Rise Of College Football In The 1920's

Before the 1920’s, football was overshadowed by baseball and it’s rising superstars, which largely gained popularity through the use of media. When analyzing the rise of college football in America, it is no surprise that media had the same impact on it’s growth in popularity.

Media was a key reason why Americans became interested in college football. Most people could not afford, nor could they find transportation to get to the Saturday college football games. With the introduction of the radio and the press, people now had a way to be informed with what was happening in the world of sports. Having the ability to listen to or track the news about a particular team or player increased the interest in football and began to draw people to

Fans would idolize players like Babe Ruth and essentially stalk him and his performance throughout the season. College football found a rising superstar in dual threat running back Red Grange. Grange played at Illinois and he helped lead his football team to a couple of the best seasons in school history. After carrying his team to victory over stout opponents like Michigan, Grange became the talk of America. Everyone began to flood to the stadium whenever he played and football abruptly gained significance for many Americans. As Red Grange gained popularity throughout his football career, more and more people became enthralled in this sport. Grange and other superstars in college football were an important reason why Americans gained interest in college football.

College football became a well known American sport through factors that mirrored the rise of baseball in America. The introduction of media by using the radio and the press, as well as the emergence of superstars helped spark America’s interest in college football. These reasons largely contribute to why Americans became interested in college football in the