10 Fan Alternatives to the National Football League

Football remains extremely popular across the country, aside from the tremendous controversy right now over the kneeling by professional players during the playing of the national anthem before games.

NFL television ratings are down 15 percent over the past two years, and one major reason is the anthem kneeling protests.

While this may be causing people to tune out the NFL’s games, it does not mean fans have to go without football entirely.

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Here are 10 alternate ways fans can still get their football fix without any connection to or involvement with the NFL.

1.) College football. These games are immensely popular on Saturdays during the fall and when bowl games come back around the new year. The majority of NFL star players begin as standout college football players from Division 1 FBS schools (Football Bowl Subdivision conference championship). And many college football games air nationally — which offers an opportunity to watch stars long before they’re famous.

The offenses can also vary greatly from the NFL, such as military schools for the Army, Navy, and Air Force often having a stronger and more aggressive running game as opposed to passing strategies employed by other teams.

2.) Arena Football League. This league gives fans an interesting twist on 11-man football. Instead of the traditional count, these teams play 8-man football, throw more often than in the NFL, and score on a more frequent basis. Why? Because they play on a field that’s half the length of a standard football field (50 yards vs. 100 yards).

The league — which features many talented ex-college football players — runs from April to August, so it provides fans with an option to enjoy football games during the spring and summer months. Many of their games are used as filler content on network television, but the games can also be streamed online.

Related: NFL Is Trying — and Failing — to Fix Its Image Problem

3.) Canadian Football League. Canada has its own pro football league, which plays a similar game to American football. Canadian football has three downs (instead of four), 12 men per side (instead of 11), and a 110-yard-long by 65-yard-wide field (instead of 100 yards by 53 and one-third yards).

If fans can overcome those differences, then they may be able to enjoy some good old Canadian football. Its games sometimes air on American television stations, and it has a season that runs through most of the summer and into the fall.

4.) High school football. This tends to be the most popular sport at schools across the country and within certain communities as well. Successful teams can get several hundred to even a couple thousand fans per game. Players are connected to their hometown communities, and the games are held early on Friday nights or on Saturdays. Parking can be free, tickets are usually about $5, and there are almost always concessions. Usually, offenses at this level are based around running more so than passing — and the games tend to be shorter (48 minutes in most states, as opposed to 60 minutes in the NFL).

Related: Curt Schilling and the Baseball Hall of Fame: What’s the Deal?

5.) Coaching and volunteering. Not everyone wants to or can play football. They may, however, want to be a part of a football program. If that’s the case, people with experience playing the game can coach on a lower-level staff for a youth league or a high school. There are many different ways to volunteer with teams. A few possibilities include assisting in the game-day operations at a field, keeping stats, filming games, or being part of the medical staff.

It’s the next step in fandom. Instead of sitting back and watching the game, people can get closer to the game and perhaps positively influence some young players.

6.) Playing football. For those who prefer the active and athletic route, there’s an easy way to stay involved with football: Just play it. Beyond a casual game of catch with family or friends, there are organized leagues for adults to partake in that are flag, two-hand touch, and tackle.

Join one of these leagues — or get some friends together for your very own football fix.

Related: How Long Can the NFL Ignore the National Anthem Controversy?

7.) Men’s amateur or semi-pro football. After college, few players wind up in the pros, of course. This does not mean these talented athletes just fade away, though. Former college players and ex-high school stars can join up and play in men’s amateur football leagues, which travel throughout their regions for games. They tend to play at high school or small college venues during the late summer and early fall. That said, the experience can be described as similar to watching high school football.

8.) Rugby. It’s not American football — but its games air on national television and it’s a full-contact sport, much like football. The objective is to get the ball into the end zone (try zone) to touch it down — and then kick for 2 extra points (a “try” in rugby is worth 5 points).

Rugby may seem confusing to those unfamiliar with it, but once one realizes there are no forward passes, it may be easier to understand — and become a decent replacement for football.

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9.) Rewatching old or favorite games. The internet delivers a simple solution for those who can’t shake their NFL addiction: Watch old games (pre-2016). Thousands of full-length games are on YouTube and other websites for fans to enjoy — and from there, fans can sync their laptops to their televisions to get the full experience.

While the element of surprise is gone in these games, some amazing games and players often deserve second or even third viewings from fans.

10.) Women’s football. A lot of people think of football as a sport for men — but thousands of women put on the pads and partake in women’s-only football leagues. Though leagues other than the Legends Football League do not have games that air on television for the most part, such leagues as the United States Women’s Football League and the Independent Women’s Football League sometimes travel across the country to compete. That said, the athletes who compete are highly dedicated to their sport.

As the NFL loses its head — and loses its viewers — it might be time to try something fresh and different.

Tom Joyce is a freelance writer from the South Shore of Massachusetts. He covers sports, pop culture, and politics and has contributed to The Federalist, Newsday, ESPN, and other outlets.