I have seen some people say that the NFL won't be around in 75-to-100 years, and I've seen other estimates say that it will be over in 50 years.

This, obviously, is unless some miracle happens to lessen the brain damage or heal people once they have something like CTE (I know that they'd need a way to even detect it, first). Maybe stem cells usage will be advanced enough by then.

My question is, though: will it just die-off at the NFL level but still be around in pee-wee leagues, high school, and college?

Then I got to thinking and had the thought that, if they're going to get rid of a level of football, wouldn't it be better too do it while they're younger and their minds are still developing? Would they get rid of all levels except for the NFL? Would they keep college and the NFL? High school? Will there be a limit on how long someone can play?

Will organized football be banned at all levels?

If not, which levels will still be allowed to be played?

I don't think it will ever be explicitly banned. As long as people are being offered millions of dollars to put their well-being on the line it will stick around.

I think the game will continue to adapt and change. And I am sure it will be met with the too familiar "z0mg wussification!!1!" but I think that it will ensure football remains around in some fashion.

No doubt that the NFL is suffering through some serious PR issues nowadays, but football still enjoys immense popularity.

Are you talking banned or fans losing interest?

I don't think either, really, but I think it will continue to evolve so that it's safer, especially at the youth levels.

People go to fight wars in forien countries that they don't even care to fight for just because of free education. So why would that stop people from playing football for the same thing and the plus that they could make millions of money if they Excel in Football.
The whole argument is asinining; so the 1% won't want there kids to play football because they already have the money, the prestige, and the networking ability to be successful without it. However that leaves out the other 99% of America that doesn't have those advantages to be successful.
Even if you look at the average family of four who has a nice house, two cars, and lives in a nice Neighborhood .They still would rather pay nothing on college instead of the 10,000 to 50,000 a semester at college.
Point being there is a lot to gain from playing football than there isn't.

(03-26-2018, 01:35 AM)Benton Wrote: Are you talking banned or fans losing interest?

I don't think either, really, but I think it will continue to evolve so that it's safer, especially at the youth levels.

Banned.

And it can evolve and helmets can become safer, but it doesn't change the fact that blows the head cause damage.

I think at the HS level and below it will be banned by virtue of insurance providers refusing coverage for schools who offer it. When the CTE lawsuits pick up steam at HS level it'll not be financially viable or worth the headaches to offer it.

(03-26-2018, 03:23 AM)Jakeypoo Wrote: People go to fight wars in forien countries that they don't even care to fight for just because of free education. So why would that stop people from playing football for the same thing and the plus that they could make millions of money if they Excel in Football.
The whole argument is asinining; so the 1% won't want there kids to play football because they already have the money, the prestige,  and the networking ability to be successful without it. However that leaves out the other 99% of America that doesn't have those advantages to be successful.
Even if you look at the average family of four who has a nice house, two cars, and lives in a nice Neighborhood .They still would rather pay nothing on college instead of the 10,000 to 50,000 a semester at college.
Point being there is a lot to gain from playing football  than there isn't.

Agreed.  There will always be people willing to do the more dangerous jobs for the money, security, glory, etc.  I find it rather interesting people are wondering if the NFL is going to be viewed as too dangerous while we are, as a country, calling for jobs like coal mining (THE job people use to exemplify dangerous and backbreaking work) to come back.

People drive without seatbelts, people ride motorcycles (some without helmets), people work near blast furnaces, people join the army, people jump out of airplanes for fun, people smoke cigarettes, and so on and so forth.  People still do dangerous stuff, we just assume that "the other guy" is the one who is going to wind up in a pine box and we aren't.

(03-26-2018, 03:29 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: Banned.

And it can evolve and helmets can become safer, but it doesn't change the fact that blows the head cause damage.

I don't mean to put words in your mouth, but are you saying you think the NFL will be banned?  As in like the government decides that football is so bad for people that no one, not even consenting adults, should be allowed to do it?

(03-26-2018, 12:24 PM)Au165 Wrote: I think at the HS level and below it will be banned by virtue of insurance providers refusing coverage for schools who offer it. When the CTE lawsuits pick up steam at HS level it'll not be financially viable or worth the headaches to offer it.

This is what I'm afraid will happen.  If/when it comes to this point, football will be over. 


Insurance companies rule the world. 

(03-26-2018, 02:57 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: This is what I'm afraid will happen.  If/when it comes to this point, football will be over. 


Insurance companies rule the world. 

Really lawyers rule the world, insurance companies are a byproduct of that.

(03-26-2018, 02:59 PM)Au165 Wrote: Really lawyers rule the world, insurance companies are a byproduct of that.

or worse yet......insurance lawyers.  I really hate them guys. 

When football dies, we die.

(03-26-2018, 03:33 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: When football dies, we die.

We survived for thousands of years as a species without it, I'm sure we will make do haha.

(03-26-2018, 03:59 PM)Au165 Wrote: We survived for thousands of years as a species without it, I'm sure we will make do haha.

No, we die. There will be no more message board. HarleyDog dies and I have to go back to being the real me (which is horrifying). Wait, I think he said 75yrs right? Shit, I'll be dead in less than 20. No worries.

Football will not be banned. It is way too popular.

Look at the rise of MMA and extreme sports (X-Games) over the last 20 years. They are just as dangerous, if not more, than football.

Not in my lifetime

(03-26-2018, 03:59 PM)Au165 Wrote: We survived for thousands of years as a species without it, I'm sure we will make do haha.

Not to mention less than 5% (including Canada, if the CFL counts) of the earth's population actually lives in a country where professional football is a thing. 

(03-26-2018, 12:55 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I don't mean to put words in your mouth, but are you saying you think the NFL will be banned?  As in like the government decides that football is so bad for people that no one, not even consenting adults, should be allowed to do it?

Maybe even football all-together, and I don't know if it will be banned by the government, but maybe the NFL will just fall to the pressure and the lawsuits of everything.  

I'm not even sure, but I just heard on a talk show and have seen on the internet where it said "the NFL will be gone in 40(?) years."

(03-27-2018, 11:41 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Football will not be banned.  It is way too popular.

Look at the rise of MMA and extreme sports (X-Games) over the last 20 years.  They are just as dangerous, if not more, than football.

How many people have died at the X games or had lasting injuries?  How many MMA fighters have lasting brain injuries?

(03-27-2018, 01:45 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Maybe even football all-together, and I don't know if it will be banned by the government, but maybe the NFL will just fall to the pressure and the lawsuits of everything.  

Even if the NFL paid out the lawsuits they're still going to be making enough money to want to stay in business.  Also, one of the main reasons there are lawsuits regarding long-term effects of head trauma in NFL players is due to the fact that the NFL actively lied and mislead the public about the link between football and head trauma.

Putting a warning label on cigarettes that admitted they would kill you was supposed to destroy that industry.  Lo and behold, people still smoke...sure, it's less than when tobacco companies would lie about the dangers, but it's still enough to keep a very profitable industry going.  Putting a warning label on the NFL isn't going to destroy football, either.  Plus, you'll always have a segment of the population that thinks getting your head smashed in is manly and awesome.

(03-27-2018, 01:45 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: How many MMA fighters have lasting brain injuries?

Probably all of them?

(03-27-2018, 01:45 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: How many people have died at the X games or had lasting injuries? 

Just from skiing alone 40 to 50 people die in the UNited States each year.  Many more suffer paralysis and other serious injuries.

How many die playing football?

(03-29-2018, 01:58 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Just from skiing alone 40 to 50 people die in the UNited States each year.  Many more suffer paralysis and other serious injuries.

How many die playing football?

How many have died in the X Games?