America

Characteristics:
Young/New country
Capitalist
Large Country - 300 million population

Win Ethic -Lombardianism "winning isn't everything its the only thing"

Commercialism:
Sport = money, sport is driven by commercialism
Private and corporate businesses use sport
School sport can attract big sponsorships
College players receive top coaching
Best college players drafted into pro sport
TV and advertising - fund sport, influence the games ie when the teams have to play

Rags to riches - achieving the american dream can be done through sport

American Football:

Originally "gridiron"
Tactical, violent, physical
"Frontier Spirit" needed - courage, endeavour, determination
Developed in Ivy League colleges
Some universities banned the game - too violent
Serious injuries and even deaths not uncommon in early 1900's
No protective clothing really
President intervened to clean up the game
Game progressively developed

With commercialism:
Multi billion dollar business
Teams either privately owned or run as public companies
Competition for TV rights

Super Bowl:

Championship game of the NFL
30 second ad costs $2.6 million
businesses take advantage of huge amount of viewers