Future of American Football.

[CastletonSnob]

With all the concerns about concussions, what do you think is American Football's future? Will it even still exist in 20 years?

[I Push Buttons]

I think it will be the same as now, probably a few more rules and illegal hits.

The risks are all out in the open now and players still participate, tens of millions of people still watch, billions of dollars in ad revenue and sales still happen.

Short of there being like actual legislation passed outlawing it or precedent set that every other NFL player's estate can sue the NFL for wrongful death when they die, little will change.

[Nihilist74]

The concussions does not concern me when it comes to the future of American football. One of the things that does concern me about the future of American football is the quality of football coaches. Their seems to be less and less smart football coaches. If you look at the super-bowl for this year, the two smartest coaches are in it. Bill Belichick and Kyle Shanahan. American football is a very strategic game. A football coach is a chess player of this game. Most of the coaches are ex football players. How many football players are good at chess?
I miss the days of Bill Walsh, Bill Parcels, Joe Gibbs, Mike Shanahan other brilliant coaches.
When it comes to concussions and injuries, they can just change the tackling rules to make it safer. This is fine by me. I prefer to watch a game of football with excellent play calling. I don't watch for big hits. I enjoy it when someone from my favorite team has a big hit but its not that important to me.

[Deleted]

Sooner or later you'll embrace rugby and be better for it.

[Deleted]

Nothing is forever, at one point horse racing and boxing were the biggest sports in America.

But i think american football will remain the most popular sport there, despite the issues surrounding it.


Reason for that is that competing sports struggle due to their own organizations. NBA could easily surpass the NFL, but its hamstrung by the layout of its season and post season: Too many games played results in few mattering, irrelevancy of winning a Conference, horrid "tanking" incentives and imbalance of teams. 25 NBA teams every season are playing for nothing. MLB suffers similar issues in regards to how many games are played.


Fewer, but more important games greatly help the NFL. Similar to how it is in Euro football. There are very few games in Champions League, European Championship and World Cup, but they all matter. The national leagues have more games, but they still matter because the league itself matters. In the NBA it does not matter whether you reach first or second round or miss the playoffs, in football leagues its the difference between Champions League spot, Europa League or relegation.


Its the perfect example of less is more.

[The One Percent]

The players know what they are getting into.

[cuafpr]

for what they make.. the risk null... Maybe they should require fincial investment classes? at a min of 600k +/- a year medical issues should be of no concern to them. If they dont want to take the risk don't play the game. That said the NFL is investing lots into better helmets and even under the turf padding to soften the blows. I dont see it being an issue.

[Ripster42]

Nothing is forever, at one point horse racing and boxing were the biggest sports in America.

Even bowling was popular on TV for a while. Bowling...

[ohiostate124]

The players know what they are getting into.

And there will always be players willing to take that risk. Football isn't going anywhere.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

As long as their is insane money in it the truth is it won't be going anywhere and there is insane money in it. Truth be told the risks are known now. The people in the past that were wronged or had the facts hidden from them should be paid and taken care of. People these days should just come to grip that you risk serious injury for playing a game like it is. You get paid an insane amount of money to do it. If you are willing to take that insane risk for the insane pay than you shouldn't be surprised if you end up retarded for getting your block knocked off 30 times in 6 to 10 years.

With no doubt technology will get better to reduce the number of concussions. Rules will change to reduce the number. Treatment and diagnosis will improve to stop and slow damage. But you will always have them. Just now people shouldn't be surprised by it. Players just need to make a choice to take the risk for the bucks or stop playing. Some young men have made that choice after a short career and they are likely the smart ones. Get in, earn a life time of money in a few years, and get out and live a moderately well to do life until your done for. Greedy or stupid fucks that play to the death of them and go retarded shouldn't be rewarded for it. They knew the risk.

[dwightyo39]

In the NFL, concussions only matter if its an offensive player getting hurt. Then it only matters if it's one of the favored teams.

[Kokolums]

There are concussions in soccer and hockey and rugby and no one says those sports are going anywhere. I don't see why football should be singled out. It feels more like an issue that takes on a life of its own and trends for a few years before going away without a trace.

[Daedius]

Even bowling was popular on TV for a while. Bowling...

Till someone said you're touching balls... then all the men freaked out and stopped.