The US and soccer

[-Jack-]

Hm.. maybe you didn't let my post sink in... I never said all of the kids who join AYSO are gonna be soccer freaks.. but certainly some of them. Maybe a low percentage, but seeing as its the fastest growning youth sport... its more and more people potientally. How did I become a soccer fan? By learning the rules of it as a kid.. and well.. growning up playing it.

Soccer is gaining its own niche in the U.S... and its growing.

[sandman]

Hm.. maybe you didn't let my post sink in... I never said all of the kids who join AYSO are gonna be soccer freaks.. but certainly some of them. Maybe a low percentage, but seeing as its the fastest growning youth sport... its more and more people potientally. How did I become a soccer fan? By learning the rules of it as a kid.. and well.. growning up playing it.

Soccer is gaining its own niche in the U.S... and its growing.

you're correct. but so is jameslofton29.

soccer is huge in the U.S. - youth, high schools, etc.? (the term "soccer mom" exists for a reason.) and it continues to grow.

BUT it has made little progress in popularity on the professional level.

i played soccer for most of my life - i'm even in a men's league right now. alot of my friends played soccer for years. i love the sport and have alot of respect for it.

but none of us us have ever sat and watched an entire MLS game. and all of us would prefer to watch an american football game over soccer anyday. it just doesn't compare to the action and excitement.

[jameslofton29]

Soccer is gaining its own niche in the U.S... and its growing.

Wish in one hand, and shit in the other. See which one gets filled first.

[-Jack-]

Soccer is gaining its own niche in the U.S... and its growing.

Wish in one hand, and shit in the other. See which one gets filled first.

lol.. we'll see...

[Skeba]

I think a lot has to do with the fact (that someone already mentioned) that soccergames can go on for 90 minutes and have no goals... And we might still call it a good game.

Another thing is that in soccer you play a 45-minute half with a continuous clock. This means that tv-companies don't get to show commercials evey 10 minutes like in other sports. Or if they do, you could miss the single goal of the whole game. And if there's very little money to be made... the big tv-stations won't be interested. And maybe the Americans just don't have an attention span long enough for the game. I don't know. And then there's the culture thing. People watch what their fathers watched before them.. and their fathers...

[krisspan]

It's what you call soccer that is the real "Football" here in Norway. What you call Football, is american football here. Not real football, if you don't understand.

[Pinball Wizard]

Yeah, but "soccer" is the real football, since you can't touch your hands on the ball, just the Foot...see, FOOT on the BALL = FOOTBALL!

American Football its ridiculous, I don't know how someone can like that...it's boring and doesn't make any sense...and it's not FOOTball...

Someone could explain to me why the americans decided to call this "American Football" as just "Football" and change the name of the real FOOTBALL to Soccer?

[Mr. Dick Purple]

Whats with the time?? 90 minutes too long??
aparently no one saw the Game Real Madrid Vs manchester United game 00 I think, the score was  0-0 but what a freaking game, was one of the best. Even for a 0-0 draw. No goals, emotions, two great teams, only one will pass, you want your fave team to win, the expectation is high, and in the second leage Man U vs Real, Madrid kicked ManU ass with an awsome play by Redondo which I think is one of the greatest plays of all time in Europe competitions 

I think that US dont like football cause they think is boring, and how is not gonna be boring if the MLS have some teams and they have no B league, so the team that looses the most has to go down and play with less budget. etc etc, and the fans doesn't get encourage to watch their teams go down. Thats passion! cry because your team was defeated and the next season is not gonna be in the 1st division, I think US must start there, preparing divisions 

[Shoco]

there was an article in a newspaper here last week in which americans voted football the most exciting sport, even more than theyr own "football" and baseball and other sports

to the dude that said a game lasts 4 hrs, get your facts right before you start talking crap, and saying it had its chance in 99 when the womens world cup was on, well go back 4 more years to when the real world cup was on and see how popular it was

even if there is a deal done and football becomes very popular over there, it wont suck all the good players out of europe, sure they want mony but they want to compete for trophies that actually mean something, otherwise all the good players would already be playing in saudi arabia and other arab countries where there is hugh money, when the players are past theyr best theyl move on for the money

and finally to those of you who call it soccer, well the official name is "Association Football"

[sandman]

there was an article in a newspaper here last week in which americans voted football the most exciting sport, even more than theyr own "football" and baseball and other sports

you have a link for that? cause i don't believe it. unless they polled a bunch of 40 year old women or kids under 10, there's no way that's possible.

[Shoco]

there was an article in a newspaper here last week in which americans voted football the most exciting sport, even more than theyr own "football" and baseball and other sports

you have a link for that? cause i don't believe it. unless they polled a bunch of 40 year old women or kids under 10, there's no way that's possible.

well it was in a paper, but il have a look

[Shoco]

cant find the what i was looking for but i did find this study carried out by americans

http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/newsdetails.asp?ID=1563

[jameslofton29]

there was an article in a newspaper here last week in which americans voted football the most exciting sport, even more than theyr own "football" and baseball and other sports

to the dude that said a game lasts 4 hrs, get your facts right before you start talking crap, and saying it had its chance in 99 when the womens world cup was on, well go back 4 more years to when the real world cup was on and see how popular it was

That is a load of crap. It is well known how the mens world cup in the 90's got shitty ratings. All the sponsors lost millions of dollars. The womens world cup was much more well received than the mens. But as mentioned earlier, it had the piece of ass factor going for it.

[sandman]

ratings for soccer are below just about every other sport in the U.S., including bowling and ice skating.

and one thing i've noticed listening to sports talk radio is that people don't just dislike soccer, they actually HATE it. it's sad to say cause like i said i'm a fan, but it will be very difficult to change the perception in the U.S. people will not buy into a game that usually only has 1 or 2 goals.

and the fact that the world cup, the greatest championship in world, can be (and was) awarded on penalty shots, didn't help the game any here in the U.S.  cause that is just ridiculous, and it made the game seem like even more of a joke.

[Shoco]

if you dont wana believe thats your problem not mine, but i know what i read 

[Skeba]

Maybe if you got like a 100 points for each goal scored and they'd start from like 50.. So at least the games would be 50-50.. Or in a dream game 350-250? Would it gather more interest then?

[Genesis]

Bullshit. The reason americans dont watch soccer is because it sucks. The games are too long, and there's not enough action. People dont understand the rules because its never been a major sport here. No one wants to watch a 1-0 score that takes 4 hours.

What are you talking about? Football takes 90 or so minutes. 4 hours? 

[sandman]

Bullshit. The reason americans dont watch soccer is because it sucks. The games are too long, and there's not enough action. People dont understand the rules because its never been a major sport here. No one wants to watch a 1-0 score that takes 4 hours.

What are you talking about? Football takes 90 or so minutes. 4 hours??

i think there was some sarcasm in the original comment.....i.e. a 2 hour game FEELS like 4 hours.

and it's not necessarily the lack of high scoring games, but the limited number of scoring chances in many soccer games - it makes it a boring watch on TV.

also, the lack of full understanding of the game of soccer by many americans is another issue, albeit a very small one.

[Dr. Blutarsky]

Soccer will be big in the US when they find a way to commercialize it & market it better. Look what happened to NASCAR. If watching rednecks drive 500 miles in a circle can be popular soccer has a chance!

[-Jack-]

Soccer will be big in the US when they find a way to commercialize it & market it better. Look what happened to NASCAR. If watching rednecks drive 500 miles in a circle can be popular soccer has a chance!

Thats what I've always thought.. NASCAR is the most boring shit ever... why cant americans grasp soccer?