The original title of this article was supposed to be, “NFL or Rugby: Which Do Americans Prefer?” After telling our editor that the following article would consist of just two words – NFL, obviously – we decided to change things up slightly and explore why American audiences prefer the blood and thunder of Gridiron to the blood and thunder of rugby.
To find out just why the Americans prefer watching, playing and betting on gridiron to rugby, read on…
Reason #1 – It’s Theirs
In 1863, football (we’re talking real football not the American kind) was codified with a set of universal rules by the Football Association. In those rules running with the ball in hand and hacking was outlawed.
This meant that anyone wanting to play the game in that way had to do so under Rugby School Rules and thus, the game of rugby was born, in Victorian England. Since then the game has been quintessentially British – despite being played around the globe – and inexorably linked to the British upper classes.
American football on the other hand is a much more egalitarian sport and one that was created and first played on American soil; the first recorded game between Rutgers and Princeton being played in 1869.
It stands to reason then that Americans would prefer their own blood and thunder field game to one imported from foreign shores.
Reason #2 – It’s More Exciting
Rugby isn’t even the most popular sport in Rugby, let alone in the UK. In terms of viewing figures and participation, rugby lags behind football and cricket domestically and behind a great many more globally.
One of the biggest criticisms of rugby, in particular rugby union is that it is boring and American audiences won’t tolerate boring sports (barring the obviously mind-numbingly boring baseball…)
There is no mechanism in rugby union to ensure that the game is free flowing – its counterpart rugby league at least has that mechanism – whereas American football is structured to at least allow a bit of backwards and forwards and the generating of momentum.
Reason #3 – It’s Gridiron With all the Fun Sucked Out
The big criticism that you often see levelled at American football from rugby fans is the protective gear that gridiron players wear. “You wouldn’t catch Lewis Moody or Jonah Lomu running around with a bloody helmet on” they half-guffaw as they stand there in their brown Chelsea boots, boot cut jeans and Barbour gilet. And they’re right.
You wouldn’t see a rugby player wearing a helmet or protective gear and that’s because all of the huge tackles and collisions they are designed to protect against are outlawed from rugby. Whereas in American football it’s the complete opposite, huge spine-shaking collisions are not outlawed, they are actively encouraged!
Reason #4 – The Rules
There is a theory in the sporting world that no-one on the planet knows all of the rules of rugby, not even the referees. If you need proof of this tune into a rugby game at your next convenience and listen to what the commentators say when a foul is awarded.
“He held on for too long” the commentator will say only for the audio to reveal that a penalty was awarded because the tackler entered the ruck from the side. Or the referee will order a retaking of a penalty because someone didn’t call him “sir”.
The game is absurdly difficult to understand, even for people who have been playing it their entire lives so to expect Americans who have grown up playing a better and simpler game to sacrifice so much time learning the rules and understanding the game is quite frankly, just as absurd.
Reason #5 – It’s Classist
It’s undeniable that an element of classism exists in the United States but it is not to the same extent as in the United Kingdom. In the UK, rugby is the sport of choice for the middle and upper classes whereas football is the sport of choice for the working classes.
In choosing rugby there is an inherent disdain of the more working class sport that is deeply rooted in classism which makes it far harder for rugby to travel well to countries where classism either doesn’t exist or is less pronounced than in the UK.
American society in general then just isn’t conducive to the support of an elitist game like rugby which is no bad thing really. So whilst you guys over the pond enjoy your Six Nations, we’ll happily stick to the Super Bowl!
