Metal Sludge Gossip Board

So I got into a discussion about football this evening.

A bit of background. So my knowledge is not the best. I'm english and I live in Canada.

However, from the the stats and topics I've seen, I assumed the NFL was more popular than College football. Yet, my family in law (who are American) stated they were at least on par at best. And perhaps College Football was more 'popular' than the NFL. They live in Florida btw.

Now how much money they make is no contest. NFL kills it.

Attendance. Well I'm not too sure. But I reckon NFL still takes it.

TV viewers. Yeah, I still reckon NFL is taking it.

But their big argument is that College Football infiltrates the towns than the NFL doesn't. Hence, College football is 'bigger' in that regard. Is this true? Could this be measured? Even if it could, in your opinion does it even matter considering either the NFL or College football is 'bigger'.

So, in your opinion, which is bigger and more popular.

Your opinions plus stats would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

Also, I'm just talking about popularity in the states.

And I know some states vary, but I'm talking about the whole country.

Here is an interesting read with att numbers I found.


The most popular one is a personal, location, and financial decision. Which is closest? Are you an alumni of the college? How deep is your wallet? Looking for the highest skilled and the biggest show? Or, something warmer?

The largest college stadiums are filled with larger, more committed crowds than any NFL team plays for. Nine college stadiums are larger than the largest NFL stadium. Michigan averaged 110,264 fans per game in 2007, Penn State 108,917, Ohio State at 105,110 and Tennessee at 103,918. The all-time record is 111,175 by Michigan in 1999.

The average attendance at an NFL game is much larger than for colleges if all including the smallest are counted. The total attendance at 619 colleges in 2007 was about 48.75 million. Attendance of 32 NFL teams was reported as about 22.25 million.

If more FBS colleges had larger stadiums perhaps the picture would change. But, for right now
Average NFL = about 67,750
Average FBS = about 46.960

There are fewer NFL teams than college teams. NFL has 32 teams, college football (division 1 or whatever it is now) has about 120.

When it comes to television ratings, it is no contest; NFL owns the natonal audience.

College ball popularity depends on the region. The SEC is huge in the South (including Florida, where your in laws live) and probably more popular than pro ball, but the NFL is much more popular in most of the rest of the country. Texas is a football state, maybe the biggest football state there is. High school ball matters here, but it's biggest in the small rural areas. Cowboys and Texans still get most of the attention. I think a lot of it has to do with where in Texas you live. Its a huge state, bigger than a lot of countries. If you're in the Dallas or Houston areas, it's NFL first. If you're in College Station, Austin or Lubbock, it's all about the college team, but if you live someplace like Odessa, Amarillo or El Paso, towns that are a long way from any NFL city or major college, it's more of a mixed bag.

bane wrote:College ball popularity depends on the region. The SEC is huge in the South (including Florida, where your in laws live) and probably more popular than pro ball, but the NFL is much more popular in most of the rest of the country. Texas is a football state, maybe the biggest football state there is. High school ball matters here, but it's biggest in the small rural areas. Cowboys and Texans still get most of the attention. I think a lot of it has to do with where in Texas you live. Its a huge state, bigger than a lot of countries. If you're in the Dallas or Houston areas, it's NFL first. If you're in College Station, Austin or Lubbock, it's all about the college team, but if you live someplace like Odessa, Amarillo or El Paso, towns that are a long way from any NFL city or major college, it's more of a mixed bag.

I find it very weird that the Dolphins, Jags, and Bucs often struggle to sell out their stadiums. Do you think it's because college teams are more competitive and those pro teams usually are not? Other states have good college teams but their NFL teams sell out home games regularly; makes no sense! Maybe another issue is folks in Florida probably have a lot more choices of things to do, big events, beach, etc. than to go watch a team lose each week.

bigbuttskinner wrote:

bane wrote:College ball popularity depends on the region. The SEC is huge in the South (including Florida, where your in laws live) and probably more popular than pro ball, but the NFL is much more popular in most of the rest of the country. Texas is a football state, maybe the biggest football state there is. High school ball matters here, but it's biggest in the small rural areas. Cowboys and Texans still get most of the attention. I think a lot of it has to do with where in Texas you live. Its a huge state, bigger than a lot of countries. If you're in the Dallas or Houston areas, it's NFL first. If you're in College Station, Austin or Lubbock, it's all about the college team, but if you live someplace like Odessa, Amarillo or El Paso, towns that are a long way from any NFL city or major college, it's more of a mixed bag.

