Is NFL A Violent Sport?
Cubs Assistant General Manager Dr. Ehsan Bokhari
Football, also known as soccer in America, has the reputation of “the world’s best sports.” Approximately five hundred millions of football fans attended the FIFA world cup in Brazil (FIFA.com). Because of the enthusiasm and charm of football all over the world, this sport has risen rapidly in America in the past ten years. Accompanying with the sports as well as huge amounts of football amateurs, the football-related culture has also brought to a new country America, which football has just sprung up from European countries with a comparative longer history of football. On August 9th in 2015, an incident caught the public’s eyes—the fans of New York City fought and brawled with fans of New York Red Bull, another football team in New York, ahead of the New York Derby Match (Brian). Also, it was on a large scale, even not existing before in the history of football in America.
The Akron Pros won the first APFA (NFL) Championship in 1920.
It was unbelievable that football-related violence, also called hooliganism, unexpectedly happened in a country where football has less influence and popularity. According to The Telegraph, which also reported this incident, pointed out that “the country will also suffer the hooliganism which dogged the sport in the UK for decades (Millward).” Why do European countries, especially the UK, have a significant impact on American football? One prominent example was that David Beckham, a successful and famous British football player, joined Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007. His arrival was a sign that American football has evolved. From the incidents listed above, it showed football culture, as well as social problems accompanying football culture, have been brought from European countries.
Oscar Wilde once gave his opinion about football:
“Rugby is a game for barbarians played by gentlemen. Football is a game for gentlemen played by barbarians.” (RAO).
As an Irish writer stated, football is a sort of sport that seems to be played politely. However, it is a sort of sports that is dangerous and violent not only showed the players’ behavior on the field but also reflected in fans’
actions. Based on more research, data illustrated that other American sports did not have similar severe problems as football did. For instance, American basketball was a type of popular sport in America, but violence hardly existed between basketball fans. Knicks and Nets, two New York basketball teams, although they are rivals with each other, their fans are still harmonious in the majority situation. For instance, one fan of the Knicks said that he was not ashamed to be a fan of the Knicks and Nets at the same time (Vin). Thus, because of the unique phenomenon shown between football and other American sports, several questions are raised: Why do football fans act in totally different behavior than other sports’ fans while football has risen in America in recent years? What is the main reason that causes and promotes football-related violence? While hooliganism exists in other countries, why is it also happening in a new country?
As the sum up of the questions that have been raised above, the research question is brought up: To what extent do songs sung by American soccer fans promote a culture of violence within the sport? To answer this question, the essay shall analyze and evaluate the primary resources including video documentaries like YouTube and official websites like New York City’s official website. Also, it shall be based on secondary resources like the essays and newspaper articles to build up to the ultimate answer. This essay mainly focuses on the songs. It can be approached from two aspects: the song lyrics and how the fans express their songs. After analyzing and evaluating the songs that affect cultural violence in America, other reasons besides songs also need to be considered comprehensively that contributes to the influences. Geographical location, influence between fans and players, social class, and copycat behavior can be other dimensions to explore the reasons behind this phenomenon. Overall, videos and newspapers can be the resources to catch the phenomenon prevailing in American football while academic papers and opinion articles can be more robust resources to seek the deep meaning. The point of the essay is to explore how much songs promote football violence and how many other reasons boost the existence of this phenomenon. More importantly, the relationship between songs and other causes also need to be evaluated to answer the research question.
Songs & Ways of Expression
Songs are one of the most influential and magical tools for people to use which originated since the era of tribes. Tribal people will not only utilize songs as a way of celebration (like Mojave tribes in American) (Rossillo), but they also express them in their approaches to frighten the opponents while singing (such as Haka, a type of iconic dancing) (hakatours.com). It happens that there is a similar case involving football fans. Such ordered and resonant songs are sung by thousands of football fans in the football fields. Songs play an essential role among football fans like the songs have the essential impact in tribes. More specifically, songs cannot only enhance the atmosphere which can help their football teams, but they can also intimidate the opponent. This section can be built from two aspects, song lyrics and ways to express them, to find the potential cause.
Song Lyrics
Through analyzing the song lyrics among the football fans, some interesting phenomena have been found out. Simple monosyllabic sounds are always sung by the football fans. A fascinating thing is that football fans who do not have enough experience or personal knowledge as the football fans for the team they support also join in the chord and follow the behavior of the majority. So, for the song lyrics with simple monosyllabic sounds, they can be easily sung by people, and they enable fans to blend in with the crowd of football fans more simply.
