Here is a collection of weird and wonderful facts about the NFL, including some trivia about the drinking habits of our very own 49ers fans.…

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Football has a long and colorful history. Since the foundation of the American Professional Football Association in 1920, the game has developed into a national obsession and is beginning to sweep its way across the globe. Here are some weird and wonderful facts about the NFL, including some interesting trivia about our very own 49ers fans.

49ers: Most Sober Fans In The NFL

According to a survey published by The Drinks Business in August 2021, supporters of the 49ers drink the least of any NFL fans when attending games. Averaging 2.6 drinks per person and spending $30.58 in the process, those inside the Levi’s Stadium are the most sober in all of football.

By contrast, Cowboys fans are drinking 3.7 beers a game on average, slightly more than Las Vegas Raiders supporters who are downing 3.6 drinks per contest. But the booziest of all NFL followers were those attending Cincinnati Bengals fixtures. These guys are smashing through an average of 5.2 beers every game!

Also The Most Dedicated Supporters

Despite past accusations of bandwagon jumping, 49ers fans flock to the stadium in droves, and have done so since long before it became known as the “Field of Jeans”. In fact, every single 49ers home game since October 1981 has played out in front of a sell out crowd. And you’re telling me they’re doing this sober? That’s dedication.

Televised Since 1939

This sounds absolutely unbelievable, but it’s true. The first ever NFL match to be broadcast on television was contested by the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Eagles on October 22, 1939. NBC, still very much in its infancy in those days, took a single camera to the game, which was positioned at the sideline. It’s believed that around 500 people saw the game and apparently, pieces of the original film still exist.

Pitch Invasion

Another interesting story involving NBC took place during the 1958 NFL Championship game, when statistician Stan Rotkiewicz interrupted the contest by invading the field. As Colts star man Johnny Unitas drove the team on what would turn out to be the game-winning drive, a cable became unplugged and the broadcast was cut. So quick-thinking Rotkiewicz, an NBC employee, pretended to be drunk and entered the field of play. The resulting disruption gave the television company enough time to repair the fault and resume the broadcast.

Followers In Asia

A Forbes article suggests that there are as many as 19 million fans of the NFL in China alone, with interest in football spanning the continent. Countries as diverse as India, South Korea and Japan all play the game, either in their own domestic competitions or the Asia-Pacific Football League, which was founded in 2014.

Much of the Asian interest in the NFL and teams like the 49ers, who are one of the more widely supported teams overseas, is driven through sports betting, which is legal in these countries. Websites like Asiabet.org allow sports lovers to identify bookmakers offering bets on the NFL, among other competitions around the world, drawing them in with a range of attractive sign up offers and promotions. They also reassure potential gamblers that these sites are safe to use and properly licensed.

Bizarre Washington Stats

The 1983 Washington team has one of the most ridiculous statistical anomalies in NFL history. They had a differential of +43 on takeaways versus giveaways, which is miles clear of the second highest number of +28, a figure shared by the 2011 49ers and the 2010 Patriots.

Joe Montana Was A Third Round Pick

Arguably the greatest quarterback the game has ever seen, our very own Joe Montana was not selected until the third round of the 1979 NFL draft, as the 82nd overall pick. He would go on to claim four Superbowl championships with the 49ers, in a 13 year spell, before winding down his career in a two year stint at Kansas City.

Montana’s family name is actually Montani, which originated in northern Italy. His Italian-American family opted to modify the name to something that sounded a little more American.