Fans in other countries

[Forget Favre]

This is a general question for our friends who are members here in other countries or for those who have traveled to another country.

Back in 1995 when I traveled to Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) I was amazed at seeing how many locals, mainly kids, were wearing football apparel.

So I'm wondering if it is still like that?
Lots of kids wearing team stuff?
And are they actual fans of the teams or of the logos and things?

 

[fettpett]

This is a general question for our friends who are members here in other countries or for those who have traveled to another country.

Back in 1995 when I traveled to Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) I was amazed at seeing how many locals, mainly kids, were wearing football apparel.

So I'm wondering if it is still like that?
Lots of kids wearing team stuff?
And are they actual fans of the teams or of the logos and things?

probably why Gooddell wants to expand into Europe. but I hope that the league doesnt

 

[TheSnowPlow]

American Tackle Football is gaining a toehold in Europe - I know in the UK there are a lot of football fans, and fans of NFL teams. In addition, there is now a football league in Israel, too - Robert Kraft was one of the sponsors of the IFL.

I doubt American football will ever suplant "Futbol" in Europe, but I know in several places it's very very popular.

 

[Bogart]

I thought most people in the UK like Football as in Soccer

 

[mor4les]

In Spain is hard to find NFL fans, my coworker is a patriots fan, he got into football because Im always talking about the NFL. Most people here calls football rugby by mistake. I play an online madden league with other spanish NFL fans, and there is fans of the Packers, Patriots, 49ers and Dolphins mostly.
IMO the NFL wont be a major sport here in europe, we have a big soccer tradition.

 

[Eclipse612]

Hi from Italy!

Pretty difficult to find NFL fans here, but you will bump into them here or there or see someone in football apparel. Anyway, I think northern countries of anglo-saxon origin are more into American football than Latin countries. Still, I know about guys who get together in pubs late night on special days such as superbowl, or even the draft, and spend the whole night together watching football. There's a pretty big online community of American sports Italian fans called playItUsa (it's a shame they had troubles with servers and their site is now in a temporary "limited mode" while they work to bring back online the old forum), which was the main point of contact for thousands of Italian fans. I know a guy from that site who visited Green Bay last year for the Packers-49ers game.

I recently have been stopped on the streets by a young mormon boy from Wisconsin who was shocked by seeing a Packers cap in Italy

Still,I guess I might have disturbed someone's sleep at about 4.30AM last Sunday, when I fell on my knees shouting in my apartment after an incomplete pass by Ben Roethlisberger :happy0005:

 

[PackersRS]

In Brazil, no. Soccer occupies 95% of sporting events.

You do see some apparell out on the streets, and the fanbase is definitely growing, but it's still odd to see an NFL jersey or product in the streets.

 

[PACKERS FRANCE]

Hi
Difficult to find fans especially packers

But in France there is a championship with 3 Levels

I support packers since 1984 and I played football during 8 years
Training took place in the evening after the work
And yes the football is not very known but people better and better, but the rugby and the soccer Are to be less unpopular

 

[ivo610]

In Brazil, no. Soccer occupies 95% of sporting events.

You do see some apparell out on the streets, and the fanbase is definitely growing, but it's still odd to see an NFL jersey or product in the streets.

would you approach a fan wearing a packers jersey? or in general any nfl jersey?

 

[ivo610]

I was talking with a German (Berlin) who didnt know the NFL ever had nfl europe near him. I was kinda surprised considering the amount of teams in Germany.

My roommate in college went to Germany in the summer to play american football against Germans. lol

 

[MackemPacker]

I personally only know one other follower of the NFL here (Giants fan), but I've been successfully talking my friends through rules and tactics and other stuff as they got tired of hearing me talk about the Pack.

I loved being in Dallas for the super bowl, it was great talking to some real knowledgeable fans. I'm coming to Green Bay next season (if there is one!) and I'm dragging one of my pals along.

 

[Ausnadian]

Being the Australia is only 200 years old, there is a lot of diversity here. Sure, we do have our core sports, Aussie rules, cricket, rugby. There does seem to be a lot of ex pat US and Canadians living here, and so it's not uncommon to see NFL apparel. That being said, most rugby supporters think the NFL is for the weak due to all the padding they play with, and while they have a point (no padding in rugby) most of them would be lucky to break 100 on an I.Q. test.

The Fantasy Football I play is all euro/aussie and all are very knowledgeable and long time fans. This year was great, out of the 12 who are in the league, 3 Steelers and 2 Packer fans.