Based on the video which showed a group of New York fans singing together with Simple monosyllabic sounds like “WOW,” “Go, go go! Ale, ale, ale!”(” New York City fans singing”), football fans gathered together and sang with rhythm. In order to explain this phenomenon, there are two perspectives. One is that the song lyrics are simple for them to learn as fast as they can. What’s more, the rhythm is regular and can also be followed easily. Besides, one simple monosyllable sounds have the characteristic of strong vigor. When football fans sing together, the sounds give rise to the resonance and bring to the strong power. In another perspective, in the tribe, maybe because of language limitation, tribal people usually utilize single syllables as their song lyrics to express their feelings. In the documentary of The Zo’é tribe, which is in Amazon rainforests of north Brazil. When they encountered the enemy or prey, they shouted together with single sounds like “Yoo” or “Hoo” and used this way to threaten the opponent (“Isolated: The Zoé tribe”). It is the same as football fans, the intense power singing through football fans can threaten the opponent as well.
Besides, football fans not only sing simple monosyllabic sounds as the song lyrics, but they also sing with abundant meanings including positive contents as well as negative meanings.
For positive meanings, on one hand, they can promote the sense of group honor and enhance cohesion among fans. On the other hand, Reflecting the character of the clan can also be the effect of it. According to New York City’s official website, it gives the contents of songs sung by New York City football fans. In the song called “A Call to Arms,” one lyrics “stand together and fight as one” reflects the strong feeling of New York City football fans (The Third Rail). In this song’s lyrics, football fans are called to stick together and fight against the opponent as a whole. “Arms’ ‘ reflect how football fans work together. “Arms’ ‘ can also be seen as weapons. When the team is intensely fighting with another, fans could show up their arms, hold up their arms, and wave their arms like a weapon to strike back the opponent. In addition, “Stand together” can form a scene where football fans stand together on the bleachers and are supposed to support the team at any moment. While “fight as one” can reflect football fans’ resolution. What’s more, it can show that they form unity and fight against the opposition as one. “Fight” and “Stand together” are two forceful phrases that can promote the sense of group honor. More important, with the help of strong song lyrics, fans become more cohesive and work as a whole team. The football fans are regarded as the twelfth man of the team on the field. By the way, when the football fans sing as the whole, they can seem as a clan which has its specific characteristic and group identity.
Music can be used to form the social and sub-cultural boundaries (“Positivemusicassociation.com.”). Form the song lyrics, the group identity of the New York City football fans is never giving up but instead fighting as the whole. When they sing together with their team songs, it will give the opposition vast amounts of pressure as well as forces of intimidation. More importantly, it can be used as a weapon to protect themselves and fight against when they are encroached by offensive language or violent behaviors.
National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell delivers remarks during an event at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., launching an initiative between the Army and the NFL to work to raise awareness about traumatic brain injury Aug. 30, 2012. Goodell and U.S. Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the chief of staff of the Army, jointly signed a letter formalizing the initiative during the event. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade/Released)
Although song lyrics have a good influence for the team, they also have a negative impact on the football fans which can even cause violence between football fans. A video called how British football fans swear at players showed the negative song lyrics sung by the football fans (“sina.com”). Although it is about British football, it still has reference value that can reflect the behavior of American football fans to some extent because of the similarity of hooliganism. In the video, fans sang the songs with some bad language to swear at others like “Adebayor! Adebayor! His dad washes elephants, and his Mom is a whore.” They aimed at one specific player of the opposing team and cursed him with racial discrimination. It cannot only intimidate the players on the field, but it can also cause indignation among the rival fans. Football fans singing songs with malicious language will cause problems not only restricted in the dimension of football, but also in the proportion of race, culture, and even the whole state. The conflict between two teams as well as the reason of history or religion will finally ignite the rage and then convert into the massive scale of violent behaviors. Thus, song lyrics with lousy language have infinite potential to initiate cultural violence.
Based on this, for the song lyrics, they are supposed to be the tool for the football fans to cohere together, create an atmosphere for players to behave better, and boost the whole group of fans like a family. However, while the language used within the song lyrics is cynical, it will cause the conflict and originate the intimidation between fans. Even worse, it will cause the violence.
Nonverbal expression in songs
Song Lyrics and ways of expressing have a close relationship, which cannot divide from each other. In other words, one of both existing without each other cannot exert its strength to communicate efficiently. Ways of expression by football fans principally are the actions they behave while singing, such as dancing and clapping hands. More broadly, singing songs is one form of communication.
