The Influence of Football on the US Society

Introduction

According to Stavans (2011), American football is the greatest tradition in sports. He noted that the football sport has had a great impact in the United States society. These impacts have affected the society both positively and negatively in the cultural, social, economic, and political dimensions. Additionally, health wise, football has widely been utilized by the American population as a form of physical exercise to help keep fit.  Stavans (2011) notes that football has indeed been the ultimate team sport which advocates for teamwork spirit. He added that economically, football continues to contribute immensely to the revenue of the American society. Socially, football is widely described as a metaphor for United States society’s life. This write up highlights the effect of football sporting on United States society and it major contribution both to individual’s life and to the media arena.

Positive Effects of Sports in the American Society

Stavans (2011), points out that football has greatly impacted on the American citizens and society. According to him, watching football has inspired most of the American citizens creating an excitement environment in the society. Stavans noted that football is a fundamental pillar that carries significant responsibility in a society. He notes that beyond the actual football play, the sport serves as an effective tool in community program for social development. It has since been utilized by the civil societies and other groups while addressing such issues as children’s rights & education, the need for peace building, environmental concerns, health promotion, anti-discrimination, and social integration.

Effect on Physical Fitness

According to Davis (2012), the physical involvement in football has contributed to physical fitness in people. He reports the findings of a research conducted on the effect of football on physical fitness. It showed that the regular participation in football effectively stimulates muscle-skeletal fitness as well as significant improvement in cardio-vascular fitness and the corresponding metabolic fitness. Wadhwa (2008) points out that football training is essential for sportsmen as it strengthens their muscle. He asserts that in a society where obesity is rampant like the Unite States, football sports can greatly be utilized to help bring down the effects of such diseases.

According to Wadhwa (2008), United States citizens have been inspired by the level of football sportsmen fitness and this has led to high level of society involvement in football. Stavans (2011) added that football is one of the toughest sports as it constantly includes running, tackling and blocking which makes the players increase their strength and endurance. He points out that football is presently been used as one of the perimeters to influence certain abilities like that of the children to learn in the society. Wadhwa (2008) notes that it has been common among the American youth who watch football to strive to attain the body shapes of their preferred players as they take them as their role model’s fitness.

Social Effect of Football in the American Society

According to Davis (2012), football continues to play very important roles in the social change of the American society. He points out that football has been linked to the building of both peaceful coexistence and social relevance among both the youths and adults in the United States. In this context, football has been used in United States as a practical tool that engages young people in volunteering activities resulting in higher levels of leadership.

Effect on Peace Building

According to Graham (2011), peace is an essential value in a society as it acknowledges the existence of other people, nations or culture in a society. He states that football is the main natural bridge between different cultures, religions, races, ethnic groups and nations. He argued that, because of the football’s nature of unifying people at various levels, it is regarded as a peacemaking force event. He adds that football has played an important role in mending fences between U.S and different warring nations or groups in larger global society. He further points out that the main objective of the tournaments played in the United States is to present and spread the vision of peace and culture in the country and beyond through football.

Graham (2011) admits that the United States society has equally embraced football as a uniting sport. This is evidenced during the game days which has since seen people unite irrespective of an individual’s background. He explains that during the matches, it does not matter the state where one is from. Whenever one is supporting his/her team, his/her fellow fans are normally taken as brothers and sisters. Graham argued that whether football may not help achieve in other areas like lowering the prices of the basic commodities, it is the only common bond the Americans share.

Davis (2012) acknowledges the efforts being undertaken in different sectors such schools, societies and states in organizing different peace football cup tournaments. He pointed out that though the United States comprises of different origin of people, football competitions have seen most people unite not in terms of race, color, or sex but in term of football clubs association signifying unity. According to Davis (2012), football has created an environment where people with common goals come together and show respect to each other.

Effect on Human Health

According to Davis (2012), football is a sport element that acts as tool in promoting human health. He points out that various common health problems and diseases such as obesity, mental illness, cancers, and diabetes can easily be prevented by engaging in adequate amount of physical activities. These findings have since been utilized by the United States’ society which has since encouraged football activities in children and youth to improve their health status.

Davis (2012) noted that the sports provide an active outlet for many young children in preventing the rise of both childhood diabetes and obesity. He further expresses that the research by Health and Nutrition department showed a 15% increase in prevalence of overweight in children and youth of United State. Davis also reports that football has been seen as an active sport which most of parents recommends to their children in order to enable them to overcome such health problems. Davis (2012) further notes that recreational football training generally leads to improved performance. It is also beneficial to health as it reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Football has also been seen as contributing in improving human health as it is being used to educate the society on various diseases during the events. According to Stavans (2011), most of United States schools and societies organize football events that primarily educate the society of some serious diseases like the HIV and AIDs. He points out that football helps people and states develop close relationship very quickly. This makes it easier to discuss serious national, regional and international issues like how to prevent certain diseases. He further points out that the organizers take advantage of the popularity of football sport to attract more population in education of diseases awareness.

Effect of Sport on the U.S Economy

Wadhwa (2008) noted that football contributes almost 3% on the United State economy. He explains that football as any other sports has seen the institutionalization of various football academies across the United States. These football institutions like IMG Soccer Academy offer a wide range of courses and training programs. He adds that these institutions offer employment opportunities for qualified people and in turn closes the country’s unemployment gap.  Furthermore, he points out that the talents that students gain from these academies develop their professionalism in football for which they can earn a living.

On the other hand Wadhwa (2008) explains that football has economically influence peoples daily lives due to its high income score. He point out that not only do American youths see football players as their role model in character but they admire the amount they get out of football. This in Wadhwa’s perspective has contributed to the love of football which is evident more so in the younger generations.

