Behind the Football Hype: Why so Much of MVHS is Drawn to the Friday Night Lights

By GABRIELLE SHIOZAWA

Moapa Valley Progress

The shouts from the Student Section, the bright Friday night lights, and the thrill of the game itself: football is the most popular spectator sport at MVHS as well as across the nation.

According to Gallup News, 37% of Americans say that football is their favorite sport to watch. Results from a recent MVHS survey show a nearly identical favoring of the sport, with 36% of Pirates saying they prefer watching football over other sports.

“The environment is the most fun part,” commented senior Alyson Evans. “There are the most people at football games, so you have lots of opportunities to have fun with lots of people.”

Student Body President Gannon Hanevold contributed the popularity of football to the fun of the sport as well as the success of Pirate football in recent years.

“What sets Pirate football apart is just the astonishing history of the program,” said Hanevold. “How long this team has been around and how consistently they’ve been successful makes for such a fun experience.”

Reflecting on the popularity of football across America, Hanevold added, “Football, above anything, is just nostalgic for so many people in our country. It’s been such a staple in our culture and everyday life for decades that it’s hard to imagine it any other way.”

Fans tend to have an intimate connection with the teams they favor, and that is true for professional teams as well as for high school athletics.

“You grow up with a sport and a team and it just becomes part of your life,” said Hanevold. “That’s even magnified on a high school level when you genuinely know the coaching staff and players as individuals and want to see them succeed as a whole.”