When football fans express their songs inside or outside the field, their expressions are very similar to the daily conversation, which not only convey their message to their opponents but more importantly communicate their sentiment to their fellows. Communication mainly includes three parts: words, the tone of voice, and body language. According to Albert Mehrabian, a psychology professor who is majoring in verbal and nonverbal messages, words account for 7%, while tones of voice and body language account for 38% and 55% (Yaffe). According to the statistics listed above, the way they express their songs seems more crucial than just the contents of the songs.
When football fans gather together and sing songs, the actions they behave while singing can divide into two sorts: body movement without devices and body movement with tools. Both types of expression can influence their appearance and the atmosphere to a large extent. This section mainly focuses on three behaviors: fist, clap, and using the drum.
First, of both, body movements without instruments seem to be simple, but they are the more common one than body movements with devices because the action is easy to follow by the fellows and it can behave anywhere without instrument’s constraint. According to the YouTube video called Singing in the South Ward at the New York Red Bulls home opener, football fans of New York Red Bulls hold their fists (“Singing in the South Ward at the New York Red Bulls home opener”). The fists could symbolize strength, which gives a high impression not only to the team but also to the opposition. For the team, the tenacious fists could be considered as a team with confidence. For the opposition, it could be the defensive signal because fists are tied up and prepared to fight at any time.
Other than clenching fists, the collective behavior they act more often is clapping hands rhythmically. According to another YouTube video, COME ON NEW YORK: NYCFC fans celebrate Hudson River Derby win, football fans of New York City first clap hands twice with slow rhythms, then accompany with three faster claps, at last, they raise up both hands. The patterns that football fans clap hands are not as strict as if there is a discipline of the rule. Instead, they are freer to behave based on the rhythms of songs.
For another example, one of the most famous incidents in which football fans use clapping hands to support their home team is Euro 2016 Viking clapping of Iceland fans (Euro 2016 Viking clapping of Iceland fans). As record shows, Iceland fans clap hands with footballers. They slap hands once a time with a slow rhythm at first and a faster one then. Their order sounds exist together, which generates the resonance and gives strong vigor. More importantly, herd mentality is involved in it, which means individual football fans follow the groups’ behaviors (Wikipedia). Some of the fans clap hands at the beginning, and more and more fans join the group’s clapping.
Then the body moves with the help of instruments including drums. Football fans are not just satisfied with their body movement; instead, they use external tools to generate more powerful influence. According to the NYCFC C’mon New York chant, New York City football fans use the drums to inspire the whole team. One leader plays the drum, and other football fans sing with rhythm flowing through the sound of the drum. The drummers play a vital role in this process of celebrating. They are the start point of the whole song. They are responsible for the rhythm. With the help of them, the herd can express their songs within a strong discipline. In addition, because they are in charge of pace, they can control the speed as they want.
In most of the scenes, body movements without instruments and body movements with instruments are always combined. Under the help of different kinds of expression, football fans reveal their emotions and convey their message through these forms of communication.
The effects of these ways of expression are prominent, which have positive as well as negative influence. The consistency of body movements cannot only enhance the atmosphere but also can generate a strong momentum. During the expression, football fans can show their intense emotions and overwhelming feelings through body language. They convey these elements by using body movement to themselves, opponents, and footballers on the field. They utilize
fists to deliver the message with their firm attitude. What’s more, the congregate sounds brought by clapping and drums elevate the strong momentum. It is more like the bravado related to tribal behaviors. They raise their hands high while hunting. It cannot only boost their courage but also frighten their prey. Similarly, in ancient China, the army usually played the drum before fighting to enhance the momentum. Thus, the ways of expression by football fans have the same effects. Other than these positive influences, it also has a negative and violent impact. Imagine that in the home field of New York City, it is enveloped in the blue sea, with order clapping sounds as well as team song Stand together and Fight as one.
New York red bull fans will feel depressed and frightened. Even worse, because of the bravado, they will be infuriated. It will give the possible environment for violent behaviors.
Therefore, song lyrics and ways of expression are inseparable and indispensable. They have got the mutual promotion that they affect with each other for the same objective. Both together can bring a positive influence to the teams, but also provide a potential blasting fuse for the violence.
Other factors in rising of football-related violence
Based on analysis and evaluation listed above, it is reasonable to say that song lyrics and ways of expression can be the fundamental reasons to cause the culturally related violence, while other elements also contribute to this social phenomenon including Geographical location, Fans and Players Affecting each other, and social class. These factors could affect fans behavior from different dimensions.
