The NFL is the dominant spectator sport in the U.S. No other sport comes close in terms of popularity and reach. Tech innovations are adding many new ways for fans to enjoy the sport. Fantasy football, in particular, has created a new way for football fans to follow specific players, even if their city doesn’t have an NFL team. Consider all of the ways you can enjoy the NFL.
To start off NFL is a very competitive sport and you never know which team is going to win. Like other competitive sports there is plenty of oportunity to bet on the NFL but where should you start? Well if you have limited knowledge of the sport you could see betting tips for the NFL at TeamFA.com ahead of all of the biggest games in the sport.
The dominant sport
The NFL is the most popular sport in the U.S. That popularity is reflected in many types of research. Infegy is a site that measures the popularity of brands based on Internet posts and other activity. As of October 2015, Infegy ranks the NFL as the 7th most popular brand in the world. The site reports that the NFL generated over 7.2 million posts.
In addition to Internet posts, the NFL’s popularity also dominates TV ratings. Nielsen has been measuring TV viewership for years. The Nielsen statistics show that over 112 million people watched the 2014 Super Bowl. Surprisingly, a 2014 NFL Wildcard playoff game attracted 27 million fans. That total was more than the U.S. audience for the year’s World Cup men’s soccer final. The audience for the Wildcard game was more than any NBA Final and World Series game that year.
Tech improvement to enjoy the sport
Twenty years ago, NFL viewing was limited to the 2 or 3 games shown in your local TV market. Direct TV in Pittsburgh, PA explains that the NFL Sunday Ticket now allows you to watch every NFL game live, regardless of where you are. Satellite technology means that you can watch multiple NFL games on one screen.
The networks that broadcast the NFL make continual improvements in the viewing experience. The graphics used to show statistics are becoming more visually appealing. The networks can show replays from many different camera angles immediately after each play.
The NFL is also experimenting with cameras in the end zone pylons. The pylons are placed in each of the four corners of the end zone. These cameras give the viewer a great look at plays in the end zone.
Fantasy football
The biggest change in the NFL in recent years has been fantasy football. The popularity of this hobby has exploded. Fantasy football is a game itself. Each participant selects both offensive and defensive players in a draft- similar to the NFL Draft. You’ll select quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and a team defense in your fantasy draft.
Each week of the NFL, you choose a group of your drafted players. The performance of those players in NFL games allows you to earn points. Your players earn points for touchdown passes thrown or caught, for example. Running backs get points for rushing yards gains and touchdowns scored. Your fantasy team also earn points based on the performance of your defense. You compete against other fantasy players.
Why fantasy football drives fan interest
Fantasy football participants are interested in the performance of specific players. Even if you don’t have a team in your area, fantasy football results keep you interested in what’s going on each NFL week. If your home team is not doing well, you’ll still follow the league through your fantasy football hobby.
The NFL broadcasters provide fantasy football stats during pregame and postgame shows. There are websites that allow you to set up a fantasy league and host your draft. These sites will also track the performance of players in your league and rank each fantasy football team.
If you’re an NFL fan, consider all of these ways to enjoy the sport. Think about the Sunday Ticket option as well as joining a fantasy football league. These tools can make the NFL season more entertaining.