The Superbowl is nothing more than watching rich people fight over a ball while companies spend obscene amounts of money to blast advertisements at you.
No offense or judgement meant to anyone if that's your thing (to each their own). That's just how I see pretty much all professional sports - the super bowl is just the poster child for it.
The players on the field have more in common than us than the billionaires who own the teams. Don't confuse them for the actual rich class. Over an average NFL career most players make less money than most people will over their career, and they leave football with severely damaged bodies and minds.
They are workers just like us, many of them go on to live in poverty, just like us. The players aren't your enemy, the owners are.
Lol. I never used to really participate in superbowl get togethers. But this year I was invited with my wife to her friends gathering. I guess it depends on how much you buy into it or if it's just a way to hang out with friends.
We went today too! We specifically planned for today knowing that most people will be at home. I do miss the parties, but such is life when you move across the country in middle age.
Remember how they fucked over Kaepernick because he had the NERVE to kneel & stand up to injustice?
Also, remember how they formed a PARTNERSHIP with Musk's twitter AFTER he had shown everyone what a fascist white supremacist he is & promoted the worst people/"views"?
I quit watching the NFL a few years ago because the amount of advertising crammed into a single game is completely obscene now. I'll be mindful of your sanity and mood, and not break down how fucking over the top it is, but it's pretty much a commercials show, with some football breaks.
I'm European so I have a bias but I never understood how Americans watch a sport that stops so many times for ads. It just feels like the ads are the show and the game is the second plan.
That's actually why soccer never took off over here. The networks felt that there aren't enough breaks for commercials, so they never marketed soccer as a good sport.
I don't understand why the ads are so absolutely boring and stupid. It's also the same ad over and over again. I mean, make an ad which is a story line which you run throughout the game. At least make people laugh.
Yeah, even my friends who were really into sports barely watch any anymore, the superbowl generally being the first they stopped watching. Number one complaint? It's more ads than game now.
See to me and my family the ads are one of the best part, not because we want to buy any of the crap or support the companies, but some of the ads are legitimately funny, and often some new movie or show trailer is shown as well which interests us if it's something appealing.
Edit: tbf this years ads being full of "He gets us" pandering, RFK Jr bullshit, and a local Injury Attorney wearing maga bullshit, makes the ads far less enjoyable, fuck this religious and political bullshit.
I've noticed over the last few years of watching football that they don't even care about missing actual action anymore. It used to be "Here's something cool that happened, let's take a break".
Now it's "Welcome back from the break, here's what happened while you were consuming ads, and it's time for another break"
Heh, we'll see, I guess. I fully expected a flurry of downvotes right out of the gate, but I'm also thinking the timing may be skewing the results a bit.
I'm not into sports and I have no plans to watch the Superb Owl today, but I do have a big appreciation for humans being awesome, and for that I can usually appreciate watching even if I don't care who wins.
Watching a 300lb man accelerate like a freight train or someone jump several feet into the air, twist over backwards, catch a ball and land where they meant to is definitely something I enjoy, because they do work their asses off to get that good and I can appreciate anybody's passion at that level.
That said, totally agree on the money side, it taints so many things (looking at you IOC).
but I do have a big appreciation for humans being awesome, and for that I can usually appreciate watching even if I don't care who wins.
Agreed. I just wish it were possible to observe that kind of spectacle without every sense being exploited to sell me crap I don't need. lol.
I dislike so many "normal" things simply because they're so over-commercialized. Sports, Christmas, Olympics, most of the internet now, etc. The old joke "well, just go live in the woods then" is starting to sound pretty appealing.
I’m not into sports and I have no plans to watch the Superb Owl today
That's really too bad because there's been some hot competition between two teams going on over in [email protected] and you could have been enjoying it!
but only one of those groups has a massive backing from the worlds biggest corporations. our safe space doesn't come with private jets filled with hookers and cocaine.
but go head, they need you to defend them here, someone has to.
There's a difference between disliking something because it doesn't appeal to you. And actively having disdain for something that doesn't appeal to you.
A shocking amount of them don't know how to manage that amount of money either. Most end up broke within 10 years, most are destitute by retirement. Many get caught up in the lifestyle, blow the money never thinking about once they're done, and then their careers end all of a sudden without any fanfare.
First thing I'd do if I were hired? Talk to an accountant.
Even the players seem to embrace this as a motto around the NFL.
The career span of an NFL player is crazy short, and you're one hundred percent right, these guys are often permanently damaged from decades playing football just to get to the NFL.
Life is nothing more than sleeping, shitting and dying.
You can attach that pessimism to anything... But in reality, the Superbowl is a celebration and something millions of people to look forward to. It brings a large group of people excitement and half of them happiness
How about: Taxpayers paying to build stadiums that they cannot afford to buy seats in just so an already disgustingly profitable private company can have a huge subsidy?
but, when you cut down shit to something like "Star Trek is just a bunch of rich people role playing for nerds" or something... I do think there is subtle disparagement, right? Doesn't mean it's wrong to have an opinion.
