Is The Sport of Football Truly Dying?

in many districts is hurting football numbers too.

I'm not seeing that trend in my area or with my friends and family... I'd like to see national level numbers. If the numbers are down (nationwide) what athletics are on the rise/decline? And not trying to impose too many questions, but if athletics, in general, are on the decline what are today's youth getting involved in?

My old high school had to cancel the season because there weren't enough upper classmen to play varsity. We were 3 deep in the 90's. As far as youth football goes it wasn't around when I played and I'm nervous about my kids starting too early and getting burned out. Probably wait till 7th grade.

As we know it now, yes, I think so. As others have said the injury scares being the biggest reason I think. I hope 7 on 7's keep growing and we keep something.

Basically, I see the bottom half of rosters getting less and less attention.  Coaches are running up-tempo practices with more snaps and less contact. The depth kids who could close the talent gap by running drills just aren't getting them.  They are standing around half of practice watching the starters run plays.. IMO many lack confidence because of this and are quitting football.

area experience. Participation is down dramatically. Parents seem reluctant to expose their kids to injuries and lacrosse and soccer continue to gain momentum. Beneath it all I think football is a game of physical domination (conquering heroes) and that mindset is now frowned upon.

Dichotomy is that the popularity of the game is at an all time high, but participation is falling. There will always be people willing to take the risk for the $ and fame (I'm thinking Gladiators) even if parents are pushing kids to "safer" sports (whether or not other sports are more or less safe is debatable). The demand for football (and ad revenue that accompanies it) will ensure the existence of the game, though it will morph over the next 30 years or so into a less physical version of the current game.

I imagine sensors in the gloves/knees/elbows that indicate when a player was down, where the exact line of scrimmage is, whether it was a catch or not, etc.

HS football participation numbers are down in Michigan because of an overall decline the student population over the past decade.

Just going out on a limb here but I'd bet dollars to donuts that Florida, Texas, California and maybe even Ohio numbers are at an all-time high, as well as a number of southern states.

I believe the sport will evolve. It's different now from when I played. It will be much different in 20 years than it is played now. It's weird. The safer you make the players feel, the more dangerous they become. American football will never die, at least not in ours or our children's lifetime. Different, maybe. But relax... We're generations away from mgoblog being about soccer

I don't know about overall trends at the macro level. But as a parent, here's where I'm coming from at least.

My kid's probably a candidate for football.  He's huge for his age, I played and got a lot out of it through high school, and other memebers of my family have played through college.

I kind of just don't want my son to play at the youth level though.

*I live in a large city and have walked by the park to see the youth couches and parents encouraging tiny kids to be a little too *thunderdome* with each other.

Even if the coaches are vetted and cool (like how I'm sure I'd think of you) it only takes one idiot parent that thrives on teaching their kids they are pitbulls to put a tiny kid or a sweet kid at risk.

*Parents are much more litigious now at least where I live.

I realize how stupid it is to give when I was a kid stories but here goes: When I was a kid, I came home from touch football practice to find out some kid kicked my little brother in the balls tha day. The next day I did what any older brother would do. I got there before practice when we played "kill the man with the ball" (it's also got another less pc name, but happily that's not what we called it). I waited till the kid got the ball and I leveled him with all my 4th grade might. The baffled kid asked why. I told him. And it was over. Now. Maybe I fall on him funny and he breaks a bone. He's got helicoptor parents: lawsuit.

*Head injury problems seem to be cumulitive.

This is the big one! Yes I know they are little kids. Yes I know it's unlikely they'll get plastered to the point there are visible signs of a concussion. But if it's based on all of the hits over time those count too.

*I don't think youth football is that helpful in making high school and college football players.]

I've seen enough kids that had to unlearn wrong stuff at that level to not think it was a great head start. I think it's entirely possible to learn football technique at the high school (or at least middle school) level without being behind by graduation. There are plenty of other sports and activities a kid can play to hone athletic ability that will help him should he ever decide to play football at those levels.

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To me youth football is very little upside, for a few shots at a decent downside.  I certainly don't disrespect the people that play or coach but I'm just hoping it's not for my kid. 

As a dad who played football and has a big kid, of course I think it would be cool to cheer for him doing the same thing, and I'm totally aware that not encouraging him to play at a younger age might make it so he doesn't want to play when he's older. But I'm ok with that. I have even bigger concussion concerns at higher levels, and  I just want him to be happy anyway. So if not playing kid football makes him discover something else that's cool that he'll do in high school instead of what I did, that's fine too.

I blame video games.

kinda /s :P

I do find it to be a serious issue. Numbers at many of the schools we play and communicate with are down significantly. All of these programs are located in Oakland or Macomb counties. Mostly division 1-3 programs.

Nearly all of my analysis is speculation but with many years of observation.

Numbers are down in large part for several reasons. Many parents cite concussions and head injuries as major reasons for not 'allowing' their kids to participate. Despite the fact that one can logically assume years of blunt trauma to the head could lead to issues, the vast majority of data compiled is from professional athletes that have played many years longer and at a much higher level of competition that the average HS kid.

Another obvious reason is the economy here in MI. We know it is still far from great and despite growth in particular counties, some regions are still seriously struggling. As folks leave the numbers inevitably drop.

Single parent/split homes are another significant reason. Won't place blame on any one side but we can see how something like football could be problematic, especially if a child is back and forth regularly between the two. If it is a single parent situation money may be tight or possibly just over-concern for their children. (Don't mean this to sound bad)

Another reason that is potentially leading to low numbers falls to the schools and districts themselves. Many schools I have been in and around do not seem
To put the same emphasis on athletics as they once did. Schools do not spend crazy $ on facilities, jerseys, etc. I know this is a very broad statement because many schools still do a phenomenal job in these areas. However, compared to schools down south the total money put towards football is merely a fraction up here in the north.

The last cause I've noticed is simply social media. Between the SM and the schools emphasis on creating a fun atmosphere at the game from the student sections, it's almost like it is cooler to be part of the show going on in the stands as opposed to the actual game on the field. Plus students often do not take rejection well (since some rarely experience it) and so the thought of playing football, being critiqued/yelled at is simply not as fun as a party in the crowd.

These are just some of the more obvious things I've noticed as a coach. By no means am I saying someone is terrible if they are guilty of one or more of these things. However, combined they all do seem to be leading to the general pussification of America.

I wouldn't mind seeing fewer kids playing football and more kids playing soccer.  I'm tired of our country having a crappy soccer team.

Football is simply too dangerous, I would be surprised if the NFL is still around in 50 years with all the current research being done on head injuries. I played football from 9 years old to 18 and loved every second of it but probably would not let my sons play. It'll be hard to watch the sport I love die but having had a few concussions in my life, I'm not sure its worth the risk.

Football will never leave the top spot in America even if less people are playing it. It's the Super Bowl vs. the MLS championship.

I'll conclude with, Harbaugh will have to turn this game we love called football, around. By the sheer number of "Summer Swarm" camp attendees, he's already created that ripple.

Hit OH, CA, and TX, among others. Across all regions. Last year was the first year participation increased, but nowhere near pre decline numbers. Time commitment, financial reasons, specializing in one sport, concussion worries all to blame.

... everything is dying.  it's just a matter of when, not if.  And on that note, going back to the bottle.