The fact that so many families participate in a traditional game proves that tradition is an important part of familial American culture.
When kids from any particular neighborhood play football it serves more as a social interaction. The game can be described as a cultural melting pot and can effectively give children a significant aspect of community and belonging. Children are able to participate with people from different ethnic backgrounds and different ages, and still be united toward one common goal.
When fraternities play football, they play they match one fraternity up against another. The games they play are highly competitive and taken pretty seriously from the emic perspective. Fraternities must work together using teamwork as the key to their victory and also as a component to help strengthen their brotherhood. However, from the etic, or outside, perspective, fraternity football is not a big deal.
Football on a professional level, however, is highly competitive organized football. Players wear full pads and compete at a fast and intense level of play. Players must practice all week, work out, condition, and eat well. From the emic perspective it is very important. Every player wants to play in, and win the Super Bowl, which is the national championship between the two best teams in the National Football League each year. From the etic perspective, professional football is very big deal. Americans choose a team of their personal preference and support their every win or loss. So football essentially switches from being recreational to being an entertainment business.
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The effects of culture on a sport can be seen in numerous different ways. Professional football is a very large enterprise. It signifies how American culture interprets the importance of entertainment, because large sums of money are invested in team franchises, modern arenas, and into promotion on television.
