Football Takes in Billions of Dollars And We Are A Big Part Of It

By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.

Football season is here. We speak the language of touchdowns, first downs and field goals. In many ways, our lives have adjusted to it.

The game doesn’t plan itself around us, we plan our schedules around it. For example, shopping of any kind is planned around the time and day of a football game. Store sales don’t win out when it comes to our favorite team playing.

Can you imagine giving up a 50% off sale in order to attend a football game? Well, it happens during this time-honored season. Buying clothes suddenly goes on the backburner for another time.

Football is a part of the American culture. It has been passed down from generation to generation. All the boys on my block played football at some point during their childhood. Some guys stuck with it and had an opportunity to play college football.

One of my role models growing up was James Arthur Price. We lived three houses from one another. He received a scholarship to play football at North Carolina College, now North Carolina Central University in Durham NC.

Back in the day, there was a football game during the Thanksgiving holiday called the Turkey Bowl between North Carolina College and A&T College, now North Carolina A&T State University located in Greensboro NC.

Attending those games gave my friends and me a glimpse of the college experience as we were in high school at the time. Both of these schools were Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU,s).

These schools have had some great rivalries. One such rivalry game matched Johnson C. Smith University located in Charlotte NC against Livingstone College located in Salisbury NC. According to reports, this game between these two HBCU,s was played on December 27, 1892. On that day, Johnson C. Smith University (formally Biddle College) defeated Livingstone College.

Another great rivalry game each year pits Grambling State University located in Grambling, LA against Southern University located in Baton Rouge LA. This game is called The Bayou Classic and is now played in the Super Dome in New Orleans LA.

College football has exploded and conferences in all divisions have fans who pack their stadiums on a weekly basis. These football games once played only on Saturdays have games throughout the week.

Some years back, rumblings began about the possibility of college players receiving some form of compensation to play. This was a debatable topic for a long time.

The football purists thought that having a scholarship was compensation enough. They also thought that players in some divisions should sit out a year before being allowed to play for their new team.

Both assertions, while strongly debated, were the rules that were in play for many years. The NCAA finally made some rulings that have now greatly impacted college football.

Now, players are being compensated by NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) agreements. Companies are providing student-athletes with some healthy financial packages. You will see some of your favorite college players in commercials for which they are being paid. In addition, players no longer must sit out a year before joining their new team.

Professional football is also driving in the fast lane. The marketing of the NFL is at an all-time high. Ratings for these games are through the roof. Pro football is now being played in parts of Europe for fan enjoyment. For example, this season there will be five games played there.

Of course, the National Football League benefits greatly from television deals. Last year, for example, the NFL came away with an all-time high $11.9 billion dollars in revenue. It is my thinking that this figure will continue to grow. It is truly America’s pastime replacing baseball.

Are you ready for some football? You know the answer is yes.