re: Football is a dying sport

See but that's not very precise. Learn some history and call it association football vs gridiron football.

If you're going to be a pedantic little dweeb, at least get it right.

Nice reference! I didn't go there 'cause most of the rant would have no clue what that meant.

Most replies to my post are the equivalent of "Oh yeah!"

And if they don’t play aren’t they less likely watch football and buy the merchandise ?

There are fewer numbers in youth and middle school leagues. Kids generally are not outside participating in sports as much, too much fortnight. Add CTE concerns and there goes football.

It's the gear.

In order to survive (decades more) the sport will be forced to abandon it's hard external shell that has weaponized the game. You can still go all out without hard plastic and it'll not diminish the manliness of the sport. Instead of helmets that are made to deliver a blow, as well as protect the player, the game is going to have to move onto a more protective (softer) type. Same with other gear that doubles as much to inflict pain as prevent it. And it'll feed on itself, as the need for protection becomes lessened, since the gear that necessitates it will become increasingly obsolete.