn't really interest me at all but I can appreciate the excitement people around the world get from it.

I don't follow it here. The fact that enough people in this country assume that everyone cares about sports has really bothered me. If you don't like the NFL people just try to find the one sport that you do care about. I should get hard into SC2 stuff so I can talk about that to them. Just alienate myself further from coworkers.

@pyromagnestir: They're a team everyone knows and Bob Kraft probably pushes for it because that dude loves money.

@nukesniper: When people do that it means they like sports and they're trying to find common ground to talk to you about. It doesn't mean everyone in the country cares about sports. Hope my primer on human interaction helped you spaceman.

I've always wondered why rugby kids are so hard up to prove why they're better? I love football but rugby is cool too. Inferiority complex?

Plenty of people in the UK care about it.

I didn't think I did until I started watching it this past year - for me I like the US' approach to sport - for such a capitalist country they put a hell of a lot of emphasis on trying to be fair and equal! Along with that they think about and change the rules accordingly - a lot of sport in Europe is bogged down in tradition and has rules that need changing or updating, but they refuse to do so.

Back to the question - people care and it's getting bigger too. Unlike someone suggested people aren't buying Wembley tickets just for the hell of it - they're damned expensive - all those people will be fans.

Many universities field American Football teams too - you can't be a niche sport and fill a squad of that many people. That shows that it is pretty popular even though it isn't really shown over here.

It's a great combination of athleticism, individual talent, team talent, and manager tactics - I don't see why anyone who is even slightly interested in sport wouldn't like it - it's got pretty much everything going for it. And if you find it too slow - which is the main criticism - then just watch the highlights!

Also, the Rugby vs American Football argument is a silly one - I myself used to say it, but now having watched and learned about the game the only people I can see saying such things must clearly not know what they're on about.

@TheSouthernDandy said:

I've always wondered why rugby kids are so hard up to prove why they're better? I love football but rugby is cool too. Inferiority complex?

I don't like either, but Rugby is at least entertaining to watch, (american) football is terribly paced.

To be fair, the structure of football has been set in stone long before television/marketing became a thing. Sure, there's one-minute TV timeouts for when a team scores (it doesn't take that long to set up the kickoff), but for the most part, commercials fill up the already long-established non-game gaps.

Meh, I tape everything anyway, so it doesn't apply to me. At least the football players aren't walking billboards for airlines or electronics?

@leebmx said:

I might watch the Super Bowl but I haven't much lately. I think for most British folks reared on football (the one you play with your feet) the US version is too slow, too bogged down in tactics and swamped in advertising and marketing. I like slow games, am a big fan of cricket, but American Football seems to be broken up for no other reason than to put in adverts and it never seems to build any momentum. It drives me mad the way teams can kill off games or slow them down using Time Outs, which are unheard of in UK sports.

Each to their own, and maybe if i'd been bought up in the US i'd love it, after all sports are so entrenched in the culture of a country (look at baseball - a sport which would seem an anathema to the fast paced life of the US yet is the national sport), but I just can't really enjoy it as a whole game - highlights can be spectacular but games just drag.

baseball sucks ass. National sport due to it being before football.. Honestly baseball is a horrible sport and i dont understand how people can watch it.

I'm Canadian, could care less. It's Play-Offs.

@YI_Orange said:

I'm inside the states and don't care if that's relevant.

I was just about to say this. I really like football and even I don't even care about the NFL schedule.

If I could watch it on normal TV, I'd care. I enjoy the sport and would like to watch more of it. But the only match that is on normal TV is the superbowl, so that's the only match I'll watch in the year. So the schedule doesn't really matter to me.

A place called Canada probably does

@Animasta: I'm surprised it has any traction overseas considering how hard it is too get into football if you aren't into the metagame on some level or have a home team to root for. Especially now that Roger Goddell (uh...basically the Football Boss if you don't know) is dedicating his career to making the game less fun.

@McShank: How could you not like a sport where guys get hundreds of millions to be fat and stand in the sun? That's unpatriotic, bro.

The real question is why would anyone in Europe be a fan of the Rams?

@artgarcrunkle: That does sound like something Bob Craft would push for. He also seems to like putting a contending football team out on the field so God bless the greedy bastard.

MORE GAMES IN CANADA!!! lol more precisely don't have it in Toronto cause no way im overpaying that much to watch Buffalo play. I love the NFL, don't want to watch the third rate league that is the CFL.

I LOVE ME SOME HIGH QUALITY GRIDIRON ACTION, plus I'm addicted to fantasy football. Most of my friends here in Vancouver are dedicated NFL fans, but we all played football in highschool and some of us at university, so we have some bias to it.

NFL is the most competitive professional sport league in the world, probably the best league in the world. I love, love soccer; but the NFL is just so fucking good.

@pyromagnestir said:

@artgarcrunkle: That does sound like something Bob Craft would push for. He also seems to like putting a contending football team out on the field so God bless the greedy bastard.

You'll be singing a different tune when Tom Brady isn't around to carry a team of aging retreads and Kraft/Belichick still won't pay for talent.

Nope, never met anyone remotely interested in it.

Football doesn't start till November when the World Series is over (yeah, yeah, "World" isn't true, sorry). Go Nats!

I love me some football but it kind of disturbs how crazy excited people get for the NFL schedule. The season is 5 months away, I'll get excited when the season starts. There's plenty going on in sports right now more exciting than a schedule being released. 

I have been a fan for my whole life, and I still dont care.

@TheSouthernDandy said:

I've always wondered why rugby kids are so hard up to prove why they're better? I love football but rugby is cool too. Inferiority complex?

I don't like either, but Rugby is at least entertaining to watch, (american) football is terribly paced.

@McShank: Maybe I read (or hear about) too many books where it goes right to the heart of what America means blah blah. But you are probably right and Baseball owes it position in American society to age rather than the beauty of the game. Both Baseball and Cricket (although I love cricket) seem like games of a different age and are having trouble staying relevant, but that's a discussion for a different forum maybe.....

However I understand how Cricket relates to English life but I can't see how Baseball is a metaphor for American but it is continually claimed as one.......i've got really off the point here.....

@MikkaQ said:

Nope. Sports that actually stop mid-game for commercial breaks and who have players that are basically obese come off as some kind of joke to me. I get having a long commercial break at half time, but between plays? Are football players that fat and out of shape? Rugby is like football for real men.

Inferiority Complex.