Inside Football’s Campaign to Save the Game

[HSFBfan]

http://archive.is/TOU2r

football gathered at a Midtown hotel in New York with a vital mission: to save their sport.

Robert K. Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, was there, as was the commissioner of the N.F.L., Roger Goodell. Commissioners from the Power 5 college athletic conferences were in the room. So were Northwestern’s head coach, Pat Fitzgerald, and a pair of Hall of Famers turned business titans, Roger Staubach and Archie Manning.

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That these men felt compelled to turn the gathering, an annual meeting of the National Football Foundation, into a strategy session for pushing back against the forces threatening their game illustrates the dramatic disruption football has undergone in the past decade. Over that time, the public’s awareness of football’s role in some forms of long-term brain damage has potentially become the sport’s kryptonite.

There was no table-pounding, no hand-wringing. But there was a sense of urgency.

“If we stand for anything, it’s to protect the game, so let’s step off the curb and get to work,” said Steve Hatchell, the foundation’s chief executive, summing up the mood in the room that day.

Football is still the most popular high school sport among boys.

[Bormio]

12 hours ago, HSFBfan said:

http://archive.is/TOU2r

football gathered at a Midtown hotel in New York with a vital mission: to save their sport.

Robert K. Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, was there, as was the commissioner of the N.F.L., Roger Goodell. Commissioners from the Power 5 college athletic conferences were in the room. So were Northwestern’s head coach, Pat Fitzgerald, and a pair of Hall of Famers turned business titans, Roger Staubach and Archie Manning.

ADVERTISEMENT

 

That these men felt compelled to turn the gathering, an annual meeting of the National Football Foundation, into a strategy session for pushing back against the forces threatening their game illustrates the dramatic disruption football has undergone in the past decade. Over that time, the public’s awareness of football’s role in some forms of long-term brain damage has potentially become the sport’s kryptonite.

There was no table-pounding, no hand-wringing. But there was a sense of urgency.

“If we stand for anything, it’s to protect the game, so let’s step off the curb and get to work,” said Steve Hatchell, the foundation’s chief executive, summing up the mood in the room that day.

Football is still the most popular high school sport among boys.

But it is decreasing.  What is striking is the decline in fan support - particularly among younger adults.  HSFB does not resonate with them like it did with fans 25 years ago.  Attendance at games is not what it was - people are not willing to commit a whole Friday night to traveling to a road game an hour away.  And that is bleeding into home attendance.

[HSFBfan]

18 minutes ago, Bormio said:

But it is decreasing.  What is striking is the decline in fan support - particularly among younger adults.  HSFB does not resonate with them like it did with fans 25 years ago.  Attendance at games is not what it was - people are not willing to commit a whole Friday night to traveling to a road game an hour away.  And that is bleeding into home attendance.

Good points 

[Bodysurf]

1 hour ago, Bormio said:

But it is decreasing.  What is striking is the decline in fan support - particularly among younger adults.  HSFB does not resonate with them like it did with fans 25 years ago.  Attendance at games is not what it was - people are not willing to commit a whole Friday night to traveling to a road game an hour away.  And that is bleeding into home attendance.

I agree with you. But a large part of the decline in attendance is due to the fact that most games you can now watch on the internet.

[HawgGoneIt]

Commercialization is a turn off from what most people see as high school football. 

I believe that is having an effect as well. 

 

There are a lot of reasons for the decline. The biggest issue is instead of working toward fixing it, for the most part, the one's with the largest voices are racing toward the drain with it, because it gives them something to talk about. Creates clicks on their websites. That type stuff. 

 

[Bormio]

1 hour ago, Bodysurf said:

I agree with you. But a large part of the decline in attendance is due to the fact that most games you can now watch on the internet.

That certainly is a factor.  But I live in a town where people used to live and die with HSFB - the level of passion is no longer there.  Something about actually going to the games makes people real fans.

[HawgGoneIt]

2 hours ago, Bormio said:

That certainly is a factor.  But I live in a town where people used to live and die with HSFB - the level of passion is no longer there.  Something about actually going to the games makes people real fans.

People need to feel a real connection with the team. Then they need to feel like what the team is doing and stands for is worth supporting as well. 

Most people don't have to have a perfect season and MNC to feel like their team is a success, but, the more the pundits and national sports media minimizes the average team, the less people are going to feel like that average team is important and worth supporting.  

[Bormio]

Winning state feels the same at 11-4 and 15-0.  Sometimes better at 11-4.

[WCACguy]

11 hours ago, Bodysurf said:

I agree with you. But a large part of the decline in attendance is due to the fact that most games you can now watch on the internet.

You may be correct but I found it interesting that the SJC-Gonzaga game Saturday night was packed (over 5,000) despite the fact that over 13,000 watched the 1st Amendment livestream on YouTube. Seems like a lot of interest still exists...for a regular season game between two schools with around 2,000 students combined.