Football, again

Despite appearances, I honestly have absolutely no interest in American football, or any football for that matter.  But another illustration came to mind, in this regard.
Every since the NFL began, no one could simply throw together a couple of dozen guys in football uniforms and call themselves an NFL team. And even more so, imagine if there was a team in that league and they decided that they should be in charge and be allowed to make the rules.  Upon being ousted from the league, then began calling themselves alone the NFL.  No one would believe them and they would be ignored.
Why is the church any different?
From the apostolic time forward, those who followed and submitted to the apostolic teaching and authority were part of the church.  Then 1000 years later (AD 1054 actually), the Roman Church decided to claim to be the sole authority over the Christian church.  Upon being rejected as such, they tried to excommunicate the other patriarchates but then were themselves excommunicated.
This has been the situation every since.  Yet somehow, they now claim to be "the" church.  Of course, the Lutherans followed suit and then the multitude of Protestant sects followed after them.  Now we have multiple thousands of separate groups not in communion with one another and not in communion with the historic church.  Why does this not seem to bother anyone?
I think a good place to start is to recognize the wretched influence of individualism from America, upon everyone's thinking. As well as the influence of politically-correct thinking as well.  We need to start thinking more like Christ and less like the world, political correctness be damned.