Do the Amish care who wins the Super Bowl?
OK, first of all, almost any post on this website you can find exceptions to, which is why I rarely make sweeping generalizations. The Amish are like any other group of people, they are human with a variety of interests among them. But the general answer is: No.
Oh, yes, somewhere there is an Amish person or Amish group of people who can’t wait until Sunday’s big matchup. But are you likely to find many Super Bowls parties in Amish country?
No.
Look at some of the reasons why not:
💣 Violence
Football is an inherently rough sport, some may even think of it as violence. The Amish have traditionally been pacifists. That means they eschew violence, so football would not be very appealing on that basis alone. Many Amish people are avid baseball fans, and some care very much who wins the World Series. Baseball, however, is a more bucolic, tranquil sport. I’ve not run into the same level of fandom among the Amish when it comes to American football.
🏟️ Tribalism
Seems especially true in college football, but it’s also true with professional football, people stake out their “group “and rabidly defend it. They are going to be a part of that group no matter what.
The Amish, always strive towards a sense of community and church among themselves. Belonging to some external group, even a football fan group, would counter to the lifestyle they’re trying to lead.
🎉 Partying
The Amish like that fun like anyone else. They do drink alcohol, and they like to have a good time. But the party-like atmosphere that often companies the Super Bowl, right down to the scantily clad people in a halftime show, sometimes would run counter to their lifestyle.
📺 Television
This is another big one… The Super Bowl is largely a shared American experience that unfolds on television screens. The vast majority of Amish do not have televisions. That’s a huge strike against it right there. So if you can’t gather around the TV set to watch the Super Bowl, it will not attract nearly the attention. It’s possible someday in the future that, more Amish may have TV sets, in which case the Super Bowl might gain more of a following. But it has enough strikes against it that I don’t think the Amish are going to convert to Super Bowl fans anytime soon.
🏈 Eagles Vs. Chiefs
I will say, however, that with the Philadelphia team being in the Super Bowl this year and its proximity to one of the largest Amish populations in the world in Lancaster County, you probably do have more interest among the Amish they are than typical. That means instead of zero people being interested, maybe you have 10. I’m sort of kidding. But you probably have more interest. And this is especially true among young Amish people, I’m sure. I’m sure among Amish teenagers, the Super Bowl may have more appeal.
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