I find it very weird that the Dolphins, Jags, and Bucs often struggle to sell out their stadiums. Do you think it's because college teams are more competitive and those pro teams usually are not? Other states have good college teams but their NFL teams sell out home games regularly; makes no sense! Maybe another issue is folks in Florida probably have a lot more choices of things to do, big events, beach, etc. than to go watch a team lose each week.

I'm not sure, but I think the massive snow bird population might have a lot to do with it. A lot of people who live in Florida aren't from Florida, so their fan loyalty might go to another team. I can see other things to do mattering in Miami and Tampa, but Jacksonville isn't exactly a paradise you know?

College fanatasicm is fucking weird.

First off, you get the folks - thousands of them - who NEVER went to college, or didn't go to the college they root for.

Err...ok.

And then, you get the people who believe the game is somehow more "pure," because, while somebody is making millions and millions of dollars of it, it ain't the players.

Whatever. This shit is lame.

College football was great, when I was in college. I loved going to the games in a huge stadium in a big ACC school. Was a party all day.

But the game itself rather blows. Most of the matches are ridiculously rigged - like watching the Patriots vs. the Chiefs every weekend. For me it's all about the NFL. But you can't deny the audience for college football in the U.S. People can't fucking get enough.

Crazy Levi wrote:College fanatasicm is fucking weird.

First off, you get the folks - thousands of them - who NEVER went to college, or didn't go to the college they root for.

Err...ok.

I've never lived in Pittsburgh or played NFL football does that mean I can't cheer for the Steelers?

eddie lee roth wrote:

Crazy Levi wrote:College fanatasicm is fucking weird.

First off, you get the folks - thousands of them - who NEVER went to college, or didn't go to the college they root for.

Err...ok.

I've never lived in Pittsburgh or played NFL football does that mean I can't cheer for the Steelers?

I hate that argument, also. "Well, you didn't go there so you don't know." Really? Eat a dick.

eddie lee roth wrote:

Crazy Levi wrote:College fanatasicm is fucking weird.

First off, you get the folks - thousands of them - who NEVER went to college, or didn't go to the college they root for.

Err...ok.

I've never lived in Pittsburgh or played NFL football does that mean I can't cheer for the Steelers?

You can root for whomever you want.

Doesn't mean it makes sense to me though.

Crazy Levi wrote:

eddie lee roth wrote:

Crazy Levi wrote:College fanatasicm is fucking weird.

First off, you get the folks - thousands of them - who NEVER went to college, or didn't go to the college they root for.

Err...ok.

I've never lived in Pittsburgh or played NFL football does that mean I can't cheer for the Steelers?

You can root for whomever you want.

Doesn't mean it makes sense to me though.

Yeah. Just like when people like bands from L.A. and they're not from L.A. Listen to the bands from your town, only!

That's apples and oranges and makes no sense to me.

But who am I tell you how to judge music fans?

Crazy Levi wrote:That's apples and oranges and makes no sense to me.

But who am I tell you how to judge music fans?

I didn't really get that analogy either. Does anybody beyond high school have band loyalty ( other than P13 of course)? You don't suffer through a run of shit records with a band like you'll suffer through a run of losing seasons with a sports franchise.

Crazy Levi wrote: You can root for whomever you want.

Doesn't mean it makes sense to me though.

Well I've never lived in a city with a pro team and was constantly moving up and down the east coast as my dad was in the navy, I got to like my teams based on what drew me to them when I started playing sports. Frst sport I played was little league and I was a 3b, Mike Schmidt was my idol so I became a phillies fan, I started rooting for Miami in the late 70's while living in Key West. The Bird era is what drew me to the celtics. When I moved to Iowa people thought I had the strangest combination of fav teams. I've stuck with em' though as bad as they were for most of my life, only the celtics and phils have won titles recently but I was just as big a fan in the horrible years of all those teams.

dtmfs wrote:

Crazy Levi wrote: You can root for whomever you want.

