The Super Bowl clearly generates a great deal of interest worldwide every year, but it would be fair to say that almost as much attention is given to off-field antics as what takes place during the game itself. That might be the half-time show or the abundance of adverts that are released to support the occasion, but all in all, the sense is that the entire event is something of a spectacle more than it is a sporting endeavour.
That’s certainly how many in the UK would view it, and therefore when it has been discussed, especially by those who don’t have much of a clue when it comes to football (talking ‘soccer’ here and not American football), it can prove more than a little cringeworthy.
Attempts to make football more ‘American’ in terms of the production of everything around the game, from cheerleaders to even the food and beverages offered in stadiums, have failed spectacularly, and that’s why there are many reasons that diehard football fans look on at the Super Bowl and hope to god it won’t be replicated at grounds up and down the country.
Style over Substance
Rightly or wrongly, the Super Bowl is often considered an event where style comes at the expense of substance. It’s something that America attempted to recreate, famously, prior to the 1994 World Cup (which was hosted in the US), and we got the infamous moment when Diana Ross attempts to score a goal, which then results in the goal itself breaking into pieces.
Clearly, she missed the target, but that didn’t prevent said breakage, and it was perhaps indicative of the issue at hand.
Football fans, especially in Europe, just want to see the action that takes place on the pitch over the course of 90 minutes, and anything else is, at best, meaningless fluff and, at worst, an attempt to detract from the game itself.
TV Focused Approach
There is a reason that certain sports do well in the US, and that reason is TV. If you think about the big sporting leagues, be that NFL, MLB, and NBA, these are all ideal for the televised approach. Plenty of stoppages to run adverts, and all of the games can be neatly packaged in order to sell products, almost as if the game itself was of little value itself.
The gaps in the game also make it perfect for betting, especially in-play action, which can be assisted by sidelines.io live bet tracking, and while clearly, sports betting in the UK is huge, it’s more about the overall outcome than individual occurrences; it’s the game and the result that matters most.
Nothing to Lose
Another aspect of American sports that runs through all the major US leagues is the absence of the Cinderella possibilities. The fact that there is no promotion or relegation in the big sports in America shows how much of a closed shop the entire system is, again purely for the purpose of keeping the money within the same teams and owners.
European football, and in fact football pretty much everywhere (except, yes, you guessed it, the US), allows any team from non-league and upwards the chance to progress up the ladder.
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