Damn, you're intelligence is just blinding. How many brain cells did it take you to type out that well-thought out post? The whole 2 in your possession? @Emiliano: I know patriotism has nothing to do with it. But to some weirdos out there, it does. I just thought I'd point them out. It would be hard to convince those Gridiron fans, but yes, they are using incorrect terminology. @minutemanii: Football dwarfs Gridiron worldwide. That's why it's pretty sad when Americans have to bow down to Gridiron fans and abide by their language. They should have more of a backbone. @DowntownDave: Not 99%. With the increase in football's popularity, more and more Americans (thank God) are learning to respect the sport and call it by its rightful name. Some pundits out there say that the current lollipop word for football will someday be a thing of the past. Let's hope so. Italians speak Italian. Poor example on your part. In fact, if the USA called football "kickit", that would probably be more acceptable. But in the English language, the Beautiful Game is Football. Garber's league is already the laughingstock of North American sports. A name change wouldn't hurt. And with all the FCs and the current ad campaign, it looks like that's the direction the league is heading. Good on Garber for setting the wheels in motion.
Can I hazard a guess that you're not from North America? But you're right partially - the 99% number was probably off. It's more like 95% - with the 4% I've subtracted representing the Spanish-speakers among us. Among English speakers, it's about 100% who call it soccer. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.
You've got to be kidding me! 100%? I've not argued much about which it should be called, fans who grew up watching American soccer know it as soccer. As a "home grown" American I know it as Football because I grew watching it on TV due to my grandparents being from Ireland. When Football ventured into Canada and England I didn't expect them to change the name, they just added American to it. I 110% agree that it will be called "Soccer" and "Football", but wake up and smell the roses there are a lot and I mean a lot of Americans that call it Football! Does that mean change the league, I'm not saying they should, but to be honest I would like it. The sounds of American Premier League or APL sounds great! It won't happen but sounds good to me.
Taking a different tack, I'd argue that the sport's increasing popularity and growth as a business in the US means that the term "soccer" will gradually gain more acceptance (not use, but acceptance as a legitimate term) abroad. I said gradually. And if MLS were to fold, if the US national team's better form in recent years was nothing more than a temporary thing and we devolve into a 3rd tier program again, if the current bumper crop of Americans playing in Europe fades to just a handful of dual-citizenship-holding players, as was the case in the pre-MLS years...well, yeah, it won't happen. Thing is, I don't expect any of the things in the above paragraph to occur. The flip side, then...if MLS continues to expand and develop a structurally sound business model; if the national team is able to sustain its role as the best team in CONCACAF and compete on more equal terms with the world's elite teams (I don't expect any rapid movement on that last point, admittedly); if more Americans continue to play in Europe, and especially if we eventually produce a true star offensive player...I don't see any reason why there won't be a grudging willingness to accept that, here, we tend to call it "soccer" and that that's okay. The point being, the rest of the globe is fairly ignorant of the sport's status in the US, assuming that it's not at all popular here, our domestic league is a joke, our national team not much better; the fact that we call it "soccer" (pronounced in a faux American accent) just fits with their assumption that the sport's little more than a niche endeavor here. And I'm not saying the above is totally off-base; MLS is no where near being a top league, the sport no where near being as popular as the truly big leagues (pro and college) here, the national team a good sight short of having the talent necessary to compete with the big boys. What I'm saying is that the truth is far more nuanced than any aged stereotype could possibly encompass. Sort of like all those soccer-ignorant sports commentators who assumed that Beckham came to MLS to "save soccer in the US." Missing the point that the sport really doesn't need saving. Give it time, the sport's slow, but undeniably steady, growth - as a business, form of entertainment, right of passage for the young, accepted presence in our cultural and sporting landscape - maybe another decade, maybe another generation, and I think you'll see that what we call the sport really won't be an issue any longer.
