Football is vital to the UK culture and history. For many brits, it’s a way of life. Many foreign visitors often find themselves baffled by the level of passion, zeal, and craziness footballinvokes in its supporters. It is not uncommon to see arguments and bar fights in a game season. Fans wear the hats, shirts and colours of their teams, do sing-alongs, hang the football prints of their favourite teams and players on the walls. There have also been incidents of fans breaking TVs when their teams lost badly.
Typically, choosing a team to support is a family affair or a matter of your location. But once a red-blooded Brit makes achoice, it’s a commitment of a lifetime. Your family, neighbours, and distant aunt’s cat will know your choice and probably treat it with the same importance as your career choice. That’s the power of football in the UK.
Origin of Football
Football has an illustrious centuries-old history in the UK. Proud Brit will tell you the sport was invented by the English in 1170, in those wild Shrovetide games during the reign of Henry II.
The modern form of football came into being 158 years ago when Football Association codified the rules. This legacy has continued unabated ever since. Today, there are more than 40,000 registered football clubs in the UK. This number is almost twice as large compared to the other football lovers, the Brazilians. These football clubs are notoriously famous and command legions of fans from around the world. Is it any wonder football is the national game of the UK?
Football in Tourism
According to Visit Britain, football is one of the biggest contributors to tourism in Britain. English Premier League appeals to the world, not just the natives. More than 800,000 tourists flocked to Britain for football in 2019. They spent more than £600 million in the country, making it one of the most significant sources of income.
Research suggests that as many as 40,000 international business visitors also have football on their schedule when they come for a more extended visit. The bulk of football-loving tourists arrive from 5 countries Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Ireland and the US. The travellers usually fall between 24 to 34 years, representing a high potential advertising market.
More Than Just a Game
Interestingly, England’s northeast and northwest areas get the most economic boost from football tourism. The partnership between Visit Britan and English Premier League has proven a boon for the UK. It encourages the visitors to go on stadium tours, visit football museums, buy football prints, stay in football-themed hotels; all of this, in addition to actually watching the game.
Football and Business
Football and business are symbiotic. Brands spend millions of pounds on hiring popular football stars for their marketing campaigns. They realise that the national and global football craze provides them with a highly lucrative market and audience. Football transcends boundaries, making it convenient to expand a business to foreign territories.
Football is the lifeblood for diehard Brits. They sing songs at the matches, feel a euphoria when their teams win, have heated debates, and so much more in the pursuit of their passion. Football is not a mere game, it is a part of the UK’s identity.