Why has american football failed outside N. america?

I'm watching the Giants-Dolphins game right now. It sold out http://store.wembleystadium.com/ in a matter of minutes, so there is an interest in the sport. The WFL, WLAF, and NFL Europe, however, folded. My theory is that the leagues had too many players who were not native to the cities represented. If I were to help establish american style football in either Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, or S. America, I would make it mandatory that at least 75% of the organization's members (players, coaches) must be native born, or lived in the continent for at least 10 years. I don't buy the hype that it's not liked because it's american. I've liked football my entire life; even before I knew where it came from. Foreigners like playing it, but I believe millions of british, french, russians, mexicans, arabs, and chinese are not interested in supporting a "home" team where 99% of its roster is american. Would american football catch on if more of a new league's players were native?

Public Comments

1. because football to the rest of the world is what we in America call Soccer. American football is considered less of a sport than soccer to the rest of the world. As for teams being comprised of players from outside the US, its like this, if you have some talent then teams will pay you millions of dollars for it, how much money do you think those foreign players would make playing for their own countries? (that goes for all sports) Also you see what the NFL did to NFL Europe after it was realized that they needed 32 million to keep their doors open they shut that operation down, I really think that was a mistake as NFL Europe was a place a team could send players to brush up on their skills (like a minor league of sorts) and now that its gone all teams have left are "practice" squads.
2. Simple everyone's into soccer, greatest game in the universe.
3. maybe, but the games wouldnt be very good.only basketball has really caught on.i dont know if its because you can play indoors, you only need 10 guys 2 hoops and 1 ball, no equipment...whatever. europe and asia has caught on well in basketball, but football requires tons of equipment to play. we are a few decades from those countries being able to put a quality football product on the field with their own players. on top of all that, im not sure how they will get their best athletes away from soccer(the worst sport ever, other than curling), basketball, olympics and the like
4. The World League DIDN'T fold. The NFL bought it and renamed it NFL Europe(and then Europa whatever THAT was). Now I think the World League may have been bankrupt or whatever first, but technically it didn't fold. Anyway this ONE GAME sold out. It is a novelty to see real pros, as oppose to the minor league/development league that the NFL Europe was for the most part. I think the NFL should have put money into the NFL Europe to make it a real league. Maybe go by your idea, or maybe let it stay more a development league with the teams making deals with NFL Europe teams. Then let locals try to make the teams as well. Might find a good player that way.
5. Soccer! Best of Luck to you!
6. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I'm sure it would help if players were playing for native countries. You see it more so with soccer and basketball. Football is a more expensive game to learn and play than soccer and basketball as well. It would be nice if someday there could be a World Cup for football (American style that is).
7. I don't believe that it is as simple as fans being disinterested in foreign stars. Most NHL fans readily accept Canadian and European stars for example. Also, in his prime, Jordan was huge around the world. Now, Yao Ming isn't actually the most popular jersey selling in China. I believe that American football has never caught on because it is an extremely complicated game in terms of the rules and strategies. Almost every week I end up explaining a rule or a strategy to my wife (she acts interested, I love her) and she's been watching football since high school. Imagine an entire country that just started watching one day. The game must baffle them.
8. Who cares? I don't plan on traveling abroad to watch an AMERICAN football game anyway.
9. everybody in the world knows soccer - it's a silly wimpy game full of phoney penalty shots - faked injuries and of course big Paydays but that's the way it is.
10. i just think that each country has differnt tastes when it comes to sport. If you brought american football here to australia i dont think it will take off because we like a more free flowing, improvised sport. Dont get me wrong some people like myself really like american football, but it will never become mainstream