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.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 How popular is American Football?
3 Comparison
3.1 Popularity by chance
3.2 American Football and warfare
3.3 American Football and values
3.4 American Football and the education system
4 Conclusion
5 Sources
Objectives and Research Themes
This term paper examines the stark disparity in popularity of American Football between the United States and Germany. The primary research goal is to identify and analyze cultural, historical, and structural factors that have entrenched the sport in the American psyche while keeping it a marginal phenomenon in Germany.
- The role of historical chance in the development of national sports.
- The influence of national attitudes toward warfare and violence on sport preference.
- The alignment of American cultural values, such as equality and competition, with football.
- The structural impact of the education system in fostering lifelong fan loyalty.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2 American Football and warfare
Besides coincidence, there is another important point which may be responsible for the different degree of popularity of American Football: the German and the American attitude towards warfare. There are strong parallels between warfare and football, for instance the wish to gain territory, the involvement of violence and physical power, a strong solidarity and loyalty among the participants and the support from outside are only some. Therefore, it should be considered if the attitude towards warfare influences the popularity of American Football. So what is the nature of the relationship between the USA and war?
The first American war was the Revolutionary War starting in 1775 and ending with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. It was a war between Britain and 13 united North American colonies, which were demanding their independence. Approximately 25.000 American revolutionaries died for this intention, but finally, the Declaration of Independence could be proclaimed on July 4, 1776 and the United States of America were founded. This was probably the most important war of the USA and who knows if they existed nowadays without stirring up the Revolutionary War.
The second encounter with a violent fight came in 1861. This time, the conflict was about different economic and political interests within the nation, among them the issue of slavery. The North, which had already abolished slavery, fought against the extremely conservative South, which had retained it. The end of the battle in 1865 led to significant changes in the political system, but the social consequences were preeminent. The North and South worked together from then on, slavery was abolished and the nation became united again.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the motivation for the comparison by highlighting the massive cultural importance of American Football in the U.S. versus its relative obscurity in Germany, setting the stage for the investigative factors.
2 How popular is American Football?: This section provides statistical data on the viewership and cultural significance of the sport in both countries, establishing that football is a cornerstone of American social ritual compared to soccer in Germany.
3 Comparison: This main chapter analyzes four key drivers—chance, historical attitudes toward warfare, cultural values, and the education system—to explain the diverging paths of the sport in the two nations.
4 Conclusion: The author synthesizes the findings, concluding that American Football is deeply embedded in American history, values, and education, whereas German culture remains structurally and historically oriented toward soccer.
5 Sources: A comprehensive bibliography listing all literature, polls, and online articles used to support the paper's arguments.
Keywords
American Football, Germany, USA, Cultural Comparison, National Sport, Warfare, Values, Equality of Opportunity, Education System, Nostalgia, Soccer, NFL, Socialization, Tradition, Popularity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental premise of this paper?
The paper explores why American Football has become a quintessential American sport while remaining largely unpopular and unknown in Germany.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The themes include the impact of historical coincidences, national attitudes toward warfare, traditional American values, and the role of schools and colleges in creating sports traditions.
What is the central research question?
The research seeks to determine how much influence specific cultural and structural components have on the varying popularity of American Football in the two countries.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The paper utilizes a comparative cultural analysis approach, examining historical, social, and structural evidence to support its hypotheses.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers four categories: historical chance, the relationship between warfare and sport, how values like competition and equality manifest in football, and the influence of the educational system.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include cultural comparison, national sport, historical attitude towards warfare, value systems, and the socialization of sports through education.
How does the U.S. education system foster the popularity of football?
The paper argues that colleges act as incubators for talent and foster deep emotional connections through nostalgia and scholarships, creating a lifelong cycle of fandom.
Why is the concept of "exceptionalism" important to this study?
American exceptionalism is used to explain why the U.S. prefers a unique national sport that is not globally practiced, differentiating it from the international appeal of soccer.
How do the attitudes toward warfare differ between the two nations?
Americans often view their foundational wars as positive and necessary, whereas German history, heavily impacted by the World Wars, leads to a more negative and cautious stance on violence and militarism.
Does the author suggest that soccer could be replaced by American Football in Germany?
No, the author concludes that soccer is too deeply rooted in German culture and tradition for a simple replacement to occur, though a slow rise in football's popularity is observable.
- Citation du texte
- Hanna Wilkes (Auteur), 2012, A Comparison of American Football in the USA and Germany, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/298282
