It is kind of cool, to me, that American football is taking flight in a country I usually associated with cricket and soccer. There is a somewhat ironic yet exciting unity that is formed between England and the United States when NFL games are played, "over the pond". Following the American Revolution, we have tried to distance ourselves from Great Britain in many ways (despite now being on friendly terms). We do not use the metric system, use Fahrenheit instead of Celsius, and created our own currency that has no pictures on it connected to England. Now that a purely American sport and a large part of American culture has gained substantial popularity in England, it is ironically unifying the two nations that have been separated a bit.In a similar way to how the World Cup or the Olympics bring people together in friendly competition, the new popularity of football in England can be interpreted as an encouraging sign of human unity and overall connection. Sharing cultures and appreciating differences through a common enjoyment over sports, art, or music can be a great way to stay positive in a time of economic strife and controversial war.
It is interesting and exciting that what was thought of as a strictly american game is migrating over seas. Another exciting thing is seeing how soccer is growing in the U.S. In a way the two different forms of football are each slowly migrating to new countries and audiences. In the U.S., attendance at MLS games is now at a record high. It's good to see sports adopting even more of a unifying role in the world.
ReplyDeleteThe new love for American football in England that is unifying them with America is interesting because it reminds of the olympics during world war II. Even though practically all of the world was in conflict, we still seemed to come together to celebrate the sports played across the world. It seems that throughout history sports have connected us all even in times of war.
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