> It's certainly a tough nut to crack, but > hopefully this summer's tourney will be the catalyst to further > successes in the game in America. 300 million potential followers > must have the plc's licking their chops madly.... > > All the best, > -Pete
Some good remarks have been made on this topic. Two I'd like to add are the American sports fan has been reared on sports that are littered with stoppages and take seemingly forever to conclude at times, the most popular sport here, NFL, takes an average of three hours to complete a 60 minute game...and the majority of them say our football is too boring...I never could get my head around that one. NFL and NBA are games of FOUR quarters, never ending timeouts, long stoppages for fouls etc. On occasions MLB can go to more than nine innings, normally a baseball game can be completed in two and a half hours, but with extra innings could go on till noon the next bloody day if noone gets a winning run, there's no such thing as a draw at full time in American sports, everything has to have a "result" or go into overtime, I'm not too sure about netball..sorry, basketball, but in NFL 15 minutes overtime is played, and the way it is structured a result happens most of the time. With all the stoppages involved, it allows the fans to be able to wander around the stadiums at will to go to restrooms, food and drink stands, and a lot of this goes on during play as you know that you can't miss too much as the game will surely stop in a few seconds for something or another. Having been to many American football and baseball games I can honestly say that the majority of fans are talking about anything but what is happening on the field, most bloody annoying to someone like myself, or I'm sure like the majority of the readers on this list who go to a football match to watch the action and keep your gob shut unless you want to swear at the ref or the opposing players, cheer- ing on the Reds goes without saying, it seems that you are constantly getting up to let someone get by with a beer or pop in one hand and a hot dog or pizza in another. A lot of the disinterest in Association Football in the US could be down to attention span, the punters have been used to having a "day out" and not having to get in, watch a ninety minute game played in some time frame close to ninety minutes, and then get the hell out again, it leaves no time to bullshit and visit with people and drink overpriced beer. I have been asked more than once by inquiring friends and coworkers how come you European people get so worked up about midtable and bottom of the table games not involving teams going for the championship, my answer in one word is always...RELEGATION... and if you think that doesn't confuse the hell out of them you're dead wrong, we won't go there because you all know what I mean. Just my fourpennyworth. Paul. KC Red. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Free shipping on all inkjet cartridge & refill kit orders to US & Canada. Low prices up to 80% off. We have your brand: HP, Epson, Lexmark & more. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5510 http://us.click.yahoo.com/GHXcIA/n.WGAA/ySSFAA/tsUolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************** Reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe from the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
