[Paul. A]

We talk about the growth of soccer and how some think it may never compete with the NFL. I often hear people say, and I don't know if this is true, that more and more American football fields are being used for soccer could this translate to more fans and shrink the NFL in years to come?

[SamPierron]

No, it won't. Soccer and football aren't in competition for anything but players, and only then at a few positions on the football field. In the American sporting world, they're quite complimentary in terms of season.

[BenReilly]

Originally posted by SamPierron
No, it won't. Soccer and football aren't in competition for anything but players, and only then at a <i>few positions </i> on the football field.

This is a common misconception that I see repeated over and over on Bigsoccer. Football sucks millions of potential players away from soccer. The fact that these players may never have the size to become major football players at the college or professional level does not mean that they can go back in time and give soccer a shot.

[The Creeper]

Originally posted by SamPierron
No, it won't. Soccer and football aren't in competition for anything but players, and only then at a few positions on the football field. In the American sporting world, they're quite complimentary in terms of season.

Ummm.......In high school they are both in the Fall.
That's not complimentary.

[FootyMundo]

Millions? You are certainly lost. 1.8 million kids under the age of 18 play football. 1.8 million. By contrast 11 million play basketball and almost 9 million play soccer. And a big portion of the kids who play soccer also play football. There is no way this number is in the millions - hell, there aren't even 2 million football players to begin with. So much for the misconception.

[worldsoccer-Jeff]

Originally posted by The Creeper


Ummm.......In high school they are both in the Fall.
That's not complimentary.

That's not true everywhere. Where I live HS soccer is a spring sport and competes with baseball/softball, track, golf, and tennis, the other spring sports.

[BenReilly]

Originally posted by FootyMundo
Millions? You are certainly lost. 1.8 million kids under the age of 18 play football. 1.8 million. By contrast 11 million play basketball and almost 9 million play soccer. And a big portion of the kids who play soccer also play football. There is no way this number is in the millions - hell, there aren't even 2 million football players to begin with. So much for the misconception.

Not at all. First of all, I gave no specific time period. I did not say millions per year (and please don't get cute with this under 18 stuff as if 1 year olds are playing football).

Secondly, that 1.8 million is absurdly low as it doesn't take into account non-organized football, which is a common way the sport is played. You think most 12 year olds are playing organized football? Hardly. What we need in this country is more unorganized soccer instead of taking little Jimmy (and Jane) to soccer practice.

Thirdly, the popularity of football could have a tremendous impact on kids not playing football. They want to be football players, but aren't even good enough at their level. If soccer were more popular, they might play soccer.

[ax319]

At the pro level i think they actually are complimentary they play at diffrent times of the year, in the future when attendence gets better and MLS seems like a better investment i think u will see alot of NFL owners buying MLS teams to fill dates in there stadiums during the NFL off season

[Khansingh]

Originally posted by BenReilly


Not at all. First of all, I gave no specific time period. I did not say millions per year (and please don't get cute with this under 18 stuff as if 1 year olds are playing football).

Secondly, that 1.8 million is absurdly low as it doesn't take into account non-organized football, which is a common way the sport is played. You think most 12 year olds are playing organized football? Hardly. What we need in this country is more unorganized soccer instead of taking little Jimmy (and Jane) to soccer practice.

Thirdly, the popularity of football could have a tremendous impact on kids not playing football. They want to be football players, but aren't even good enough at their level. If soccer were more popular, they might play soccer.

Don't virtually all kids who play soccer play in youth leagues? Every time I see kids in my store (to buy baseball cards by the way) in soccer gear, they have on town uniforms with numbers. That's why European prognosticators contend America will never embrace soccer, her people don't play it for simple recreation, they play it for organized competition. Don't forget, we have the highest percentage of organized youth participation in the world.

[thurd]

Originally posted by worldsoccer-Jeff



That's not true everywhere. Where I live HS soccer is a spring sport and competes with baseball/softball, track, golf, and tennis, the other spring sports.

lucky bastard