If you’re mildly into sports, and don’t live under a rock, you might have heard the term “AFL” on few occasions. Maybe, you didn’t know that AFL stands for Australian Football League, the most popular sport in all of Australia, a tradition that has been carried through centuries from generation to generation.
Inside Australia, the Australian Football is arguably the most popular sport in the whole country, as it’s a cultural pillar and a national ritual. Luckily, with the emergence of streaming services and bookmakers accepting trustly, the AFL has grown considerably.
The UK is, arguably, the place where the AFL is growing faster, with many sports enthusiasts getting hooked at one of the most exciting sports known to man.
But what makes the AFL so good? Could it be the next big sport?
The Australian Sporting Giant
AFL’s dominance in Australia isn’t by accident, as it’s the sport that reflects Australian culture better. Its roots date back to the early 19th century, and it has been an essential pilar of Australian life ever since.
The AFL is much more than just a league, it’s a tradition that has passed from generation to generation, where teams from all around Australia have represented their cities with pride. Almost anywhere you go in Australia, you will find a group of friends, an amateur team or even children enjoying the sport.
Of course, the biggest reason why the AFL is, without a doubt, the most popular sport in all Australia, is due to its unmatched local participation. Whether it is by playing, watching, participating in junior programs or strengthening regional clubs and competitions, Australian football is a sport that includes everyone and tries to develop talent all over the country.
When it comes to entertainment, the AFL is one of the most visually unique sports in the world: high-speed play, long kicks, physical intensity and many more that mix the best of football, basketball and rugby.
As a result, whether you’re a passionate fan or a newcomer from another sport, you will, not only understand the basics of the sport, but enjoy watching the best teams in all Australia, like the Gold Coast SUNS, play against each other.
Rising Interest in the UK
Although the sport has always been very popular inside Australia, expanding to other countries has been very difficult. Luckily, it seems like there’s one place in the world where Australian football, and the AFL, are gaining loads of interest. That place, of course, is the UK.
But what makes the AFL so attractive to British fans?
It’s actually really simple. The UK is the home of most sports in the world, with competitive teams ranging from football to cricket and even rugby. Not only that, but every part of the UK has its unique sport, and some are very similar to Australian football.
Therefore, the UK audience doesn’t feel lost when watching Australian football, in fact, as they follow sports such as rugby, football or even Gaelic football, it is really familiar to them, thus why it’s growing so rapidly, with a new league structure formed in 2010.
Not to forget about the physical nature of Australian football, something UK fans truly appreciate, as they enjoy sports where players run, clash and put their bodies on the line.
A Global Expansion?
With its growing presence inside the UK, many start to think about the possibilities of Australian football expanding to other countries. It happened with American football, with many countries now very keen on the sport and leagues being created in continents like Europe.
However, many think it wouldn’t be possible for the AFL to make the jump and attract viewership from countries around the globe, although nothing is impossible.
Luckily, this expansion could be easier now than ten, twenty, thirty years ago, as digital media, and streaming services to be exact, can be decisive for the worldwide expansion of Australian football.
Whilst its position in Australia remains unchanged, and the UK starts to consume more Australia football, only time will tell if a global expansion can be possible, but its energy, its unpredictability and its uniqueness make Australian football a sport capable of attracting international viewership all around the globe.
