So now in addition to beating dead horses, we're beating live ones too? This thread has really gone to the dogs. Y'all are mindless sheep for following it. I mean, really, there are any number of scapegoats here. The last few posts have just jumped the shark. Now excuse me, my boss is wondering why I'm not busy as a beaver at the moment. Time to turn on some tunes and get to work.
Problems in non league as stockport get relegated from the 5yh tier, not long ago they were playine at the 3rd tier, maybe a good reason for no promotion and relegation in the MLS. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ty-fan-invades-pitch-and-attacks-players.html Sometimes I understand fans frustration especially theirs as the club has been run so poorly but why attack players?
In Argentina fans of Hurracan went into the players locker-rooms to rob their own players. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-huracan-players-robbed-hooligans-break-club-015640661--sow.html Maybe Argentina should get rid of their Copa tournament
The fact of the matter is in the US people reserve their violence for their personal lives and keep it in the streets, as it were, and use the stadiums/arena of sporting events as safe havens in which to cheer on their teams devoid of violence, for the most part. Different social structure/expectations in Europe, apparently.
What I do like about promotion/relegation is pitch invasions, heres one from yesterday as rotherham go up:-
Here's some of the restrictions brighton fans will face if they play palace in the playoffs In the event of playing Crystal Palace in the semi-finals, the following conditions of sale have been agreed by the two clubs, the Metropolitan Police and Sussex Police: 1. You must be a season ticket holder to purchase a ticket and only one ticket will be available per season ticket holder. 2. Your details and seat number will be made available to Crystal Palace FC, the Metropolitan Police and Sussex Police. 3. The ticket may only be used by the purchaser. 4. All away fans must carry a separate document which confirms their identity. 5. You agree to hand over your ticket and identity document for examination by a police officer or steward at the stadium or en route to or from the stadium. 6. Failure to produce the ticket and an identity document for examination will result in refusal of entry to the match and any future matches this season. 7. There will be a one year exclusion for anyone who is found to have handed over or sold a ticket to any other person. 8. There will be a one year exclusion for anyone who is found in possession of a ticket issued to another person. Now it well might seem to be over the top but I cant help but think if the fans had behaved themselves the last time they played eachother it would be more relaxed.
Nothing like a firndly pitch invasion. I had noticed in the last few seasons the distinct lack of itch invasions, well thats changed this season, dont think I've seen so many in england.
CWhile I don't condone violence of any kind, I would encourage you to look on the bright side. Enjoy the many, many plusses there are to being a fan in England. It's definitely an effort get the sport recognized and growing over here. I would trade my beer privileges for the history, tradition and atmosphere you have in England any day of the week. (I'm a Newcastle fan, so don't tell me English stadiums are lacking atmosphere - at least from what I can see on TV, St James's is a rockin'.) The only European game I have ever attended was Barca vs Bilbao at Camp Nou. There was a group of Bilbao fans being protected by armed guards, I couldn't drink beer (unless I smuggled it in, like I saw some people do), no one was lighting off flares or smoke bombs - and you know what? I didn't care. It was awesome. The crowd was amazing. I'll watch a game with 80 thousand people who really love and understand it, rather than a bunch of families out for light entertainment, any day. Plus, in most cases your club has been around for years and you don't have to worry too much about them folding or being relocated. The American attitude towards continuity and tradition in sports is not the same - especially in soccer. It's a local business franchise and it will fold or move if it doesn't make enough money for a few years straight. (Fellow Americans, insert Atlanta joke here - I am expecting it, lol.) All that being said, I do hope the hooligan nonsense lightens up over there. Plus, it's nice to hear some appreciation for the American soccer scene from abroad.
I think you're overstating this point. There are many American and Canadian sports teams with long traditions who will never move. The idea of, say, the Packers, Yankees, Bulls or Maple Leafs moving is absurd. Typically, it's the newer expansion teams that end up moving when it becomes clear they opened shop in a bad market.
I think that's an overstatement. Recent (post-1980) moves in American sports include: Cleveland Browns (1946-1995) Oakland Raiders (1959-1982) Baltimore Colts (1953-1983) St. Louis (formerly Chicago) Cardinals (1960-1987) Houston Oilers (1960-1996) Minnesota North Stars (1967-1993) Montreal Expos (1969-2004) Quebec Nordiques (1972-1995) Winnipeg Jets (1972-1996) Hartford Whalers (1974-1997) Seattle SuperSonics (1968-2008) New Jersey Nets (1977-2012) There have only been a few recent moves that could be considered "expansion" failures--Charlotte and Vancouver in the NBA and Atlanta in the NHL.
Not to mention soccer teams folding: All the original NASL clubs, Tampa Bay Mutiny, Miami Fusion, AC St. Louis, Atlanta Silverbacks for a couple years until they came back in 2011. Probably the Puerto Rico Islanders, etc.
Yeh the not being able to drink at your seat is over rated. It's only 45 minutes plus at Ewood Park they have Cask Ales at the ground! yeh I will take not being able to drink at my seat in return for getting something other then yellow pee water. Although if they finally start selling good local craft beer at Charger games my opinion might change.
The Rams, the Lakers, the Giants, the Dodgers, the Jazz. And more importantly the threatening of a move so the taxpayers come up with some cash. Then again in Spain/Mexico many teams are gifted land or soft loans by Governments.
My mates a leicester fan, imagine this...just watch it...amazing. Leicester get a pen in the last minute if they score there at wembley for the final if not its extra time....and this happens.
Despite the OTT punishment for pyro there has been a large increase this season. Liverpool for example. cant see fans ever being allowed it but I hope common sense prevails and maybe there can be some controlled use like there is elsewhere.
Yes I noticed a return of the smoke bombs. Everton did it last week at the Derby but the wind blew it strait back at them so we all laughed. Then we did it today at Fulham again, not a huge fan myself. Also keep in mind the picture you are showing is from the Reading game which was kind of a perfect storm for an emotional crowd. It was the week of Hillsborough remembrance, and the week of Margret Thatcher's death (who was detested by a vast majority of Liverpool supporters for some very good reasons). But agree there does seem to be an overall increase of pyrotechnics particularly among away supporters. Just a theory but the 20somethings who are attending the match don't remember what it was really like before the Taylor report. They just read books, watch movies and hear stories many of which glorify the chaos and violence. Maybe it's a case of them recreating a world they never knew. Again just a theory devised from my couch in America so take it for what it's worth.
Yankees are originally from Baltimore and they were a pube away from moving to New Jersey in the 70's.
This is what I don't get about the "Against Modern Football" movement. If you want to take your kid to a soccer game, there are dozens of teams in the city with affordable ticket prices. You can take your kid to a game on Saturday and Sunday for less than the price of a Premier League ticket. If you don't want to watch those games because Brentford FC doesn't pay multi-million dollar transfer fees for international superstars, play against superteams every week, fly all over Europe for international competitions, or have a state-of-the-art stadium with a big video screen in it, then what you're saying is that you want to pay old-timey prices, but what you really want to see is "modern football."
or they feel that the management of their clubs is getting between them and their team. signing massive tv deals, shirt sponsorships, and then turn around and hike prices up to ridiculous levels is like planting a wedge between the supporters and the team. i think the english supporters know they are shit and are tired of being shit and laughed at , outsung, by any suize of visiting supporters from accross europe. They are getting tired of it-regardless of what hooligan movie they watched or did not watch. Additionally the fines and arrests that were slammed on supporters rightfully back in the 1990s are a thing of the past-a memory-that is in the minds of those that were there, but not present in the minds of the current younger supporters who have not personally witnessed the backlash.