There's a pretty long list of reasons why professional sports, and especially the NFL, shouldn't exist.
All I can do is not contribute. If trogs want to waste their money muh teeem, I guess I don't give a shit anymore.
Next you're gonna tell me that the Marvel movies are nothing but watching rich people pretend to be fighting each other while poorer people pay to go watch. And WWE wrestling is...well actually the same description.
They are rich because we pay (with money or ads) to watch them. We pay because they entertain us.
I've never cared much about football and it's almost impossible to live in the US without constantly having to hear about it. I have to admit I've enjoyed the fact the Taylor Swift is now being shoe horned into football and people are mad cause they don't want to hear about her. If either fell off the face of the earth I wouldn't lose a second of sleep but oh the sweet sweet irony of listening to football fans whine about having to see and hear something they don't care about shoved in their face, Oh I'm so sorry that's happening to you, whats that like? Please tell me all about it.
I catch a lot of flack for various opinions that I have but my unabashed disgust for organized sports seems to irk people a lot more than my disgust for religion or my pity/disdain for current republicans and extremists in general
I think it's because we are disgusted by the owners but appreciate the players. There is nothing wrong with sports at the game level. Kids playing and enjoying it. Appreciation of the dramatic storytelling unfolding in front of us is fun. But add in the corporations and commercials and it sucks a little. But that takes away from the kids on the field doing what they love and making a living doing it. I just cant fault them.
also something to note: they intentionally edge the fans constantly - the game's only an hour long. but we gotta pause play for commercials every few fucking moments, over and over again. punctuate edging with violent conflict - add in the lore/fanfic/tradition/dream job aspects - oh yeah, it keeps their attention.
all to watch grown men run around in spandex playing a children's game for millions of dollars, giving each other crippling brain and body injuries that will follow them into their graves.
Well, I insulated my self again this year. I wonder when I'm going to learn who won the stupid game. I don't remember who won the last one since I'm blessed with the best brain trait ever... don't remember shit if it's not important to my ADHD.
I've been saying this for over 20 years now, and it's only gotten worse. The money wasted on one superb owl could fix homelessness, but please, let's keep paying exorbitant sums of money to watch men with literal brain damage move ball good.
I'd argue that it also leads to an enormous amount of food being tossed out and wasted. Granted the only reason that's in mind is because I'm going to be going dumpster diving lately to try and capitalize.
Oh, for sure. Pretty much any event or holiday gathering always seems to generate a lot of food waste. At least holiday dinners tend to turn into leftovers rather than garbage (at least in my experience).
The ads are pretty overkill even compared to what I see here in Europe during the soccer world cup, and yeah athletes are paid ridiculous amounts, but at the end of the day it's a lot of fun to watch, at least for me. It's a battle of both wits and raw athleticism between people pushing the limits of what the human body can do. That's super cool, and all the story lines that arise or crumble from the competition are immensely entertaining to follow.
When you get down to it capitalism tarnishes everything anyway, a lot of entertainment media is very much just vehicles to sell even more shit, but they can still be enjoyable in and of themselves.
I always joked I might be able to get into [insert sport here] if I could buy it on BluRay and watch it 6 months later and not have to sit through the ads and breaks. lol
I think there's some NFL pass things that allow you to do that, actually, where you can watch everything whenever. A lot of them aren't accessible from Europe sadly, but if you're American there's plenty of options for you.
There's also sports anime lol
That's how I got introduced to American football, watching and reading Eyeshield 21, and it got me interested in seeing the real thing. Sports anime are pretty cool since they present you with a curated narrative with lots of ups and downs, and they're usually a lot harder to predict than traditional shounens, since losing doesn't doom the universe or something. They're genuinely a nice entry point to sports in my opinion, at least if you enjoy anime already.
That's definitely part of it yeah, soccer is more continuous, so they can't cram ads in like they can with football. There's still a lot of it, but it's not as crazy. American football is openly about ads as much as it is about the sport, it's pretty nuts.
They put ads all over the stadium, ads on the score bug on TV, the commentators will sneak in product placement during the game, the jerseys themselves have ads on them. They find ways.
At some point, though, you just let it go. It’s just easier that way. Watch it, don’t, like it, don’t, none of that changes what it is. And, presuming CTEs still wipe out 90% of players in the future, it won’t be around forever.
The act of disliking something vocally is an act in trying to ruin that thing for the people that enjoy it. Disliking things is not a hobby, they are not the same thing. Not to mention the attitude of disliking is extremely negative. If that's your take on life, then you suck.
