| The term "American football" refers to a type | | | | However, merchandising is also a factor and |
| of game, not a regional sport. American | | | | the NFL has advocated rule changes, such as a |
| football is enjoyed world-wide. Professional | | | | sponsor time out which is a pause in the play |
| American-style football leagues exist in | | | | of the game, that are solely for the purpose |
| Canada, Europe, South America and Japan. NFL | | | | of allowing the sponsor to show commercials. |
| Europa is a organization operated by the US | | | | The NFL decides which cities can have a team |
| based National Football League. NFL Europa | | | | and how many teams will make up the two |
| has teams in six German and Dutch cities. In | | | | franchises, The Amercan Football League and |
| Canada, there are 2 organizations, the | | | | the National Football League, which |
| Canadian Footbal Leage, a professional | | | | originally was the only and prototypic league |
| league, and Canadian University Spot, which | | | | in American football. Fans have intese |
| is a network of nonprofessional University | | | | loyalties to these two franchises, which is |
| level teams. Both Canadian leagues play | | | | capitalized upon in the yearly Superbowl. |
| American style football but with some | | | | This game was established to play upon this |
| variations known as Canadian Rules. New | | | | rivalry and pits the AFL and NFL Champions |
| Zealand, Mexico, Japan and several other | | | | against each other. This is held in February |
| countries have amateur football leagues. | | | | and is the single most watched event on |
| American style football is governed by the | | | | American television. It is an event that |
| International Federation Of American Football | | | | begins weeks in advance with football |
| (IFAF), which has over 45 affliates in North | | | | interveiws, panels of sports figures who |
| and South America, Europe, Asia and | | | | speculate on the game's outcome, and bettiing |
| Australasia. However, the true moving force | | | | oportunities. This hype grows over the weeks |
| in american footbal is the NFL, or National | | | | of playoff games and builds to a near frenzy |
| Football Association. The NFL is the | | | | by the time Superbowl Sunday arrives. The |
| regulatory and organizational arm of football | | | | game is an all day event with ceremonies and |
| in the US. It makes and enforces rules for | | | | a legendary half time, Las Vegas style, show |
| sportsmanship and drug use. When a player | | | | that features top celebrities. For the |
| behaves overly aggressively during a game, | | | | multitudes watching at home, the Super Bowl |
| misses practice sessions or becomes involved | | | | is also augmented by the premeire screening |
| in extracurricular illegal activity, the NFL | | | | of a collection of the most innovative and |
| will impose a fine and/or suspend a player. | | | | often humorous advertising blips. Because of |
| The NFL bans recreational and steroid, or | | | | the exposure and the terrific numbers of |
| performance enhancing, drug use. It | | | | viewers, the competition to be one of the |
| authorizes and conducts urine testing on its | | | | favored advertisers is nearly as hearty as |
| professional atheles. The NFL also decides | | | | the team competition to play in this game. |
| yearly whether the rules of the game should | | | | American Football is sweeping the rest of the |
| be changed, and in what ways. Often the rules | | | | world and becoming a popular phenomenon in |
| are done to make the game more interesting or | | | | nearly every country. This growth in |
| more fair. Safety is another motivation | | | | popularity is slower in countries that have |
| behind rule change and the NFL tries to make | | | | established rugby or soccer francishes but |
| this aggressive and even violent game as safe | | | | American Football is rapidly becoming as |
| as possible by modifying the existing rules | | | | popular as American fast food. |
| and the forms of protective equipment used. | | | | |