An American Football championship game took place between the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers. The Packers received a 21-17 victory, however, it was not the result that made this game unforgettable. The special aspect was the weather conditions. The wind chill temperature was down to minus 40 degrees Celsius, and that is why the game got the nickname Ice Bowl. It was so cold that the official’s whistle froze to his lips when he wanted to start the game. Instead of canceling it because of the arctic temperatures, it was just decided not to use any whistles for the rest of the game. Not only every player on the field fought against nature but also more than 50.000 fans watching the game live at sold out Lambeau Field. Lots of them suffered frostbite, four spectators even had a heart attack.
How can it be that American Football is that important in the United States? How can a game become so popular that people even risk their health for it? On the other hand the question arises why American Football is quite unpopular and unknown in Germany. All these questions are to lead through this comparing term paper so that in the end, a selection of possible reasons can be given.
The term paper starts with an illustration of American Football’s popularity in the USA and in Germany. After that the main part, the comparison, will begin. There are four categories chosen to help explain why American Football is more popular in the U.S. than in Germany - those are chance, the attitudes towards warfare, values and the education systems. It will be analyzed how much influence these components have on the popularity in both countries. Finally, the conclusion follows, in which all results will be summed up and interpreted.

Excerpt

Introduction
How popular is American Football?
Comparison
- Popularity by chance
- American Football and warfare
- American Football and values
- American Football and the education system
Conclusion
Sources

Objectives and Key Themes

This term paper aims to compare the popularity of American football in the USA and Germany, exploring potential reasons for the significant difference in its reception in both countries. The paper investigates various factors that may contribute to this disparity.

The contrasting levels of popularity of American football in the USA and Germany.
The role of chance and historical contingencies in shaping the popularity of sports.
The connection between American football, cultural values, and societal norms.
The influence of the education system on the development and propagation of sports.
The relationship between American football and the culture of warfare.

Chapter Summaries

Introduction: The introduction sets the stage by recounting the infamous "Ice Bowl" of 1967, highlighting the extreme dedication of fans and players despite harsh weather conditions. This anecdote serves to illustrate the profound cultural significance of American football in the US, immediately posing the central question: Why is this sport so popular in the USA but relatively unknown in Germany? The paper outlines its methodology, which involves a comparative analysis focusing on chance, warfare, values, and education systems to explain this disparity. The structure of the paper, proceeding from an overview of popularity to a detailed comparison and concluding summary, is also clearly presented.

How popular is American Football?: This chapter quantitatively demonstrates the immense popularity of American football in the USA, citing viewership statistics for the Super Bowl and the overall dominance of the sport in the 2011 rankings. It contrasts this with the significantly lower popularity in Germany, where soccer reigns supreme. The chapter explores the social rituals surrounding American football in the US, emphasizing its role in community building and shared experiences, which is not replicated to the same degree in the German context concerning American football. The growing, albeit still small, German viewership of the Super Bowl is also noted.

Comparison: This chapter delves into the core argument of the paper by exploring four potential explanations for the difference in popularity between the US and Germany. It positions each explanation (chance, warfare, values, and education systems) as a possible, yet not necessarily definitive, contributing factor. The chapter is structured to investigate each element separately and build a comprehensive, multifaceted analysis towards understanding the differences.

Keywords

American Football, Popularity, USA, Germany, Cultural Comparison, Sport Culture, Warfare, Values, Education System, Chance, Super Bowl, Social Rituals, National Identity.

Frequently Asked Questions: American Football Popularity: A Comparative Study Between the USA and Germany

What is the purpose of this paper?

This paper aims to compare the popularity of American football in the USA and Germany, exploring the reasons for the significant difference in its reception in both countries. It investigates various factors contributing to this disparity.

What are the key themes explored in this paper?

The paper explores the contrasting levels of popularity between the two countries, the role of chance and historical contingencies, the connection between American football, cultural values, and societal norms, the influence of the education system, and the relationship between American football and the culture of warfare.

What is the structure of the paper?

The paper begins with an introduction highlighting the cultural significance of American football in the US using the "Ice Bowl" as an example. It then quantitatively demonstrates the popularity difference between the US and Germany. The core of the paper is a comparative analysis exploring four potential explanations: chance, warfare, values, and education systems. The paper concludes with a summary and sources.

How does the paper demonstrate the popularity of American Football in the USA?

The paper uses viewership statistics for the Super Bowl and overall sport rankings (specifically referencing 2011 data) to illustrate the immense popularity of American football in the USA. It contrasts this with the significantly lower popularity in Germany, where soccer is dominant. The social rituals and community aspects surrounding the sport in the US are also highlighted.

What are the four key explanations explored for the difference in popularity?

The paper investigates four potential explanations for the differing levels of popularity: the role of chance and historical events, the connection between American football and the culture of warfare, the influence of cultural values and societal norms, and the impact of the education system.

What is the methodology used in this paper?

The paper employs a comparative analysis focusing on the four key explanations mentioned above (chance, warfare, values, and education systems) to explain the disparity in American football's popularity between the USA and Germany.

What are the key chapters and their content?

The paper includes an introduction setting the context, a chapter quantifying the popularity difference between the US and Germany, a comparative analysis chapter exploring the four key explanations, and a conclusion. A table of contents and list of sources are also included.

What are the keywords associated with this paper?