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American Football is the number one sport in the United States of America. It is a sport that a lot of Americans enjoy watching and feel very passionate about.
In India, the game is new and relatively not understood. We have many ways of enjoying various other games such as cricket and football and tennis, but an intense game like American football needs to be enjoyed in a completely different manner.
So how should you try and understand and get into the sport better so as to develop an understanding and liking for the game?
Here’s a guide on how you can go about doing just that:
1. Learn some things about American football
Now, of course, it is very important that you learn how the scoring system works in this game. Without that, you would be as clueless about the various ways of scoring and would inevitably lose interest. Learn what a “touchdown” means and what a “field goal” means. Take some time out to understand the rules and regulations of the game.
Know the different types of plays on offense and defense.
Click here to learn more about the scoring system in the game.
Clicke here to learn more about the rules and regulations.
2. Watch a game on TV or on YouTube
One of the best ways to build appreciation and understanding of a game is to watch it on TV or online. If there is a broadcast of an EFLI game on TV, then please watch it as it gives you a whole different experience.
If there is nothing on TV, then check up YouTube for videos from the first season of EFLI and also other videos from NFL. Believe it or not, a lot of the players in EFLI had only seen American football in YouTube videos, and that’s how they picked it up.
There might be many doubts that one has after watching the videos; go and ask a friend knowledgeable about the game to explain the doubtful parts to you.
3. Explore the EFLI
The EFLI currently has eight teams – Pune, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad from India, and Pakistan and Colombo from the neighboring countries. They are divided into the East division and the West division. Learn a little bit about the founders and how the league was set up in India and the results from the first season.
4. Learn about the teams and players
One of the easiest ways to get to know and follow the game is by going in there and actually learning about some of the well known teams and players.
The top four teams in the first season of NFL were Pune, Delhi, Bangalore and Colombo in that order. Learn about their campaigns and how they did in the first season.
And some of the star players in the first season were – Roshan Lobo, Preetesh Balyaya, Ronit Banda, Amit “Happy” Lochab.
Pick a favorite player and then a favorite team and start following the games.
There might be many reasons to like a team and a player, like appearance, jersey colors, style of play, etc. So whatever the reason, identifying and having a favorite often works.
5. Experience an American football party
One of the big things about the popularity of this game in the United States is that a large number of people just come together to watch a game and just are into party mode. People congregate together to have fun, share some sweet moments and enjoy watching the game together in the company of friends.
Get some banners and merchandise of your favorite team and deck up the house in order to enjoy the atmosphere at the games. You can check out the latest products and merchandise at the EFLI store.
6. Attend college football games
As pointed out in a recent article, the EFLI is not looking at just city-based teams alone. They want to go out and have a league for just universities as well. Close to 30-40 universities have agreed to come onboard, with 10 of those ready to play in the very first season.
Watching these college teams in India, you can get a fair idea of the games and even interact with the players to get a thorough understanding of the rules and how the game goes.
7. Visit the EFLI website
There’s plenty of information on the website – www.efli.com – to keep you up-to-date with the latest developments ahead of the kickoff of the second season. You can also check out the player profiles of some of the star performers from each team as you get a peek into the game and the characteristics of the players.