I agree. It's two different sports, so they should use two different names in America. This is America, so speak American. I'm from Iowa, but have lived in North Carolina for 24 years. Back home Pepsi, Coke, Sprite, etc is called pop. In North Carolina the same thing is called soda. I don't know which is the official name (soda pop?), but there is nothing wrong with using the slang term. MLS doesn't need to mock everything that is done in England. There is nothing wrong with having a soccer league with multiple conferences, no relegation, and nicknames like Rapids and Fire.
Now its the MLS team, but still I rather call them "the sounders" or just Seattle Sounders, people calling them 'sounders FC" just making them look silly.
MLS has many bigger issues then fight over a name that's accepted the only place it matters for their league, the U.S. And that from someone that's really a traditional futbol sort of guy. There aren't just 9000 at a stadium (at times) because of a word.
Actually since American football was derived from Rugby (and European Soccer) then the NFL would become the NARL National American Rugby League. But Galacticos right, there is little reason to be concerned with it. And even if one hates the name of the league, you don't change it after 14+ seasons. I personally would have opted for a name that left soccer or football out of the title, however with our crowded sports landscape that may not have been wise even though Australia seemed able to make it work.
There's nothing more to MLS teams having FC than just allusion to popular appellation of established clubs abroad. It's the same as 'DC United' or 'Real Salt Lake.' I'm pretty sure Seattle didn't tack it on for any other reason, even to distinguish itself from other prior Seattle clubs.
+1 I just don't see the point. Differentiation from the USL team? That's what the new crest is for. That's what the new kits are for. But the FC? Constantly calling them Sounders FC, in my opinion, is dumb. I have noticed that people in the media are slowly getting around to just calling them the Sounders again (including their own play-by-play announcer, Kevin Calabro). It'll be fixed, eventually. MLS and the Sounders FO themselves will be the last to hold onto that FC crap. EDIT: Just to clarify, I don't mind FC when there's no official nickname involved (FC Dallas, Toronto FC, etc.). It's different when they have a typical American-style name (City + Nickname). The FC then serves no purpose. Guess what? The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps both have FC tacked onto the end. The Caps used to be known ONLY as Whitecaps FC. (sound familiar?) After a few years, they slowly worked Vancouver back into the name, and eventually the FC had dropped off completely, now only found in their web address (whitecapsfc.com - again, sound familiar?) and official releases (just like the Chicago Fire Soccer Club).
Does "unprecedented success" mean falling attendances and teams (2) being taken over by national federation because the owners have tired of losing money?http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=644269&sec=global&cc=5901
wouldn't the "National American Rugby League" play rugby league? The name of the sport is American Football. You do know that Ireland has a league called the National Football League, right? and they play Gaelic Football not Association Football. So if anything, the NFL should be called the NAFL.
Ugh, so much resistance against respecting the game of football. What a bunch of assholes here. Count me among the many who will be cheering against team usa and against that US league. You guys just don't understand that the game being known as football is as important a tradition as your 4th of July or Superbowl. You all continue to slap the rest of the football world in the face and you love it. Well, if team usa doesn't fail to qualify for South Africa, I hope they go 3 and out again. And the because they went 3 and out in 2006, the usa is NOT tops in CONCACAF. Mexico at least made it to the KO round. So Mexico still holds the top spot unless usa can outlast them in 2010.
I smell a sock puppet. Guys, please ignore trolls and they'll go away, or at least go back to posting under their usual handle.
Who cares... but I really think 'SC' for Soccer Club sounds tacky. It's just a word.... The game is mostly played with the feet though, so I'm comfy with what 90% of the world calls it.
Perhaps but then it would be confused with Aussie Football. Besides, my comment was mostly tongue-in-cheek and I suggested that it was better than calling the sport Throwball. I respect both sports though: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nngQPvVHjJc"]YouTube - Gridiron American Football Vs Rugby Union / league[/ame]
It is a constant source of amusement to see people getting into apoplectic fits over what the goddamn game is called. Truly, you need to find something more constructive to do with your time.