However, Wadhwa (2008) points out that football has also adversely affected both the American individual and the society. He points out that football has affected the society due to its popularity and influence. He observes that most Americans find themselves in financial decline due to over spending on football matches. He points out that tens of thousands of American football fans spend $20 to $200 either in a week or twice a week to attend home and away matches. In addition, he explains that some people who cannot afford luxuries means to attend the matches normally spend the little they have just to watch the football.

Wadhwa (2008) denotes that occasionally, during football matches family members especially fathers and sons attend in numbers. In describing the scenario, he states whenever one gets to watch Americans at the football event, he/she may think that it is a union of families. He further notes that in spite of the expensive football tickets, families are still able to carry almost all their members to attend the event. This in his view makes most families to spend more dollars than expected. This forces them to adjust their budget trends and can have adverse impact on the society.

Effect on the Media

According to Thompson (2012), the media covers all forms communications which have technologically play important role in the football arena. He points out that media influence in sports has changed. He adds that each media organization advances its technological coverage on football due to its popularity as a strategy for getting more sponsors for football coverage. He observe that unlike the past years where most football fans would wait for the next day’s news paper to know scores, these days the media update the scores in the course of the match. He adds that the increase in the aired football games has brought more fans to the football because they have become aware of every of their team’s undertakings.

Thompson (2012) admits that the life of many American have tremendously been shaped by football due to the interception of the media. He points out that media has caused a number of changes in football. He argues that the many times the media has covered grievances advanced by the football fans during the actual football game, the referees have always been prompt in carrying out certain review implementations. He further points out that football has allowed most Americans to secure employment at the media stations. This has influence the media capability to analyze the football matches.

Thomson (2012) points out that by the media exposing football events, corresponding teams and players; it has averted peoples’ attitude towards football. He explains that the United States media fraters’ focus not only on team performance, but also on individual team player which has starred more Americans to be football fans. Furthermore, he explains that the dominant of the media on a given football player or club raises both the economic status of the club and the team members as well. Moreover, most of Americans invest more on teams and players who are seen most frequently on the public eye as a performer and team player.

According to Thomson (2012), the popularity of football game has influenced the media to take part in the football activities. He notes that such influential sporting activities are evident during the American College Football in which the best team is picked for bowl games competitions. He explains that if a team has a great season with less media exposure, the media will snub them in favor of the traditional good school that may have had a terrible season.

Negative Effects of Sports on the American Society

Hooliganism

Thompson (2012) points out that football is regarded as a major sport in the United States due to its dramatic involvement in the social values of violence and commercialism. He points out that the fans have elevated the American football to a significant ritual and source for identification. In his context, these supporters dress in team-colors, participate in pre- and postgame celebration, and emotionally express their loyalty and dedication to their teams. He further points out that any conduct of disloyalty and disappointment with their respective teams trigger violence directed to their opponents.

According to the Davis (2012), most of the immensely anticipated football games have been associated with violence. He observes that two or more differing groups in a society or state take such football events through violence to settle their differences.  He further notes that football hooliganism is a highly visible phenomenon which is exceptional to the United States football events. Davis (2009) argues that the media has been a major contributor in such cases. Moreover, he observes that virtually all these hooliganism acts are covered by various media station present.

Davis (2012) also points out that many researchers and non academics observers have argued that the anticipated media coverage on hooliganism has fuelled the conduct. He observes that with the current 24/7 news networks, online news and smart phones informers which has no proper regulations, such acts can easily be influenced. It further expresses that hooligans usually relish the media coverage they receive with their rivals groups competing same coverage in headline news.

According to Thompson (2012), most of the American football owners or sponsors feel short changed by the media involvement in their affairs especially incase of low turn out. He points out that normally there are fewer tickets sold in most games televised.  This in his context reduces teams or clubs operations affecting its performance.

Racism

According to Grahams (2011), football has been one of the uniting sports that continue to unite people irrespective of race, color or sex. However Davis (2012) has indicated conflicting reports on race based conflicts at the football events. He points out that it is impossible to quantify the true extent of racism among football supporters as they are in most cases speculative. According to Davis, most of the academicians and professionals in the United States normally find it difficult debating the role of racism in influencing football violence. He further notes that most of the black American have find themselves in football racism during the event.

According to Davis (2012), football fans have become too derogative to players as they never mind what and how they speak to players especially when they feel disappointed. He observes that even though the players are being paid a lot of money to play, this should not change the way Americans make comments about their family matters. Davis notes that most Americans have been influence by the media in a speculative manner and spend most of their time either at work or at home speculating on football players’ sexuality. He notes that this has changed the way Americans approach these football players.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear that football sporting activity has had both positive and negative impacts on the United States society. First, foot ball has widely been used in the United States as a unifying factor which has contributed positively to their lives. The paper has also proved the usefulness of football fitness in empowering most of the citizens to emulate the sport as it prevents some diseases like the cardiovascular diseases. Football is also without any doubt increasingly creating employment opportunities for the Americans both in the football based institutions and those involved in the actual game like players, coaches and referees.  

However, the paper has also demonstrated the various ways in which football has impacted negatively on the United States society. It has shown that there is need to address such vices as racism which has increasingly been witnessed during the football events as they adversely affect the society cooperation. Another issue to be address is the involvement by most United States citizens in football violence during the events as this is adversely influencing on their moral character. Finally, the effect of media in influencing football violence evident during football events in the United States has to be addressed. It is therefore true that football has impacted on the Unite State society socially, economically, culturally and even health wise.