The popularity of American Football rose even more in 1985 as soccer was losing its appeal. It had been blacked out by the B.B.C. and I.T.V. channels due to a dispute over rights fees. All of a sudden the N.F.L. was the only football type game being regularly televised throughout Britain. The terms audible, blitz, fumble and punt became familiar to the British followers’ of Gridiron. Public reaction to the American game exceeded all expectations. It was almost inevitable that a number of enthusiastic (and fit) viewers decided that they wanted to play the game. The British American Football League, the game governing body, was formed on 9th April 1984.
The game of Rugby Union has almost a tribal element to it, and, like American Football the hits’ occur on the field rather than on the terraces. In comparison, at soccer matches, violence gave the sport an ugly reputation. British American football and Rugby Union games are ideal for families to watch the game without being intimidated by other supporters around them. I often took my wife, Penny and our children Clara and Brian to American football games involving the Bulls.
American football has influenced soccer. The Premiership and the Champions League, are widely recognised now as brand names. An estimated worldwide figure of 200 million television viewers saw the game between Real Madrid and Manchester United on Wednesday 13th February 2013. Soccer has adopted ideas from the N.F.L. Soccer players form a huddle before the game. Soccer players have their names on the back of their shirts since the idea was adopted from the 1994 World Cup Finals which were held in the USA. Nowadays soccer player are also allocated a squad number as in Gridiron.
