Can't find the American sports thread

I don't think it'll happen. I mean, putting the absolute uproar among fans themselves, it's the potential of relegation which gives the PL some jeopardy and tension - which is what makes it so interesting and exciting.

Not to your 'lifelong' Man City's and Liverpool's in Quatar and Saudi it isn't.

Yeah but they aren't going down anyway.

The reason why relegation won't be scrapped is that it would give half the clubs nothing to play for and a load of dead rubbers after Christmas.

Without the jeopardy of relegation, how do sky sell anything that doesn't involve a club in the top half? "Tune in for Ipswich v Wolves in the race for 17th".

The Superbowl can be exciting. Also, not so sure Patrick is a MAGA boy. I get the feeling he is the opposite. (his wife on the other hand...) It kills me that the Eagles cruised to the title and Saquon Barkley gets his ring and the New York Giants are just poo.

As for the half time show. I mean, I haven't been able to figure out what the fuck Kendrick Lamar sings about on proper recordings let alone on a half time show. I mean it was pointless. He is popular for what reason? I honestly have no idea what he is rattling about and it made the half time show even more inconsequential than normal (and they are usually just a mild distraction anyway)...

The Eagles looked Imperious. Pity that club and their fans are generally awful. I suspect they may go on to crush everyone next year too. Bugger.

I didn't finish the game which is unusual for me but I was knackered so hey ho.

Onto the F.A. Cup now. And yes fuck the American owners of football clubs.

Chicago: All over the place.

Genuine question for our North American cousins...
How do the US networks sell such games? I know there are far, far less of "dead rubbers" given how the NFL is set up, but surely there are some games late on where neither team has any chance of making the play-offs, so how the TV channels promote them?

With the caveat that I haven’t watched the NFL in nearly a decade because it became so boring, overlong, and deeply problematic and I’ve just felt there’s better things for me to do of a Sunday afternoon. Plus my schedule has a really early start:
They kind of don’t? Different teams are shown in different markets (unless you purchase Sunday Ticket and get every game). For example, in the market I’m in (central Florida), if there’s no “marquee matchup” and Tampa aren’t playing at 1pm, there won’t be a 1pm game on say, CBS* whereas there might be in another region for that regions team. And then there’s also the possibility of it being blacked out (not shown regardless in that region) anyway because of some rights issue or another. Although that’s less common than it used to be.

Also, there’s fantasy football which is mahoosive.

*you’ll see a movie or a “minor” sporting event instead. Which is how I was surprised when I was first here at college in 93 with pleasant Sunday afternoon fare on Fox of Aliens and Cobra with any sauciness and swearing cut out but a chest bursting and an impaling by giant hook left in.

How it works is that the local team is on television no matter what (assuming the game is sold out), so you get to watch your team. Then the second game and the evening game are the marquee match up games so keep the interest.

I have NFL Sunday ticket so I can watch the New York Giants. No Matter how bad they are they are my team and I still enjoy watching them. (rooting for them..). So with my service I can watch not one but all of the games regardless of when they are because all the games are broadcast using my You Tube TV service and they are also recorded so I can see the game whenever I want. This has eliminated Wifey bitching at me for wanting to watch the game over some pointless bike ride to nowhere...

Chicago: Living in comfort.

That's kind of my point.

The 'global' market probably don't give a fuck about a Wolves v Ipswich v Soton v Stoke v Palace v Norwich v Watford relegation 6 pointer.

We do, sure.

But in Hong Kong or Dubai or Kuala Lumpar, City v Chelsea or Arse v Scouse as game between EPL title play offs (shudder) or Spurs v Noocassul as they try to get there is much more hype-up-ably marketable.

I'm not agreeing with it.

The NHL has had a midseason break and filled it with a mini international tournament called The 4 Nations, featuring the best of Canada, USA, Sweden and Finland. as you might expect things have been getting a bit spicy between the US and Canada, with Canadian fans booing the US national anthem at games and the US fans responding in kind. I'm not really enjoying the level of nationalism that has got wrapped up in these games because it has gone beyond the silly inconsequential sporting kind, but it is funny seeing them all get bent out of shape about the booing of the anthems like it's some kind of horrendous slur. I enjoy telling them that we've done that shit for decades and we do it to everyone's anthem, even countries we like and haven't been to war with.

Anyway, last night Canada beat the US 3-2 in overtime to demonstrate that they are still our bitches.

Help me out here - who's we and our?

We is Canada. What with me being a Canadian and all that.

We is also England. What with me also being an Englishman.

Pick a lane.
As an aside about countries "we've" been to war with, Al Murray does a decent bit about how Britain has defeated everyone in war (well I laughed), showing a pretty good history knowledge.

Good skit:

No, I don't have to. I have dual nationality, they're both my lane.

That's not the way it works here anymore. If you don't choose Britain, get back in your dinghy.

I'm English by birth and Canadian by choice. I have very much made my choice but the country that is responsible for my existence doesn't get to just disown me, as long as it is convenient to do so I will continue to identify as whichever nationality suits me at the time. Or both.