Why is football the most popular sport in UK - Essay Example

? Why is football the most popular sport in United Kingdom? Why is football the most popular sport in United Kingdom Football is one of the most popular sports in the world. Football has been played since ages now and has been popular since the time it was first played. Football does not require any professional set up and therefore it is an easy source of leisure for all. Today many individuals are thoroughly involved in this game and the football fever has become so strong and viral that it has taken the height o0f obsession in many individuals. Football has many different forms which are actually seen in the past. Initially this sport started as a game for farmers who made use of a ball made out of animal skin for their entertainment purpose. This was the point where the game started and gained popularity among the local masses. The old school form of football can be traced back to the time when it started to be played in English schools around the eighteenth and nineteenth century. The game became so influential and famous that now it was not just confined to the British Empire but it started to spread abroad too. This game was altered and then was stitched according to the needs of the people who dwelled in the region. In the nineteenth century the first 'Football League' was established in England, which started to initiate football competitions on a professional level. This sport gradually became very popular and around the twentieth century it became one of the most popular sports played with a team throughout the world. Thus the game football which is renowned globally took its emergence from the contemporary football games of the British. Football is undoubtedly the most high profile and popular game in the United Kingdom and there is no second thought about that. This is not just the case now; football has had the same importance since generations. Today the case has just exaggerated a bit. The domination of football primarily in 1990's has emerged as a major threat to various other sports. In the United Kingdom many organs govern the football. 'The Football Association' primarily belonging to England and other bodies it has like Scottish, Irish, Welsh etc. these organizations are established so that they can run and look after their own national teams, work on football as a recreational sport and also to organize competitions for the cup. Although these association are not anymore quite significant as professional leagues have overshadowed their popularity. The home regions/nations are responsible to host their own club football tournaments within their district. There are four components in English football that contain a vast amount of football clubs which are merely based on a League system. The high class 'FA Premier League'comprises of20 teams and is the richest and successful football league present in the world. The remaining three completely professional components are then run by 'The Football League' which constitutes of the other seventy two clubs. Yearly growth,promotion and relegations work on the basis of these four components and apart from they also operate amongst the lowest of them and land the lower organs or the football not played within leagues. Apart from the professional clubs there are many small scale football clubs too that are outside the four main components,as well as many more clubs which are partially professional. In short England comprises of more than hundred clubs which are playing professionally altogether, hence England has the honor to house the most clubs than any region in Europe. The most famous and the main football cup competitions that are held in England is firstly the 'FA Cup' which is an open to all competition where all men can participate and battle on the field to win, despite only the major professional clubs are seen to reach the finale. The other famous cup competition that is held is known as the 'League Cup' which is now commonly referred to as the'Carling Cup', this cup competition is precisely for the 'ninety-two professional clubs'that come under the supervision of the four major components only. Likewise many other regions organize their own tournaments and leagues such as Scottish Premiere League, Welsh Cup etc. which have become an emblem and a source of pride as well as pleasure and the source of popularity for the people of United Kingdom. The teams which are the most successful in their regional football then make their way to the 'UEFA Champions League and the UEFA cup which is organized by the UEFA as a cup for the entire Europe. Scotland and England have emerged as the most successful and the most prominent in these cup competitions. All this has added to the popularity of this game in the United Kingdom. Although football has been really successful and has made its mark in the United Kingdom and moreover the world certain problems have also aroused because of it. For instance, it has caused a lot of violence. Football has always been associated to violence. 'Football hooliganism' has been also seen earlier in the European countries although the authorities have tried their best to maintain fair play during such matches but it has turned out to be quite a tough task. Devotion towards a cause can lead to extremism which is exactly the case in football which has caused football to be linked to violence. This violence is not just limited to the past even today many such activities happen during football matches. Another recent problem that has occurred is the financial issues that have aroused because of the Premiere Leagues. The clubs which are quite renowned and eminent manage their funds through sponsors and various other sponsor related activities. But those clubs which are small scale and do not have much support have been badly affected by the economic recession and are their stability has become a major issue. In a nutshell, football has been a really important sport and has now blended with the culture of UK. (Johnstone, 2002) Today children, youngsters and adults thoroughly enjoy this sport and our associated with this game completely. Undoubtedly it is the most popular game in the UK. WORKS CITED Johnstone, S., & O'Higgins, P. (2002). Football in the UK. London: Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Read More