Some 70% of current NFL players participated in Pop Warner football when they were younger.
Forbes magazine's website posted an article entitled: 'Why Is Football Participation Declining? The Answer Isn't Concussions.' [2]
In the article the author argues that there are a three reasons why football is declining in popularity among American youth:
I. Increased Sports Specialization - If Kids arn't exceptional at a sport they move onto the next one until they find one they have a shot at excelling in.
II. No Opportunity in College - Its unlikely a kid will get to become a 'college athlete' in football because the sport is so saturated with talent.
III. The Growth of Lacrosse - Lacrosse has sucked higher income kids away from football, and employers like kids that have played elite 'ivy league' sports.
Although I agree with these three reasons I think the primary reason is more basic: race.
Basketball and boxing were once huge sports in America. However, as African-Americans steadily became majorities in those sports whites simply moved onto other activities.
Within recent memory football was majority white, however, today it is dominated by Blacks. A simple look at the starting lineup of the top teams (Alabama, Ohio State, and Florida State) will reveal that they are almost entirely of African descent.
In addition to this, football has taken on an almost thuggish character. During post-game interviews many of the star players reveal an almost incredible inability to speak proper English. It is hard to imagine that some of them could actually pass college level course work.
Personally, I have heard from Tuscaloosa students that many of the players on Alabama's team are simply illiterate.
It doesn't surprise me.
Most of the quality players are covered by tattoos (and not classy ones either). Think Terrell Pryer.
The attitudes, the showiness, the whole brutish culture that surrounds modern college football players is enough for any parent to say 'I'm not sending my kid into that locker room!'
Stacked on top of it all is the immature NFL players that are always finding new ways to get arrested or look like idiots.
Just as whites fled from Detroit, South Africa, and any other area when Blacks begin to move in so football is experiencing a 'white flight' out of the sport and into more classy suburban middle/upper class safe havens that still retain their values and ethnic culture.
NOTES
[2] http://www.forbes.com/sites/bobcook/2013/11/26/why-is-football-participation-declining-the-answer-isnt-concussions/
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