Where to practice American football in Luxembourg?
This Sunday, February 5, the Super Bowl (the final of the football championship) will be followed by millions of viewers worldwide! You know practically nothing about this major sporting event? Editus.lu tells you all about the 51 st edition of this final, and tells you where to practice this sport in Luxembourg!
What is the Super Bowl?
This is the final of the American Football Championship (NFL) between the winner of the American Conference and the winner of the National Conference. At the beginning of the season, in September, 32 teams are divided into two Conferences, which are divided into four divisions.
The teams that win each of the divisions, as well as the next two best teams, compete in knockout matches in the play-off phase. The last two remaining teams compete at the Super Bowl.
Since 1967, the final of Super Bowl opposes these two teams on a neutral ground. For this 51 th edition, the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas was chosen. He will face the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons.
How many players on the field?
There are 11 players in each team, but this one usually consists of many more members: the numbers can go up to 53 players!
And what do these players do?
Their mission is to score tests, called here "touchdown": a player must cross the goal line at the bottom of the field with the ball in his hands, while ensuring that his feet touch the ground within the boundaries of the field. A team may also score points by scoring on the foot, or by putting the opponent's quarterback (thrower) into the end zone.
How long does the match last?
A football game is divided into four quarters-time of 15 minutes, which makes a meeting lasts 60 minutes. Nevertheless, the Super Bowl lasts much longer: approximately 4 hours, if we take into account breaks and downtime, as well as the gigantic half-time show and the various commercials broadcast.
The television broadcast
Last year, 170 million viewers from 180 countries were behind their screens to watch the final of the competition. The event is so closely followed in the United States and around the world that advertising rights are being traded at fantastic prices: in 2016, the price for a 30-second ad could go up to $ 5 million.
A popular festival in the United States
Americans find themselves with family or friends to watch the game: in bars, but also at home, with pizza , hot dogs or popcorn. The evening during which the Super Bowl is held is also the time of year when the deliverers are the most work.
Monday, hard to go to work after such a night of celebration: the rate of absenteeism is also very high since one in ten employees is generally absent. Moreover, for several years, a petition exists for the day after the Super Bowl to become a holiday in the United States.
A show at the height of the event
If the Super Bowl is so successful, it is also thanks to the presence of many stars who come to play at the half-time of the match. Choreographies, costumes, sets, ... Everything is done for the show to impress! After the band Coldplay, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars in 2016, it will be the turn of Lady Gaga to ignite the stadium! The American anthem will be interpreted by Luke Bryan, a singer of country music.
And in Luxembourg, we play football?
Even if football remains the popular sport in the country, it is quite possible to play football in the Grand Duchy! Thus, in Dudelange, training takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays between 19h and 21h with the Luxembourg Steelers team .