alternate sports what if: American football banned in 1903

[Philip]

I am for equality in sports but title 9 often is schools more trying to fulfill requirements instead of achieving equality. They often just create a female sport that isn’t even largely popular to just say they fulfill requirements so they still get those nice federal benefits and funding.

Completely agree. I mentioned rowing because of this. When I was in high school, the girls mostly wanted to play softball, soccer, basketball, and volleyball. Many of the non-softball players ran track as well. Around that time, many of the local high schools started rowing teams. This was not because the girls excited about it or demanding it. I know several who signed up without really knowing what rowing was. Instead, parents were demanding it since there were so many scholarships available.

I could be wrong on this but I would say by my educated guess and knowing sports well in general rowing isn’t nearly as popular among girls as softball.

At least locally it seems to have a niche following now, but I'd agree it's not a top five choice.

 

[oberdada]

The ban would fail, same as prohibition did in OTL.

With Mafia organized illegal games.

A black market for footballs.

Border towns in Mexico and Canada having huge playing fields.

And Feds coming into town, setting up in the post office, going hard on anyone involved.

Except on church grounds where it still can be played for religious reasons.

 

[Modern Imperialism]

The ban would fail, same as prohibition did in OTL.

With Mafia organized illegal games.

A black market for footballs.

Border towns in Mexico and Canada having huge playing fields.

And Feds coming into town, setting up in the post office, going hard on anyone involved.

Except on church grounds where it still can be played for religious reasons.

American football was almost entirely created within ivy schools. None of groups you mentioned had any interest in football yet.

The mafia itself isn’t organized enough to set that up yet until the 20s but by then the sport is forgotten if it was ban. The mafia more interested in boxing, baseball, and racing. They are also more restricted to urban areas often times. American Football was only originally played at ivy schools. The church didn’t get more involved in sport until later on with NCAA. Which is why you have schools like BYU and Norte Dane.

 

[James Ricker]

Rugby or soccer becomes more popular

 

[Mark E.]

Rugby or soccer becomes more popular

On campus, I would say soccer. And, it would be called football as it is outside of North America.

As we see, American football started as a campus sport. It was informal enough that many schools played twice a week in conferences connected by railroad links. Basketball takes the winter audience. Soccer, though, is more of a warm weather sport. It is less popular in the US because baseball filled the docket first. Soccer and baseball would have abbreviated seasons on campus because their seasons do not fit the academic year.

Only because NCAA and NFL football have become so dominant in the autumn do we assume a single sport would have to replace it if it never became popular.

 

[kinnikuniverse]

alright, to put an end to the rugby portion, I have created a team alignment for an hypothetical national rugby league ITTL, using the representative teams system:

replace the F with an R and the football with a rugby ball

NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

TEAM LIST​

- Philadelphia Eagles (representing east. Penn. rugby union)
- New York Old Blue (representing empire rugby union, covering the city of New York and southern conneticut)
- Washington Mohawk RFC (representing capital rugby union)
- Charlotte Royals (Representing Carolinas rugby union)
- Norfolk Blues (Representing Capital Rugby Union, covering Virginia)
- Detroit RFC ( Representing Michigan Rugby rugby union)
- Atlanta Renegades RFC (Representing Georgia
- Seattle Saracens (Representing Pacific northwest rugby union)
- San Francisco Golden gate (Representing NorCal Rugby Union
- St. Louis Bombers (Representing mid-america Rugby Union)
- Green Bay Packers RFC (Representing Wisconsin Rugby Union)
- Dallas Cowboys (Representing Texas Rugby Union)
- Minnesota Vikings (representing Minnesota Rugby Union)
- New Orleans RFC (Representing Deep South rugby union)
- Chicago Lions ( Representing Illinois rugby union)
- Boston Irish ( Representing New England Rugby Union)
- Canton Bulldogs RFC (Representing Ohio Rugby union)
- Columbus RFC (Representing Ohio Rugby union)
- Oklahoma City Crusaders (Representing mid-America rugby union)
- Kansas city Chiefs (Representing mid-america Rugby union)
- San Diego Athletic (Representing SoCal Rugby union)
- Austin Huns (Representing Texas Rugby union)
- Denver Barbarians RFC (Representing Rocky Mountain Rugby Union)
- Tennessee Titans (Representing Mid-South Rugby Union)
- Miami RFC (Representing Florida Rugby union)
- Jacksonville RFC (Representing Florida Rugby union)
- Pittsburgh Steelers RFC (Representing Allegheny rugby union)
- New York Rugby Club (Representing Empire Rugby Union, covering the rest of new York state)

i have no idea how to set up the league with those teams. I feel like there is too many teams from the east coast! then again, I only based them on the regional union list from Wikipedia.

anyways, here are some logos:

​

alright, let's talk about other sports next!