Yeah, I wanted to go to that Mexico game bad but I wasn't going to get bent over for it either. With this game I have yet to see any advertising. Kinda strange but we shall see. This city has always been about the walk-up sales so it's difficult to say just what kind of crowd we will get. I've got my ticket and I can't freaking wait. Truly the first time the US has played in Houston in....over a decade at least. Before you saying anything, those other 2 times weren't the US playing so much as Mexico playing against an opponent. Not that they weren't the most fun I've had at a soccer game (they were), but they weren't US games if you get what I'm saying.
I would think the fact there are 3 Dynamos playing would help, except maybe those people were planning on going anyway. Like me. My question, just out of curiosity, Westside, are you going? There will be no danger of thrown beer or bags of urine.
Just hockey pucks and bags of syrup. And lots of "Eh!" Can't forget that. I think that's too scary for a guy like WC.
That's a great point. I wish teams could change their games, but the high school soccer coaches that I know couldn't care any less about soccer, high school or NT.
wait, what? you're the guy making excuses as to why you and others are not going to the USMNT game. i much think this will be an Alanis Morisette moment if i end up at this game and you don't. you remind me of those senators that judge their patriotism by the size of their flag lapel pin. all i'm saying is buy tix!
I've witnessed this type of behavior as well. Some high school coaches are the O-Line coach earning his pay and just doesn't know/care either way but there are dudes that are dedicated soccer coaches who (like many American players btw) don't follow the f'n sport they spend so much time with. Which compared to all the other sports in our sports culture, it sure is odd some soccer guys and how they just don't watch the sport like how a basketball coach watches any and all basketball games or gridiron coaches watch games at all levels whenever they can.
I agree and it is really weird. For many years, it required a lot of effort to follow the game so maybe the older coaches have this to point to? Either way, it is a pretty poor excuse.
In a lot of schools none of the coaches like soccer so it's given to the newest guy or the lowest one on the totem pole. That adds to their resentment. It's like that in the little town where my sister lives, but despite that the soccer team is the only one that has any success. Their trophy case, however, is full of really old football trophies; the soccer ones are put away somewhere. If my school were to start offering soccer, our coaches would probably rebel. We do have a couple of new ones that actually played soccer. The older ones, however, lecture the boys about how it's not a real sport and, seriously, that its communist.
My school is inner city so it is not viewed that way as much, but I know exactly what you're talking about having been in others.
Yup, heard that growing up. Commie ball, hippie ball, pussy sport. To which I learned to respond to urban blacks and rural whites with one simple response. Scotland! And it worked. Seriously, most men of those gridiron type have seen Braveheart. So I just would suggest that soccer is indeed a pussy sport and as well communist! It is such a pussy sport that it is the most dominant sport in Scotland. Those dudes don't back down from a fight. And they live in a real communist nation as well right coach. Then those coaches I worked with had to marinate on that for a hot minute. To which they would step back from the conversation, look at me like someone just mind fuked 'em, and retreat from their ignorance. The old old dudes, well they were more often than not a lost cause but anyone worth their salt would actually turn a corner however small that might be. Problem is, most gridiron dudes get butt hurt when soccer comes up cuz it reminds them that their code of football, while the dominant code in the U.S. n Canada, doesn't even register as a blip on a global scale. And THAT is what usually drives them towards their shelter of "ignorance is bliss" way of being. Being a guy that grew up more with gridiron than soccer here in Houston Texas I remind myself that our gridiron coaches and their way, they are the soccer coaches in nations like Brasil, or Nigeria or Scotland. They are easy to understand if one keeps this in mind.
Pretty much if you arent a USMNT blogosphere/BS guy or on the Dynamo list, you have no idea about this game. I told several guys about it that are USMNT fans about they game and they had no idea. They are going now.
WHo said I wasn't going? Do you actually have US patriotism or are you just a renter instead of an owner? All I know is the exact same scenario developed for the Mexico-Guyana game and that was thrown away as not a true test of El Tri support (of course, actually having a discussion in America about supporting a foreign nation's team is absurd in and of itself, but is nothing more than a reflection on the sad state of this country).
Sorry Rey but I've been to several of those matches and Mexico arguably turned out their stronger squads in those matches with several "name" players. The USA hasn't done that with this match. Color me shocked that more than 7500 people don't want to see a bunch of "B" or "C" teamers.
Glenn tweeted only 8k tickets sold.....well I will enjoy the USMNT last trip to Houston for the next decade.
Yeah, given where we stand now, 15k is a target. However, personally I think anything less than a sellout of 22k is going to be seen as a failed experiment by USSF. Particularly considered the prices are lower than the women's team.
Part of me wonders if the soccer market has just been over saturated in the last few years with games in Houston and so the casual fan doesn't care and the more "sophisticated" fan knows its a B/C squad match for both sides. Yes it will damage our chances for future games for the U.S. But other than a longer lead time, it's about the same scenario as the Mexico-Guyana game. Prices high or not, Mexico not drawing more in a qualifier here with Chicharito told me the market has been over saturated (and I said that at the time).
I suppose that is possible....but if you can't draw for Mexico or USNT games you aren't likely to see them frequently in the future. If over saturation is an issue wouldn't you expect that to bleed over to the Dynamo in six weeks? I think a bigger issue is the federations thinking they can roll in and sell out without any work. They keep ignoring the advantage of the Dynamo sales channels. Personally I think they should turn it over to the team to sell.
Sales and marketing has a role in this. Pricing does have an impact. What I think is the days of just putting on a "international soccer match" doesn't generate an automatic crowd because Houston has seen so many of them over the last 6-10 years. Between Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras matches and the Gold Cup for a few games every two years, it's no longer novel or unique or something special for a national team game here in Houston. Plus they are all on TV. Dynamo are different, only to the extent that they already have a season ticket base such that any one game is not going to just draw flies because they've already sold so many tickets. As far as the federations selling the game, any dollars spent on advertising just cuts into their profits. I would think they only want to pick locations where they have minimal work to do and maybe they figured Houston would just show up. I dunno.
Maybe, but how much overlap in fan base is there really for El Salvador and the US? Or Honduras and Mexico? Not really that much, certainly not 8-10k worth. I think you have an overriding pint, I just put more emphasis on the absolute lack of marketing dollars spent. Particularly, when the USSF could have piggybacked on the dynamo email and call lists at very little cost. Pay the Dynamo 5% of tickets sold, charge 5% more than you "had planned" and everyone makes more money. haha, I agree 100% with this. We all know USSF has no money, and seem to be lazy as well when it comes to this sort of thing. I suppose my one curious thought is this: isn't SUM in charge of marketing these games?