Recently I’ve read several articles here on The Roar concerning the ways Australian sport can be improved by our friends in America.
I don’t disagree with these sentiments. American sports are extremely successful for a reason.
But does this translate to a successful sporting code across the Pacific?
In this article I’m going to focus predominately on the AFL, though I believe the same notions can be discussed in relation to the NRL, A-League and the soon-to-be NRC.
The American influence on the AFL began with the introduction of the salary cap and national draft. These two components allow for a form of equalisation across the game, unlike the English Premier League.
It is also understandable that these pillars of the AFL have been adopted from the USA’s National Football League.
International players aren’t easy to come by when your country is the only place playing the sport. Undoubtedly a few eyebrows would be raised if the Giants next big acquisition came from the USAFL.
But why should we stop here? These two aspects of recruitment have been so successful, perhaps these American sports truly have great ideas to offer?
We now have free agencies and prolonged trade periods. You only have to look at the free agency coverage from the past few years to see how quickly these components are taking over.
Gone are the days when a player would stick with their club from debut to retirement.
Chris Judd, Garry Ablett, Lance Franklin. These are the elite players of our national game but like the American fans of LeBron James and Payton Manning, we must watch in horror as our beloved heroes swap sides and take their former teams for a ride.
All the young Hawthorn supports with No.23 on their guernseys will have to reconsider wearing them to Hawks home games in 2014. The alternative is to be Tim O’Brien’s biggest supporter as he runs out on the field for the first time.
It’s not just the playing group where this Americanisation is taking place.
In the world of professional sport, money talks. It is the exact reason the AFL are experimenting with the 2014 draw.
How sexy does Sunday night football sound? It picks up the ears in a similar way to Monday Night Football in the states.
The AFL are calling these games a trial, but it’s hard to call six blockbuster games an experiment. The AFL are attempting to control a market that no other Australian sporting code has targeted before.
Why else would they plan an 80,000 crowd spectacle like Collingwood versus Carlton on a Sunday night? I know what I would rather watch if given the choice of a footy match and a repeat of The Big Bang Theory.
It makes sense for these American sporting tropes to find themselves in our game. It was only last year that the AFL’s head honchos and club representatives found themselves in conversations with the Patriots’ CEO, and the heads of the NFL and NBA.
While the NRL flounders at drawing in new crowds, the AFL is openhandedly embracing it. But it’s not from a love of the game. It’s from a love of the almighty dollar.
You have to wonder what is next. A new expansion team in our continental neighbour? A beloved team leader having success with another club? Player names on the back of jerseys?
Collingwood recruiting more members than the MCG can fit? If it happens in America, why won’t it be successful here?
So strap yourselves in. On the field, the AFL won’t be the same as American football.
Behind the scenes, however, we are welcoming the NFL MK II to Australian shores with an open heart.
David French
Guest
I'll disagree to an extent. The Super Bowl is the best entertainment you'll get every year in America, however, I'm a lifelong soccer/European football fan, and the World Cup every 4 years trumps the Super Bowl- IF- you're a fan of it. Every country defending their own has a unique war-like quality that we long for in sports.
Bob Anderson
Guest
American sports are not businesses built around the individual club, but around the league as a whole. Those who call American sports "socialist" don't understand that. Having competitive games and balance between teams benefits the entire league/sport, which is the actual business. The teams are franchises, not clubs as in Europe. I think Australian sports have always been somewhat in between the two sporting models (Europe and America).
Gyfox
Guest
Watching all the news about the Super Bowl on Feb 2 reminds me that another American thing, thankfully, the AFL has not copied is shifting the Grand Final around the country. Not that there is an alternative to the MCG.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Don't bring Sammy Baugh into this!
IanW
Guest
Because it was invented from the same proto-game that Rugby Football, Association Football and Australian Rules came from. You do know Sammy Baugh would drop back into the pocket and kick the darn thing, right ... and that play is still legal in the NFL ?
jimbo
Guest
In a way rugby league copied afl with origin, but not really directly, wasnt the afl origin a carnival ???, where as SOO was a 3 match test series, so in a way rugby league got the idea from afl, but they revelutionized it in their own way, and who really cares who first did ANZAC matches first ???, does everything between league and afl have to be a contest "league did the knockout comp first, afl did origini first" who really cares ?
jimbo
Guest
if Australia had 300 milion people, we would have teams worth a billion dollars, the reason they're sporting teams are so rich is because they get 50,000 to watch a game of NFL, and get 30 million people watching from their homes, its the tv ratings they get that makes them worth billions of dollars, Australia doesnt have the population to have sporting teams worth that much.
andy og
Guest
You can't possibly believe that Penrith had that logo before an American team used it. Pittsburgh were using it about the same time as league was invented.
Gyfox
Guest
The one significant thing from the USA that the AFL flirted with & abandoned is private ownership of clubs. Unlike other codes, in our Australian game we still have as a core value & foundation football clubs with true membership & elected boards & presidents. May we never have our clubs owned by millionaires using them as a hobby & tax dodge!
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Why is American 'football' even called football? How many times does the foot make contact with the ball in this excruciating form of torture?
Allan
Guest
Panthers ? Do you have any idea, any idea at all ?
andy og
Guest
Ill see that and raise you with a "Broncos,Titans and Panthers"
Gyfox
Guest
Have just forked out $70 for my supporters pack once again - scarf, cap, etc. I have enough jumpers, but no doubt the club will convince me to buy a new one this year! The AFL has plenty of gear for the fans to buy & it's all new each year. Jerseys are what NRL has!
fishes
Guest
"the Giants" and "the Suns"... nah, AFL isn't Americanised at all.
me, I like football
Guest
The only thing I can think of is the points system for reportable offences, and they happily admit to that whereas I think it's a terrible system
Titus
Guest
No soccer at the Olympics Slane, there is a sport called Football though, however it's only for U23's. It's U23 because it would both overshadow the Olympics and would devalue what is the biggest sporting tournament on the planet, The Football World Cup.
ciudadmarron
Guest
And Chocco you are absolutely right. You know what, they should just dispense with all the bits in between goals altogether.
ciudadmarron
Guest
Ah but C, in the last 5 years it has become clear that in etymology of sporting names, it is only the bit of your body that you score with that is important.
micka
Guest
Titus said | January 16th 2014 @ 10:40pm | Report comment "Chocco…..just so I can take you seriously, have you ever sought out the indigenous elders of the lands where you live and asked them about the correct language for your particular area?" I'm sure the local indigenous co-op spend all their time sweating about whether soccer or aussie rules is the one, true "football". Having said that, the indigenous guys I grew up with all played Aussie rules and without exception referred to it as football.
Dylan
Roar Pro
The word Football comes from 19th-century British slang for “Association Rules” football, a kicking and dribbling game that was distinct from “Rugby rules” football back when both versions were played by British schoolboys. The lads who preferred the rougher game popular in schools like Rugby and Eton seceded from Britain’s fledgling Football Association in 1871 to write their own rules, and soon players were calling the two sorts of football “rugger” and “soccer.” http://www.spiegel.de/international/naming-the-beautiful-game-it-s-called-soccer-a-420024.html