Hey there sports fans,
It didn’t escape the notice of our group that this weekend there were some strange sights to be seen on the streets of Edinburgh. If you too saw an unusual number of men attired in kilts, or people wrapped in French or Scottish flags, then you’ll know what we mean. It was Scotland v. France this weekend in Six Nations Rugby. The Americans also had sport to celebrate this weekend: the National Football League Championship, more commonly known as the Super Bowl, was played Sunday between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. The AP reported today that 106 Million people tuned in to watch this years Super Bowl, making it the most-watched TV program of all time. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/nfl/super-bowl/02/08/ratings.ap/index.html?eref=twitter_feed
This wonderful weekend of sports, with the many national symbols we spotted in both cases, inspired our groups presentation for nationalism this week: exploring American identity through the Super Bowl, and British identity through Six Nations Rugby. We believe there is a very interesting comparison to be made between the two. Both utilize national symbols in a way that reinforces national identity, but we think there is a compelling case that this is done in very different ways. National anthems are an important part of both events.
We believe that though national symbols are visible in both displays, they are used to different effect in British rugby games than they are in the Super Bowl. Here we have pictures of rugby fans, as well as fans supporting the Colts and the Saints. Do you see differences in the way the fans demonstrate support their team- particularly in the use, or lack, of national symbols?
It will be our contention that the nature of the Super Bowl reinforces American identity, irregardless of the American cities from which the competing teams originate, with the use of national symbols at the beginning as well as the ritual of coming together to watch the game (and the commercials! To watch this years Super Bowl commercials, always a highlight of Super Bowl Sunday, go to http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/superbowlcommercials). We will argue that the use of national symbols in British rugby matches is more overt and more contentious, and exposes the national fault lines within Great Britain.
As it happens, we’re not the only ones who have been interested in what it means when nations get together to watch these events. Please look here for some academic insight into the national character of Rugby matches http://www.aafla.org/SportsLibrary/FootballStudies/1999/FS0201e.pdf and the ritualistic nature of the Super Bowl http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1375.