I don't think this opinion is unpopular (or at least not any more unpopular than not watching sports in general). But expressing it like it is unpopular is.
It's certainly unpopular in the real world (or at least in my neck of the woods). People need to remember this community is "Unpopular Opinions" and not "Unpopular Opinions on Lemmy"
Is it more unpopular than not liking or watching sports in general?
That's why I was saying, what is unpopular is probably saying it like it is unpopular or unique. There's a reason why jokes and alternative events like the Superb Owl and Puppy Bowl are popular.
Greatest argument for it is that it's an incredible display and even celebration of some truly awe inspiring and extreme feats that human bodies are capable of. I've never been able to get into favorite teams or anything, but every time I'm around somewhere a good football team/game is on, dang if I don't see some incredible things.
I don't mind people not liking sports the same way I'm happy if someone enjoys Post Malone music or Woody Allen movies even though they're terrible to me. I do get annoyed with people who make not liking sports a huge part of their personality though. Those who hear a conversation between others who are interested in a game and just have roll their eyes and make a comment involving the word, "sports ball".
How is it any different that grown men with obligations standing around at work, not working, regurgitating stats they heard on Sports Center that morning and arguing over which guy they like on the team, as if they have any stake whatsoever in either team?
Some people like things, some people don't. It's just petty and frankly childish to have that "my team can beat your team" mentality because let's face it, it's just a grown up version of "my daddy can beat up your daddy."
I've pointed out to people before that being super into sports statistics is a socially acceptable form of an autism style hyper fixation, and it angers everyone.
I'll discuss the latest Rick and Morty with my friends. At least sports are "real". Who won was actually played by real people that affects their lives (the players are rich but they gain fame and a cash bonus for winning).
Meanwhile Rick Sanchez finding the alternate Rick who killed his wife was scripted to be entertaining.
Yup. Made a spread of delicious appetizers for dinner - dips, finger foods, veggies and fruit. I'm not even watching the superbowl and yet I felt obliged to pig out.
Most of my friends and co-workers are all married, so I totally get "the excuse" being a thing to look forward to. One of the perks of bachelor life is just doing what I want, and I really hate to give that up one day.
It's a distraction served to the working class by the ruling class so we dont spend time thinking about how badly theyre robbing us and how badly theyre destroying the planet and how soft and fleshy their necks are.
I hate this mentality, this weird "THEY WANT IS DISTRACTED" mentality. In reality, it's a product that they make money on. It's a business. It's not some arm of a conspiracy or secret society designed to subjugate the masses. It's just entertainment. While it might serve as a distraction as an outcome, its not like its the point, this type of dialouge is pointless
"Paid for by the emperor, the games were used to keep the poor and unemployed entertained and occupied. The emperor hoped to distract the poor from their poverty in the hopes that they would not revolt."
There are very similar undertones when compared to the Colosseum games in Rome.
I've zero interest, but I was forced by my wife to bust out the digital antenna and make it happen. She's only watching for taylor swift and the commercials though.
A man from England told me this, when talking about the difference between Rugby and American Football. Rugby is a thug sport played by gentlemen. Football is a gentleman's sport played by thugs.
This is a very well known phrase in England, but it refers to football (soccer) and rugby. I have never heard this in reference to American football and cannot even imagine how the meaning would translate.
The meaning of it comes from football being a supposedly gentle game of skill, but played and loved by the common people and with a long history of bad behaviour on and off the pitch, versus rugby being a rough, bruising, injury riddled sport that was played by aristocratic rich kids in private schools who are all excellent young men destined for greatness.
Of course this is mostly oversimplified bollocks, but with just enough truth behind it to make it funny.
Nope. This was a comment from a Brit when we were discussing the difference between Rugby and American football. I found it an apt description at the time.
Maybe not even vaguely. Like I really cannot think of what the distinguishing line between “rugby players” and “American football players” is that would make one group ‘thugs’ other than “one of them is predominantly black”
He was describing American football players/teams as thugs. It is not meant with race in mind at all. For a little context there was some big argument going on the TV and the American team was throwing a hissy fit and screaming at the officials.
Edit, to add:
Rugby can be quite violent, but the players have some respect for the game and officials. I don't really follow sports, but I found Rugby fascinating when I was over there! What a neat game.
It’s basically a grand final for the US’s American Football Season. I “think” teams in one league play each other whilst teams in the other league do the same. The respective top team from each league play each other in a super final.
Professional sports are entertaining for many people. As are other forms of entertainment also full of ads and rich people doing silly things. But, I agree that the Super Bowl is over the top obnoxious. As much as I usually like watching football, I tend to avoid the Super Bowl unless one of my favorite teams is playing, which, unfortunately, is rare.
Some crackpot has written me an abusive message, and it seems they used your account to send it. I'm replying to you as a courtesy in case you wish to take action against this lunatic.