Sports in the USA

Hello, Mr. British Guy, and welcome to America.

Basically, the NFL is king here. Gridiron Football is the most watched sport in the states, particularly in the South and Midwest states. Basically, think rugby but with bigger players, forward passing and more head injuries (and also far more money). A typical gameday involves getting to the parking lot of the stadium a couple hours before kickoff to tailgate, a wonderful tradition that involves grilling meat and drinking beers in the middle of winter.

Once you head for the coasts and the bigger cities, basketball starts to take over. Basketball is the most popular participation sport in America, but trails behind the NFL and baseball in terms of top-flight (the pro game) revenue (http://www.plunkettresearch.com/sports-recreation-leisure-market-research/industry-statistics). Basketball isn't quite identical to soccer; it's on a smaller playing surface, and they have to use their hands (in addition to the numerous aesthetic differences). Other than that, the back-and-forth natures of the games are very similar. Gamedays in basketball are more muted, on average, because there are a lot more regular season games (82 games per team per season in the NBA, versus 16 in the NFL).


Baseball and hockey are also very popular in plenty of places in the US. All these games (except baseball) are very physical in nature with an easy-to-follow back-and-forth flow that allows for drastic swings in momentum and, potentially, plenty of tension if the game goes down to the wire. The values reinforced are complex; most often, these games can encourage players to work together as a team, reinforcing humility and hard work. In other cases, players will use the game as a vehicle for their own ego, which promotes consumption.