Doesn't mean it makes sense to me though.

Well I've never lived in a city with a pro team and was constantly moving up and down the east coast as my dad was in the navy, I got to like my teams based on what drew me to them when I started playing sports. Frst sport I played was little league and I was a 3b, Mike Schmidt was my idol so I became a phillies fan, I started rooting for Miami in the late 70's while living in Key West. The Bird era is what drew me to the celtics. When I moved to Iowa people thought I had the strangest combination of fav teams. I've stuck with em' though as bad as they were for most of my life, only the celtics and phils have won titles recently but I was just as big a fan in the horrible years of all those teams.

You lived in Key West. Thats cool. Love that place.

pieceofme wrote: You lived in Key West. Thats cool. Love that place.

Yeah for a couple of years when my dad was stationed there,it was pretty cool.

bigbuttskinner wrote:
Yeah. Just like when people like bands from L.A. and they're not from L.A. Listen to the bands from your town, only!

This has to be the dumbest fucking thing I have EVER heard.

poizond13 wrote:

bigbuttskinner wrote:
Yeah. Just like when people like bands from L.A. and they're not from L.A. Listen to the bands from your town, only!

This has to be the dumbest fucking thing I have EVER heard.

YES! andy suck rules! turnover king of the nfl!

One thing about college ball I have noticed is. fair-weather fans will like a good college team over a bad NFL team. U of M merchandise and to a lesser degree Spartans is huge in Michigan. People will wear the blue and gold and the Tigers D year round. Try and find Lions stuff or people wearing it before or after the Season. Same for Ohio and their beloved Buckeyes.

Crazy Levi wrote:
Most of the matches are ridiculously rigged

If you are comparing what its like for most all other schools to play against the SEC, you are right.

sin wrote:One thing about college ball I have noticed is. fair-weather fans will like a good college team over a bad NFL team. U of M merchandise and to a lesser degree Spartans is huge in Michigan. People will wear the blue and gold and the Tigers D year round. Try and find Lions stuff or people wearing it before or after the Season. Same for Ohio and their beloved Buckeyes.

I know a couple people here in Iowa who once loved the Hawkeyes and ISU respectivley then sometime in the 90's they became Husker fans and remain so. I don't get that shit, it's pretty ridiculous, one of em is also a yankee/steelers, Can't remember but I'm sure back in school dude liked the niners and A's or some shit.

I want to add A LOT of people in Michigan like to claim Tom Brady as one of their own. He went to college at U of M nothing else. He doesn't live here or donate to charity in the state etc...

Crazy Levi wrote:

eddie lee roth wrote:

Crazy Levi wrote:College fanatasicm is fucking weird.

First off, you get the folks - thousands of them - who NEVER went to college, or didn't go to the college they root for.

Err...ok.

I've never lived in Pittsburgh or played NFL football does that mean I can't cheer for the Steelers?

You can root for whomever you want.

Doesn't mean it makes sense to me though.

Well your opinion reeks of pretentious it sounds like somebody born with a silver spoon.

Let me make it clear though that this one little disagreement doesn't mean I think you run around thinking your better than other people I generally like your posts and find it very funny how you can get lil pp in such a tizzy.

We're just gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.

Eddie Lee Roth sounds like a YALE man...snicker snicker.

Nah man I went to Heartbreak Ridge.

Being from the South, born in Alabama, and for the most part raised here with 8 years spread out in California, I have and will always be a Crimson Tide fan. Alabama, the state, has no real "major sports" ties, unless you want to count Double A baseball clubs like the Huntsville Stars (Brewers) and the Birmingham Barons (White Sox)...for whatever reason, we as a state just cant seem to "fund" an NFL, NBA or MLB franchise.

College football here is king...no 2 ways about it. People like myself live for college football season! I could really give a shit if I ever see another NFL game...I have never watched a full NBA game or MLB game...and dont see it changing in the near future.

Did I graduate from the University of Alabama? Nope. Have I ever taken a class there? Nope? Have I ever even attended a home game? Nope again. Does that make me any less of a fan? Not in my mind. I`ve also never been in Motley Crue, recorded music with them, been to a concert of theirs...does that mean I am not a fan of theirs as well?