Watching football is a time honored tradition in America, and football season is just around the corner.   But how do you get a new convert interested in the game?  To someone who has never watched football before, the game often appears as nothing more than a bunch of guys running across a field attempting to tackle each other.  While tackling is always a large part of football, a true fan understands that the game has subtleties and nuances that escape the oblivious beginner.  

The only real way to help a football novice truly understand the game is to explain the rules to them as the plays happen.  But trying to explain these nuances to someone during the middle of the game can cause a fan to miss big plays. So what is a true football junkie to do?

Start with the basics.  A true football fan can explain the positions, important players and the system of downs without too much concentration.  But what appears as obvious to those who have watched the game for years can be a bit bewildering to those who don’t even know the difference between a left tackle and a defensive end.

Helping someone understand penalties takes more time than game basics and positions. The instant replays can buy a fan a little more time to explain the penalty and how each specific penalty works.  If a fan does not have to time to both understand a referee’s call and explain them in the space of a penalty time out, they can always use commercial breaks.   Otherwise, admit that not everything can be explained, and the fan can leave the penalty calls as something for a new fan to understand in their own time.

It’s important not to completely overload new football fans.  Too much information at once can be overwhelming, and may mistakenly make someone believe the game too complicated for them to understand. At the end of the day, the goal is to make help the new person enjoy the game as much as any long time fan.

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I enjoy professional football but have seldom understood all of its rules, regulations and penalties. The rules of the game can differ from play to play and can often be complex in nature, so having a basic understanding of this sport can make for a more enjoyable game whether you’re at the stadium or your local pub.

The Field

Knowing your football field is the first step to understanding this sport. The length of the field is 120 yards long and its width is 53 ½ yards. The goals are 100 yards apart with 10 additional yards at the end of each zone. The zone is where the goal posts are and kicking the ball through the goal posts is a sure way to score points and depending on the play even win the game. Every five yards the field is divided by yard lines and the 50 yard line is directly in the middle. Before each play both teams are provided enough space to line up on both sides of the football. To guarantee this, the football is always placed on what is known as hash marks prior to each play.

Football Format

There are four quarters in a football game and each quarter has a measurement of time. Both teams contend with each other to score the most points within the given time frame. For example, when a team member has possession of the football he can pick up yards getting him closer to the end zone as long as he doesn’t run out of bounds. If he makes it to the end zone without running out of bounds or being tackled he scores points for his team. Once a player is tackled or out of bounds the whistle is blown, the clock stops and it’s onto the next play.

Penalties

There are several penalties that govern a game and can cause for a loss of yardage. Here is just a couple you should know about:
False Start: If a football player moves right before the snap it will cost his team five yards.
Pass Interference: When a defender prevents his opponent from catching the ball after it’s in the air.