Why is football not in the winter Olympics?

I can understand why football is not in the Summer Olympics, its just before the NFL season starts and its a winter sport. But what I never understood is why the IOC doesn't include football in the Winter Olympics. Its a winter/fall sport and would easily double the ratings of the Olympics. Nobody really watches the winter Olympics because there are no stars and no popular sports in it unlike the summer Olympics. I think it would greatly benefit the Olympics to include football, plus its right after the Super Bowl so there could even be some cross-marketing done.

 

Why shoud I be banned? I ask a very serious question. Curling, Bobsled and biathlon are in th Olympics yet football isn't. This is incredibly since football is bigger than all three combined x10. Pretty much every sport is in the Olympics except the biggest one. Imagine just how through the roof the ratings would be if football was in the Olympics, it would hugely benefit the winter Olympics and perphaps make them as popular as the summer Olympics which have basketball.

 

It's only activly played in two countries, and those two cannot agree on the rules.

 

^That is simply not true:

Football isn't widely played as cheap third world affordable sports like soccer and volleyball and baseball, but its widely watched around the world and its certainly more played than bobsledding. You can find footballs and NFL merchandise everywhere in the world, people in Australia walk around with Peyton Manning jersey's (I've seen it) so its natural that football should be included. If women's hockey can be included, so can football.

It simpy makes no sense that one of the most popular sports in the world is not in the Olympics. Every other sport is.

 

Football is in the Summer Olympics {the rest of the world}.

 

All Winter Olympic sports must be events that are contested on snow or ice.

 

Handeggball in the Olympics!?! Ha!

Baseball, which is much more popular worldwide, can't keep a spot.

 

Here's the basic rule ...

If a sport isn't popular in Europe, or if NBC execs don't find it sexy enough to shove into primetime (e.g., X-Games sports), then it won't be part of the program. Hence, baseball getting dropped from the Summer Games even though it's widely popular in North America, South America and Asia. It's just not played much in Europe, and that's where all of the decisions are made.

 

Considering football players don't/can't play more than one game per week, how exactly do you propose a tournament fit into the condensed timelines of an Olympic Games, which last less than three weeks?

Also, what makes you think the NFL would be at all interested in having its players participate in such an event, even if you could dream up something approximating an acceptable schedule?

boomnerd

 

I don't care for any team sports in the Olympics. Exceptions being dual or quad sports where at least the participants are, you know, participating the whole time (rowing, etc.)

 

Except the ones that aren't.