Last Updated on October 12, 2021 by
American football is thriving well in Brazil, attracting a growing number of participants and fans. Moreover, television ratings for the NFL are increasing rapidly, and the country already has two well-established semi-professional leagues.
To reduce the utilization of exported equipment from the United States, the Brazilians play American football games on the sand. Also, they play this sport on the sand to reduce the impact of the tackles on players. Various types of American football teams were developed in the 2010s by most Brazilian states like flag football. In 1998, a group of people formed a Brazilian Portuguese forum concerning American football, to help instill interest in the game in the country and to get more people to watch the live games on ESPN. According to a recent study, about 2,500 Brazilians participate in American football.
History Of The American Football In Brazil
In 2008, Brazil recorded the first official American football match 2008 between Curitiba Brown Spiders and Barigui Crocodiles, which are two Brazilian teams. The basic techniques of American football were facilitated by about 100 coaches from American high school and adult amateur teams. Soccer has always been the most popular sport in Brazil, but now, some of its media attention has been shifted towards American football.
Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a lot of sponsors. Most of the sponsorship money in most states in the country is geared towards soccer. Thanks to Victor Menossi Rodrigues, Brazilian/American football has been developing at a good rate. One good news is that a huge number of Brazilian women and young ladies have shown their interest in the sport. There have been occasions where women are seen in the parties of American football, more or less the American tailgate party.
Besides, educational organizations have been encouraging children between the ages of 8 to 13 to show interest in American football. Truth be told, American football has been gaining some of the fanbase of other popular sports in Brazil like Formula One and Volleyball. The birthplace of American football in Brazil remains Copacabana Beach. In Brazilian history, Copacabana Beach was the place the first game of American football was played, with 20 players on the beach. People interested in playing the game but couldn’t get any available beaches were seen using the public parks. However, the organizers of this game must pay a token of at least $300 as rent.
Brazilian Version Of The NFL
When the game first started in the country, there was little playing equipment. All they had was footballs imported from America and mouthguard from boxing rings. The only issue that the NFL, National Football League had back then from expanding into Brazil was the prohibitive travel expenses. Establishing a Brazilian version of the NFL was the only solution to have a professional American football in Brazil.
Ever since, most Brazilians are now paying more attention to a different type of football since the sport has started gaining space in the country, which is widely recognized as the land of soccer. Some of the most traditional soccer clubs in Brazil have established their own American football teams. Besides, there have been rumors that Nike is now selling NFL jerseys in the country for the first time. That’s to tell you that the sport is expected to thrive well. As a matter of fact, a coach in the country who is a former NFL player said within a short time, American football will become one of the most popular sports behind soccer in Brazil.
The good thing is the country has a national team that’s competing at the international level, and the level of talent in the country is impeccable. Just like we said earlier, football games are played in other parks, fields, and on beaches across the country like the Rio de Janeiro beaches, where soccer and foot-volley are also played. That’s not all. We’ve also seen American football played in some traditional soccer stadiums. This sport is starting to leave its mark in the country even though it is likely not possible for it to challenge the popularity of soccer. Brazilian soccer fans are now shared with American football fans.
Advancement Of Cable TV Helped American Football In Brazil
Sometimes ago, people who knew much about American football in Brazil were limited as the sport was practically exclusive to Brazilians who used to live abroad or Americans and Europeans who lived in the country. People in the country didn’t really like the game at first because they felt it was too violent and the rules were too complex. Thanks to the advancement of cable TV, more Brazilians are now fortunate to have unlimited access to the sport.
In the early 1990s, NFL games in Brazil were broadcasted by ESPN. Brazilians can watch at least 6 games via the ESPN channel every week and it was great to know that viewership grew 29 percent last season. Fans can also catch up with live-action of the American football league on the broadcast channel Esporte Interativo. According to a recent study, about 23.8 million people in Brazil were able to catch up with the live games with an average of almost 900,000 per game.
Participation Of Brazilians In American Football
Brazilians aren’t just watching American football., they also participate in the sport. According to the Brazilian Confederation of American Football, there are about 4,800 active players, excluding those with youth & women’s levels, flag-football teams, and 120 American football teams in Brazil. And the good news is that new teams are being established every year. In 2012, the BCAF, Brazilian Confederation of American Football was established to help develop the sport in the country. To be honest, the local leagues have been growing sporadically and local TV shows the live games. Mitchell, a former player in the NFL in the 1990s, lead the Coritiba Crocodiles to the title of the IV Brasil Bowl, and he’s now appointed as the head coach of the Maringa Pyros this season.
Final Words
American football is no longer facing criticism in Brazil anymore with a lot of Brazilians now showing interest in the game. Just like we said earlier, there are about 4,800 active players, excluding those with youth & women’s levels, flag-football teams, and 120 American football teams in Brazil. That’s to tell you that the sport is gaining imminent popularity in the country. We’ve reached the closing chapter of this informative article. We hope you were able to find good resources in your quest to know how popular is American football in Brazil. If you have any questions or comments about the article topic, don’t hesitate to contact us. Thanks
