National Fooball League Games Have Become Circuses Featuring Noise, Video, Commercials & Silly Games

Football games were once events that you attended to see football and perhaps a marching band. No more. The NFL, with the help of advertisers, has turned its games into multi-ring circuses, without the elephants. They’re all about high decibels, video, smoke and fan showoffs.

Fans are treated to:

• Rap singing which they couldn’t understand if they tried
• A continuing stream of local commercial announcements
• On-field awards for teachers and other honorary folks
• A few memorable and even more forgottable singings of the National Anthem
• Announcers screaming into microphones to introduce players

Then there’s the inevitable halftime contest in which a sponsor's customer can embarrass himself trying to catch a football shot from a gun at 30, 50 and 70-yards.

That may be followed by a football passing contest. Two unknown guys see who can hit a target the most in a few seconds.

Occasionally, NFL teams spring for a real musical halftime show, but they’re more likely to invite kid teams to entertain fans by scrimmaging a few minutes.

Fans are also encouraged to entertain themselves by painting their bodies, dressing wierdly, smooching, shaking their booties or flexing muscles for the big video screens. Some "official team" advertiser is usually willing to provide a prize.

Even the cheerleaders are sponsored, but there’s not enough room on their costumes to display the names.

Maybe the caliber of the entertainment is purposely limited so that it does not halt the rush to the hot dog, beer, soft drink, popcorn, peanut, pizza and nacho stands. At $7 a beer, there's big money to be made there.

Television viewers are spared some of the stadium antics, in payment for being bombarded with network commercials and the "put some points on the board" commentaries by teams of has-been players and coaches.