Interesting concept, but if they did it would have to be amateur players only. I cant imagine other amateurs getting hit by Brian Cushing or Ray Lewis. The problem is even in the leagues that exist outside of the USA those players are mostly NFL rejects as in Americans. There are very few foreign nationals in the NFL outside of kickers. The problem is American football infrastructure is non existent outside of North America. The foreign born players that are good in the NFL have come here at a very early age and become US citizens by the time they are actually playing. I think the NFL is doing a decent job trying to expand the sport as a whole, but because of the logistics involved it is a difficult task. Also American Football is a complicated sport and not evident if you dont know what is going on. A soccer fan that has never seen basketball could see a game and figure out what is going on mostly. The same guy would look at American Football and most likely go WTF!! I have had friends that played rugby in England not being able to figure out what is going on .
Flag football and 7-on-7 with no pads are the only realistic codes of American football that can be added to the Olympics realistically.
It would be about helping make it global. No point though. Too much money in the sport, with much higher risks for major injury. Not to mention it is a hard sport to just get together once every 4 years and go compete.
If baseball couldn't make it, then football never will. Besides, it would get old watching the US trounce Canada every 4 years for the gold.
re the OP question -- not nearly popular enough. will just be boring. Olympic basketball is already pretty boring, when the US plays at full force. But at least there's ~10-12 caliber-B teams around the world that could keep it close if they hit their 3s and Americans don't. Also, these teams playing each other is way more fun than watching Americans (maybe not for American fans, but for me - certainly). I just don't see how Olympic gridiron could make me interested in the sport. There's a much better chance of me starting to follow it because of ESPN etc pushing the NFL down my throat. In fact, I nearly watched the Superbowl this year just to see what's the big deal. In the end, I forgot. But I might next year. Olympic gridiron though... yuck. I'd just watch swimming or gymnastics or volleyball or whatever else happens at the same time.
I don't think so. Its the great North American majority niche sport. Gridiron football might not have future impact in AMERICA even, with all the concussion concerns. If high schools on down start having rules AGAINST "gridiron" football, then its gonna lose appeal.
Yeah, rugby's popular in Europe, the Pacific, and parts of Africa- and unlike football, countries where it's unpopular actually have national teams. I think they're bringing back rugby sevens to Rio.
