
1: More people watch football.
In 2010, the Texas Rangers were playing the New York Yankees in game 3 of the American League Championship Series. That same night, the Tennessee Titans played the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football.
A 30-3 blowout win by the Titans was seen by 7.2 percent of United States households.
In contrast, the playoff game was seen by 6.5 percent of American sports viewers.
2: Football doesn’t stop play because of weather.
Every New England Patriots fan from Kenmore to Rhode Island remembers Adam Vinatieri’s “Snow Bowl” field goal in the 2002 “Snow Bowl” against the Oakland Raiders.
Major League Baseball had 329 rainouts from 2001 until 2011.
3: Professional Football does not have an Instant replay problem.
Instant replay was first instituted in the NFL in 1986. The current challenge system that is in the NFL was instituted in 1999 and amended in 2004.
MLB instituted replay in 2008. However, umpires are only allowed to review three instances. The men in blue can review if a ball was fair or foul, if a fan interfered with the ball, or if the ball left the field of play.
In 2010, Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga had a perfect game taken away from him by a blown call. For the final out, Galarraga fielded the ball and tagged first base to beat the runner. However, umpire Jim Joyce incorrectly called the runner safe when replay showed that he was clearly out.
That doesn’t happen in football.
4: The NFL makes more money than Baseball
In 2010, MLB made a total of seven billion dollars in total revenue.
Last season’s NFL lockout was a financial pissing contest over how to split up nine billion dollars.
5: Football does not go on strike as much as baseball does.
The NFL has had a total of five work stoppages in their 92 year history.
MLB has had eight work stoppages since its inception. Also, the players’ strike of 1974-1975 is still the record for the longest work stoppage in the history of professional sports.
6: Football gets all of their warming up done before the game.
After a new relief pitcher enters the game for the first time, he throws eight warm-up pitches. These eight pitches come after he spent the better two thirds of an inning warming up in the bullpen. The eight additional warm-up pitches are a waste of everybody’s time and they decrease the pace of games to a dull crawl.
7: Football has replaced Baseball as America’s national pastime.
Since the Greatest Game Ever Played in 1958, professional football has been on the rise. From a ratings standpoint, the NFL destroys everything in its path. Pro football has become a money making conglomerate. Also, the Superbowl is the biggest unofficial holiday in the United States.
Soon football season will be in full swing while crushing baseball’s postseason in the ratings. The time has come to kick back, grab a beverage, and enjoy the 2012-2013 NFL season.