American football is arguably the most popular sport in the United States. During football season, millions of Americans attend football games or watch the games at home with family and friends. Watching football and discussing the various teams and players is very popular in the United States, and is a huge part of many Americans’ social lives. Want to know more? Here is some additional information about this popular American sport.
College Football
Student athletes from America’s universities and military academies play college football. The players receive no payment for their participation. The regular college football season typically runs from early September to early December. The National Championship game is in early January. Thousands of fans attend each game. After a team wins a game, it is traditional for players to pour a bucket of Gatorade (a popular sports drink) over their coach.
Professional Football
The best football players in the country play professional football in the National Football League (NFL). NFL players often receive millions of dollars for their efforts and become big stars. The regular NFL season runs from September to December or early January. Play-off tournaments begin in January and the two winning teams play one another in the Super Bowl, the annual championship game. Many Americans enjoy eating tasty (yet fattening) food and drinking beer during the games. Each team also has a squad of sexy cheerleaders to cheer them on.
The Super Bowl
The Super Bowl, or NFL championship game, is one of the most watched events in America (around 100 million people tune in each year). On game day, many Americans have Super Bowl parties at their house or attend celebrations at other people’s homes. At a typical Super Bowl party, men and women will watch the game, eat lots of tasty food (hamburgers, pizza, wings, chips and dip, etc.) and drink large quantities of beer. Most Americans would love to attend the game in person, but Super Bowl tickets are very expensive and very limited so this is not always a possibility. The Super Bowl is arguably the biggest sporting event of the year in the United States.
Tailgating
Tailgating is a big part of the American football experience. Fans travel to a stadium hours before a professional or college football game begins to select a spot in or near the parking lot. They typically bring food, drinks, and (lots of) alcohol with them. Once outside the stadium, the fans will enjoy the refreshments with friends, family, and other tailgaters. Tailgating parties are very popular in America and something many fans look forward to attending. Many people enjoy dressing up in their team's colors.
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