Why isn't Ligue 1 more popular?

[Catfish]

I mean look at all the talented players coming from France and thru Ligue 1.
What gives? Any thoughts?

[MLG_FC]

Good question, and I don't think there's one easy answer. My guesses:

1) unless you're attached to any particular ground in the league (and I have only a tenuous attachment from several visits to Parc des Princes), as a foreigner it's difficult to get too involved in a "feeder" league when a team's best prospects typically head off to the big 3 leagues (or even Germany) before their peak

2) they're French, and while I bear no ill at all toward the French, some people might

3) FSC's coverage: there's something distinctly bland about their coverage...perhaps it's because most of the games we get are the Sunday nighters (I prefer day games, the visual quality is superior), the sound and atmosphere of the game are somewhat muted to allow the FSC announcer to be dubbed over the french/british feed they get, I don't know, but for some reason unless PSG's playing, I always have a difficult time getting into the games. By contrast, I love watching GolTV's myriad of afternoon La Liga games instead (keeping in mind that's if Arsenal or no other remotely compelling Premiership game is on)

[guignol]

it's a good question. i don't know what TV coverage can be like in the states if you really want to watch soccer; i know that at my mom's house all there was was CL (either réal or MU every time), pretaped premiership fixtures, MLS or mexico.

i'm happy to be a soccer fan here in france, because:

1) you can see great players before they are world famous

2) this year notwithstanding, it's generally rather fast-paced and offensive.

as an OL fan, i can express frustration on this last count; almost no teams come to gerland looking for 3 points recently... :(

[sl7vk]

Marketing silly!
League 1 has never had the funds that Spain, Italy, Germany, and England have. They have high payroll taxes and each club is forced to run at a profit or they get relegated. What percentage of Serie A clubs run in the profit? Seriously. I think that in terms of quality of play and clubs, league 1 has surpassed the Bundesliga, and that is saying something. It will continue to improve, and as more and more clubs collapse under a sea of debt, Roma, Lazio, Athletico, Borrusia Dormand, Leeds United, (Man U?), the French League will only get stronger.
Another factor has been that league 1 has always had crap television contracts compared to the big 4. That has changed with their new CPlus contract and each team should have significantly more money in the years to come. Clubs like Lyon and Monaco are the future, and if PSG and OM get their ******** together, soon this league will rival all.

[lefutur]

Clubs like Lyon and Monaco are the future, and if PSG and OM get their ******** together, soon this league will rival all.

If this is true than now is truly the golden time to be a Ligue 1 fan. We'll be able to say "yeah well I was watching them when they were still COOL....pfff, now everybody jumped on the bandwagon. posers!"

[Catfish]

If this is true than now is truly the golden time to be a Ligue 1 fan. We'll be able to say "yeah well I was watching them when they were still COOL....pfff, now everybody jumped on the bandwagon. posers!"

I watch the 1 Ligue match a week on FSC....casual PSG supporter because Lyon and Monaco feel like gloryhunting with their recent successes. OM is the biggest club in France. I am interested in visiting Paris one day and love seeing matches on tv @ Parc des Prince.

[Nanbawan]

Well, one or two european titles might help...

This year was not that entertaining, but it's true that Le Championnat is widely underated when it comes to quality, I've seen some incredible encounters on a relentless upbeat tempo in France. Not everytime, but it sometimes occurs.

[iougs]

more goals and some euro trophies ...

and I think that championnat trophy does not help any:

http://www.am-ball-com.com/products_new/fr-040831/FF-LFP-TR-L1-M100_tn.gif

iougs-

[lefutur]

more goals and some euro trophies ...

and I think that championnat trophy does not help any:

http://www.am-ball-com.com/products_new/fr-040831/FF-LFP-TR-L1-M100_tn.gif

iougs-

that trophy is ugly as sin. who would want to display that in their home? France, the center of art and culture, and thats the best they can come up with?

[MasterShake29]

2 big problems:

1) FSC only shows 1 game per week. Some other channel might also shows games, but who gets that?

2) They speak French in France, so internet coverage is hard to come by. For example, I can listen to an English team on radio because I speak that, but since I don't speak French I can't listen to it (unless the team also did an English broadcast, but I doubt many teams do).

[Catfish]

that trophy is ugly as sin. who would want to display that in their home? France, the center of art and culture, and thats the best they can come up with?
AMEN....brother. I thought that trophy was a gag at first, but then I found out that it wasn't a joke....shaggin my head across The Pond.