Fans and Players
Fans are not the only elements“ignite” the fierce fight, but football players are also an important and crucial factor that causes the conflict. In YOUTUBE video INSTANT REPLAY: Kljestan gets bloodied – Was it a red card foul? In MLS, Football players slide to the opponents with dangerous and barbarian behaviors, which draws the fire between players. They use their heads to bunt each other. Because of this intense atmosphere, the fans jump and sweat immediately in a fury. Even worse, they throw bottles at the players as well as the opposing fans in another bleacher. Suddenly, the atmosphere has changed. The impressed indignation burst out. Gradually, this incident causes conflict, even fights between fans and players. Therefore, the behaviors of players will directly or indirectly influence the emotion and actions of football fans.
Geographical location
Geographical location can be one of the reasons that affect fans’ behaviors to a great extent. It is objective to say that this natural factor will prohibit fans’ behavior. If teams are thousands away from each other, it will be expensive and toilsome for fans to travel across the whole continent to watch a football match, let alone consume effort to fight (especially in America with the large mainland). In contrast, if the distance between football fans were very close, it would be common and frequent to see football fans gather together and go to another football fans’ community to cause a riot. According to a video on Fusion TV about New York football fans fighting before the New York City Derby on August 9th in 2015 (“This Is What We Know About the Soccer Hooligans Fighting Before the New York Derby”). A gang of New York Red bull fans fought with New York City fans on the street in the community. After police came, they spread out fleetingly and formed the whole with singing and jumping intending to provoke the opponent. So, in a relative geographical region, it will be easier for individuals to gather together and cause conflict with the opponent.
Social class
More than that, geographical difference generates regional discrimination with social class hierarchy. According to a scholar in University of Pennsylvania Law School, in his essay, he comprehensively states that “For centuries, Americans have discriminated against one another because they come from different parts of the country. Northerners have been derogatorily referred to as “Yankees,” Southerners as “rednecks,” Appalachians as “hillbillies,” Californians as “hippies” and “Valley girls,” and Native Americans as “redskins (DIAZ, 650).” Regional discrimination is severe and popular throughout America. Consequently, “such discrimination has had particularly adverse consequences in the employment (DIAZ, 650)” and definitely in their behaviors on the football court.
While this discrimination is becoming increasingly fierce, the conflict will ultimately evolve to form the football violence. More broadly, regional discrimination is not exceptional in America but is common all over the world. For instance, I recorded a video that during a football match between one northern football team in China and a southern football team in China, football fans swore to their opponents beyond football. They cursed in the lousy language with region involving in it. Hence, the regional discrimination will be brought to the football field accessorily before the match. With this much conflict, it lays an undelying problem for the further football violence.
Other than regional discrimination, social hierarchy is another fierce problem to consider. Referring to a professional social essay written by professors in University of Wisconsin, it states that the class structure in America is unambiguous involving in small employer (proletariat), capitalist, semi autonomous employees such as most professionals (bourgeoisie) because “Contradictory locations between modes of production constitute the most complex situation (Erik Olin, 710).” Apparently, the conflict between proletariat and bourgeoisie could be highlighted on the football field. Fans with inferior class show their impressed and unsatisfied feeling while superior class expresses their discrimination and prejudice. As a result, it promotes more intense fighting not only on the physical dimension but also on the psychological dimension through football.
Conclusion
Looking through all the elements contributing to this culturally related football violence, in my opinion, I see this “ barbarian ” behavior is a common phenomenon under an extensive background.
If geographic limitation, regional discrimination, and class hierarchy were the overall reasons that immerse inside every humans’ blood since they were born like blazing fire, song lyrics and ways of expression could be the dominant factors that enhance the intense atmosphere and infuriate the opponent as petrol that supports combustion.
Without much exaggeration to say, the football violence is much beyond the physical football match, not just because football fans support for the different football team. Instead, it reflects cultural problems. If football fans did not behave brutishly through football violence, they would use other ways in another field to express their discontented and indignant feeling because of the culturally different and discrimination.
While the football field gives football fans an opportunity to unbosom themselves for those who are unsatisfied with real life, they will break out their impressed emotion beyond this sport. Under the tense atmosphere, when football fans sing the same song by expressing consistent behavior, they find a clan and group to belong to, to keep fidelity, and to fight for it. Furthermore, they do not just compete for the physical team. Instead, they fight for psychological conflict involving unequal treatment, different beliefs, and distinct class hierarchy with their singing. In other words, the football team is a symbol for them that they can have a group of people to confide their shared experience, emotion, and beliefs.
Thus, it is not strange to see there has been many football fans’ violence evolved in a relatively new country that football just has been famous for about ten years. The New York derby is just the miniature of American football. Gradually, more football fans will form their subculture to express their identity and their thoughts. In the future, this phenomenon will not be as intense and often as that in European countries, instead, it will be more pervasive.
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