The USA loves sports of all kinds, and there are few competitions more American than the NFL. To hammer that point home, most of the world outside the US refers to the NFL as simply, American football.
It’s estimated almost 75% of US citizens regularly watch American football in some form, whether NFL or college-based competitions. When NFL games are broadcast live on television, audiences of around 16-17 million are commonly recorded.
Around the world, the figures are even higher and around 400 million people globally refer to themselves as NFL fans. When the season-ending showcase event, the Super Bowl, is broadcast, over 150 million people watch inside and outside the USA.
Though some sports do record higher global audiences, these are games played by athletes and teams across several nations. While some American football teams do exist outside the US, these are insignificant in comparison to those nation’s other sports.
While watching the NFL is a ritual ingrained in US culture, new fans around the world are often far less experienced. For true NFL fans, watching a game involves a little more preparation than simply turning on the TV.
Here is our beginner's guide to the essentials everyone needs to become a true NFL fan.
- The team
Don’t panic, we’re not suggesting you ask the bank for millions of dollars to start your own franchise. What we are saying is, you should find an existing club that you can adopt as your own.
Like many things in life, the more you put into sports, the more you get out. We can all appreciate the abilities of the athletes but, for the real experience, we need to be emotionally invested.
By choosing a team to support, we open ourselves up to the highs and lows of winning and losing. Choose based on location, color of jerseys, or some part of the team’s story but choose once, and never change.
- The knowledge
Once you have a team, you need to immerse yourself in the information that will keep you invested in them. Read the stats, learn about the legends, and research the stories, other fans will expect you to know this information.
Once you have the background and the history, you need to keep up to date with the current team news. By knowing the players, their talents, and their injuries, you can be ready for the next piece of the puzzle.
- The odds
Emotional involvement is one thing, but the more you have at stake, the more exciting an NFL game can be. By joining a sportsbook and placing wagers on your team’s games, the watching experience can be heightened even more.
To give this some context, spinning a roulette wheel is always more exciting when you have chips on the table. If you have doubts, try playing a few rounds of Lightning Roulette at Rainbow Riches and see for yourself.
- The merch
Once you know the team, the news, and the odds, you need to demonstrate your allegiance to other people. Pick up a club jersey, scarf, flag, or cap, or anything you can do to associate yourself with your team.
By doing this, you can ensure you’re quickly recognized by fellow fans and rivals so you can interact accordingly. The superstitious among us would also argue that wearing the right outfit is critical to aiding your team’s success.
- The crew
Watching the NFL can be a solo activity, and many people much prefer it that way, but not most. By assembling a crew of like-minded people with whom to watch games, you turn an activity into an event.
Gather together friends, family, or colleagues, and turn game viewing into a social occasion that everyone can enjoy together. This allows you to feed off each other’s energy, and gives you an audience for those witty and insightful observations.
- The set up
Before any game begins, you need to make sure you have everything you need to sustain yourself through it. Beers or sodas need to be in the cooler, snacks in the oven, on the grill, or ordered for delivery.
Chairs need to be positioned correctly around the screen and any mid-game errands should be scheduled for the half-time break. Of course, all this is irrelevant if you don’t have the most important ingredient, which we’ll come to next.
- The TV
If you’re going to watch NFL properly, it should be in HD, with surround sound, on the biggest possible screen. If you have a choice of venue, choose the one with the best TV technology for the greatest viewing experience.
You’ll also need to make sure you have the right broadcast or streaming service for your chosen game. Different matches are offered through different channels in different locations, do your research and preparation in advance to avoid disappointment.
Once you have all this in place, you’re ready to begin your career as a real NFL fan. Now all you need to do is learn to handle winning with humility and losing with grace, if you can.
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