[Fulham Fan]

I blame the telecasts. You watch coverage of the Premiership and you are always informed if you're watching a derby. Or you are informed of how recently a derby was played, and who the opponent was, and what that means. Not so with Ligue 1. Announcers need to do more to bring us into the history, the passion, and the rivalries of the league. The announcers need to paint more pictures with words of how long all this stuff has been going on. Criticize English announcers if you like but they always insist that what they are seeing is important and dramatic, as a sport should feel to its fans. (There was an English announcer doing the Richmond - what, semi-pro? - game this weekend, and he was terrific.) Pave the way for the fans and they will follow with their own imaginations.

[blackjack]

I blame the telecasts. You watch coverage of the Premiership and you are always informed if you're watching a derby. Or you are informed of how recently a derby was played, and who the opponent was, and what that means. Not so with Ligue 1. Announcers need to do more to bring us into the history, the passion, and the rivalries of the league. The announcers need to paint more pictures with words of how long all this stuff has been going on. Criticize English announcers if you like but they always insist that what they are seeing is important and dramatic, as a sport should feel to its fans. (There was an English announcer doing the Richmond - what, semi-pro? - game this weekend, and he was terrific.) Pave the way for the fans and they will follow with their own imaginations.

No more Max Bretos, Christian Miles, Allan Hopkins, or that other guy pretty much sums it up.

[iougs]

The worse is when they feel obligated to kiss it (the trophy) ... that looks so ;) ... see what I mean not that there's anything wrong with it.

iougs-

[Catfish]

The worse is when they feel obligated to kiss it (the trophy) ... that looks so ;) ... see what I mean not that there's anything wrong with it.

They probably close their eyes and think why on Earth am I kissin this hideous thing???

[SportBoy333]

I'm pretty sure the overall average league attendence this past season was the highest its ever been. Over 21,000 avg. per match I believe. That is a sign that the league is popular. More popular now than it was 20-30 years ago. Just look at the attendences. Things are looking up not down.

[sl7vk]

I mean look at all the talented players coming from France and thru Ligue 1.
What gives? Any thoughts?

Isn't Arsenal considered League 1? :D

[jonam]

Marketing silly!
League 1 has never had the funds that Spain, Italy, Germany, and England have. They have high payroll taxes and each club is forced to run at a profit or they get relegated. What percentage of Serie A clubs run in the profit? Seriously. I think that in terms of quality of play and clubs, league 1 has surpassed the Bundesliga, and that is saying something. It will continue to improve, and as more and more clubs collapse under a sea of debt, Roma, Lazio, Athletico, Borrusia Dormand, Leeds United, (Man U?), the French League will only get stronger.
Another factor has been that league 1 has always had crap television contracts compared to the big 4. That has changed with their new CPlus contract and each team should have significantly more money in the years to come. Clubs like Lyon and Monaco are the future, and if PSG and OM get their ******** together, soon this league will rival all.



I agree that France has surpassed Germany - TV money-wise and talent-wise. Many Germans might not have noticed that or even don't want to realise but IMHO it is crystal-clear. You guys just need to get together your attendances and with the Cplus money make at least some of the talents stay at home. Then you surely have a bright future.

Still in the longrun I don't see France overtake Spain, England or Italy. Even Germany might bounce back. Next year we should get a better TV deal (maybe +30%) plus further raise our average attendance (37+k at the moment and thus No.1 in Europe) as many brand-new stadia (http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/index.php?template=stadionguides&land=wm_2006) are on the way. 40k isn't out of reach with BVB again being Europe's (world's) No.1 and Bayern and Sch*lke at 60+k. Plus our sponsoring market is still No.1 in Europe (even beating EPL).


Borrusia Dormand

:eek:

---> Borussia Dortmund ;-)

[iougs]

It's Rousseau's fault or is it Voltaire's ...

iougs-

70s 80s soccer forum (http://www.forumcommunity.net/?c=20864)

[king_saladin]

I think most of you are looking at this the wrong way.

More popular... as in... IN France.

Maybe if it was more popular in France, then it would be more popular globally.
Only recently has the attendance average gotten over 20K... while the EPL had 34K this season. Even the English Championship (second level) had 17K.

And look at the bottom six of Ligue 1...
AS de Monaco FC - 11.775
Olympique GC Nice - 11.521
AJ Auxerre - 11.373
FC Istres Ouest Provence - 6.937
SC de Bastia - 5.213
Ajaccio AC - 3.043

Pretty bad.

And ohh yeah... the audio on FSC is really bad. They do that with every league though... except the EPL because they use the original commentary for that.