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#4015282 - 09/27/14 10:58 PM Is American football really that popular in the UK?  
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PanzerMeyer Offline
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So I noticed that the Miami Dolphins will be playing in London tomorrow and it got me thinking "why"? Is the NFL really trying that hard to make American football more popular in Europe? I don't think that will work.


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#4015286 - 09/27/14 11:06 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Lifer
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NFL has been trying to get a foothold in the UK since mid 80's. Sucked having to stay up until 3am to watch a football game though.

http://www.nfllondon.net/history.html

The only time i liked this song....meant Football was on lol. Theme for NFL UK. (Kinda how the Nickleback song is to WWE.)


#4015287 - 09/27/14 11:09 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Gopher Offline
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There is an undercurrent of people who do find it interesting, but given that association football (aka football, aka soccer) is still grabbing about 80% of people, it'll be really hard for it to be widely accepted.

You kinda need to convince people that it's not so much a bunch of armoured grunts running into each other, and more a kind of turn-based strategy game, or something...

#4015291 - 09/27/14 11:18 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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PanzerMeyer Offline
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@ Stormtrooper - Of course the major difference is that Eurythmics doesn't suck while Nickleback does.

wink


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4015293 - 09/27/14 11:24 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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BlackSmith Offline
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Originally Posted By: PanzerMeyer
@ Stormtrooper - Of course the major difference is that Eurythmics doesn't suck while Nickleback does.

wink


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#4015308 - 09/28/14 12:06 AM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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As a Brit myself, I prefer baseball. But my favourite is Ice hockey
I did buy a madden game for the sega mega drive once didn't keep it for long.
Traded it for EA ice hockey which I truly enjoyed for many years.

#4015314 - 09/28/14 12:20 AM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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mailman Offline
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Grid iron is pretty damn dull...except when its like this! biggrin



Regards

Mailman

#4015317 - 09/28/14 12:38 AM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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I used to watch it fairly regularly back in the '80s when it was on Channel 4. I'll maybe watch the game later today (it's 1.35 am here already...) and quite likely stay up late for the Superbowl (shown live here), but I don't really follow it otherwise.

#4015318 - 09/28/14 12:43 AM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Lifer
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Has the UK updated TV yet? Last time i was there it was

BBC1
BBC2
ITV
Ch4

ITV and Channel 4 were the only ones worth watching lol.

#4015356 - 09/28/14 03:18 AM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Linebacker Offline
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I think having the NFL in Canada is a first step.

Jon Bon Jovi is trying to get the Buffalo Bills up here in Toronto and I think it would be INCREDIBLE!

http://www.thestar.com/sports/football/2...ills_kelly.html

#4015366 - 09/28/14 03:37 AM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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PanzerMeyer Offline
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Doesn't Canada already have the CFL?


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4015406 - 09/28/14 06:01 AM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: mailman]  
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wheelsup_cavu Offline
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Originally Posted By: mailman
Grid iron is pretty damn dull...except when its like this! biggrin



Regards

Mailman

hahaha


Wheels


Cheers wave
Wheelsup_cavu

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#4015459 - 09/28/14 10:29 AM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: Stormtrooper]  
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Gopher Offline
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Originally Posted By: Stormtrooper
Has the UK updated TV yet? Last time i was there it was

BBC1
BBC2
ITV
Ch4

ITV and Channel 4 were the only ones worth watching lol.

A quick browse through the channel guide now shows:
BBC1 to 4;
ITV1, 2, 3, 4 (the motorsport channel);
Channel 4, More 4, Film4 (I don't know if they are all related); E4;
Channel 5, 5 USA, 5*;
Dave (Top Gear repeat channel);
Pick;
Really;
Yesterday (similar to your History channel???);
Quest;
And a whole bunch of other assorted channels, +1 channels and ad channels.

Yes, we have craploads of TV channels!
The upshot of that is that now, none of them are worth watching...

(That's a bit harsh, since I'm going to be tuned into ITV4 for the next 8 hours since they broadcast a full racing Sunday for the Touring cars and support races.)

#4015501 - 09/28/14 01:04 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Old Scroat
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Naunton Beauchamp Worcestershi...

A new channel (4) started showing other sports in the 1980's rather than the interminable soccer, racing, cricket etc.
NFL and Sumo were very popular. We only saw edited coverage of gridiron, and it was not until watching a full match that I realised how dull it can be.
It was very popular though, and gave rise to a number of teams starting up here; some of the top players even being talented enough to play Stateside.

Baseball and ice hockey didn't really seem to catch on over here.



#4015504 - 09/28/14 01:16 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: Linebacker]  
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Originally Posted By: Linebacker
I think having the NFL in Canada is a first step.

Jon Bon Jovi is trying to get the Buffalo Bills up here in Toronto and I think it would be INCREDIBLE!

http://www.thestar.com/sports/football/2...ills_kelly.html

I think the owner of the Sabres bought the Bills, they are staying in Buffalo.

#4015505 - 09/28/14 01:17 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Originally Posted By: PanzerMeyer
Doesn't Canada already have the CFL?

Yes, but the many believe the 4th largest city in North America should be in the big show.

#4015507 - 09/28/14 01:27 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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I played organized football (american) when I was living in the UK. Solent Scorpions. Funny enough, a quick google search reveals that there's now an ice hockey team called the solent scorpions in the same area.


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#4015526 - 09/28/14 02:45 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: WangoTango]  
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Ice Cold in Alex or Eating in ...
Originally Posted By: WangoTango
Originally Posted By: Linebacker
I think having the NFL in Canada is a first step.

Jon Bon Jovi is trying to get the Buffalo Bills up here in Toronto and I think it would be INCREDIBLE!

http://www.thestar.com/sports/football/2...ills_kelly.html

I think the owner of the Sabres bought the Bills, they are staying in Buffalo.

Yep they had a big party about it a week or so ago, along with celebrating Jim Kelly being cancer free, the fans seem really happy about them staying in Buffalo smile
I'm happy they are staying there too.

My young cousin when he was still at school played flag football, when we were down on holiday they had a game and we went to watch, that was it I was hooked. A few months later we finally got Channel 4 in Caithness after waiting for it for a few years, I discovered they had NFL coverage and shortly after I started a team so I could play smile

Edit:
The only online link I could find about the team, I stopped playing in 1992 when I moved away south, as far as I know some of the lads still practice together. We did win the Highland Mini League, but from Caithness it was a long way to travel to a match, our closest rivals were 117mile south of us and some of the matches we played were 600 or 700 mile round trips.

http://britballnow.co.uk/History/Britball%20Teams/CaithnessVikings.htm


Last edited by Alicatt; 09/28/14 02:52 PM.

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Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
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#4015568 - 09/28/14 04:49 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Ice Cold in Alex or Eating in ...
Well the match is due to start shortly and I have settled down to watch it on the big screen

Def Leppard opening the show smile


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
#4015600 - 09/28/14 06:11 PM Re: Is American football really that popular in the UK? [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Ice Cold in Alex or Eating in ...
As to popularity in the UK, all three NFL matches in the UK are sold out, and sold out in less than an hour of going on sale. Crowd at match today is 85,000.


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
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