This theory doesn't seem to hold up when discussing Golf ( Scottish) or Tennis ( English)...the fact is "Soccer" requires an attention span....an attention span missing from the make-up of most American sports fans who prefer the stop-start stop-start nature of all the "American" sports....this gives them time to chat to their friends, watch the cheerleaders or other in game entertainment, dot races, whatever.. go fill their faces or relieve themselves....ever noticed that at any given moment of so called "sold out" games in the NBA or NHL ( R.I.P.) about 25% of the arena is vacant ?...try getting up from your seat during the action at Anfield or Old Trafford and see what happens to you....on a positive note..."Soccer" has a hell of of lot better chance of making it big in the USA than American football, baseball or ice hockey have of making it big in the rest of the world...even basketball will ALWAYS be vieing for second place on the global stage, along with rugby, criket et al....
Soccer is doing great in the USA! Were a young sport and were moving in the right direction woman and men! As to the US media. IT hates everything it can't control, its foriegn to them. Soccer is a subset of their greates fear, loss of control. But this mentally is dying off and a more worldly outlook is slowly growing in this country. As far as those other sports are concerned. Baseball is a great sport, it demonstrates the genius of the american people, who refined the British game of rounders into this wonderful sport. The media in this country hate the working class origin of this game and its ties to the culture of other countries (ie. the British game of rounders). So they invented the story of Abner Doubleday a rich military general - an outright myth). Let's export baseball (not our military industrial complex) to the rest of the world, while we learn soccer from the world's cultures and people's.
I have two points to make: The 1st regards this insane quote: What are you talking about? What has Beckham done for football exactly? He is best known for changing his hairstyle every week. I don't deny the guy had class but a member of FIFA? The man is an idiot, as his claim of how clever it was of him to get yellow carded proved! Secondly, back on topic, I don't think Soccer is that unpopular in the states as this quote kind of proves.
Only one problem....the rest of the world ( for the most part) doesn't give a flying monkey's about baseball...and never will....4 plus hours of not a lot...I remember a quote from the Times Of London after WC 1994 " If Americans do not become "soccer" fans after this World Cup, it's their own damn fault. Let them languise in heathen worship of fat men playing rounders"...couldn't have said it better meself....
Thank god, someone talking sense! Do you people know anything about football or do you just read the fashion magazines? Beckham is seriously overrated. Yes he's great at free kicks, but does that make you a great footballer. I suggest you watch Zidane and Ronaldinho in action before you start talking about how great Beckham is as a footballer!
Ah, but the theory (that soccer is seen by Americans as foreign) does hold up. It is the #1 comment I get from people who find out I'm a soccer fanatic. "That's that foreign sport, isn't it?" Golf and tennis may be British but they aren't perceived as being British. And we don't have people constantly reminding us that they're British. Historically, and somewhat ironically for a country which derives much of its culture from England, there was a great deal of anti-British, and especially anti-English, sentiment in the US in the late 19th and early 20th century. The US had fought two wars against England and Northerners felt they had fought a third, since they believed that England had sided with the South in the American Civil War. All that was English was repudiated - their tea (which is why Americans drink coffee) and their sports. This is precisely why baseball felt the need to create the lie that Abner Doubleday, a Civil War hero, had created the game - because, if it was believed that the game was somehow derived from something English, the game would surely fail. Another English ball and bat game, cricket, did fail, in part because it couldn't overcome the stigma of being English. Football repudiated its English roots and became as different from the English game as it could be. The US is still quite ambivalent toward England. Soccer is still perceived as foreign, a perception which those who don't like soccer and fear it may catch on in this country reinforce every chance they get. American's don't really care if American sports are popular in other countries. People in other countries don't understand our sports anyway. Take the baseball = rounders theory, for example. It makes about as much sense as saying that American football is the same as soccer. Those who repeat the baseball = rounders theory are only showing their ignorance. For one thing, rounders is a younger game than baseball. It's true that rounders and baseball are derived from the same folk games, but they developed in very different ways, and neither much resembles those early games. It would be more accurate to say that baseball is derived from cricket but more accurate to say that all the modern ball and bat games are derived from early folk games like stoolball and cat, both of which we know were popular in colonial America, and both of which orignated in England, as did the game that eventually became American football. Those who understand the games know that American football is at least as much like soccer as baseball is like rounders.
You can try rationalize this for the rest of your life but at the end it is gona be the same: As a quite defference from the rest of the planet soccer have paid detractors inside the USA sport media and they never, I repeat never will give up on their intentions to derail anything that have to do with soccer as a masive sports ....
One of the things that chaps me the most is the sports media's insistence that fist fights on skates is the "fourth major sport"...In Dallas the NHL (R.I.P.) gets about ten times the coverage ( I am not exaggerating) in the Dallas Morning News than does the MLS... T.V. ratings are about the same, average attendence about the same for the two leagues, coverage is miles apart...I for one hope those drunk, overpaid canadians stay on strike forever....
Britain DID side with the South during the SECOND American Civil War....you should read some English history books about the first American civil war...... ( known over here as the revolutionary war...nearly all of the leaders of the colonists were of English heritage...and being English were not want to take orders from anyone....including the English....
I think soccer's time is quickly coming in the U.S. Here's why: 1. Nobody really likes hockey except those living on the U.S. Canadian border and New Englanders/New Yorkers. 2. ESPN2, YES, and FSN all cover soccer pretty regularly...that doesn't suck too much. 3. More U.S. kids are now playing soccer than football and baseball combined. 4. Nike, Adidas, Reebok all stand to gain big by the U.S. embracing the world soccer market. 5. It is getting some huge attention in the U.S. during the Olympics the last few times. Even though the US sports media seems to be anti-soccer, even Jim Rome (my favorite sports guy) who slams soccer regularly, has lately given props and interviews to a few soccer guys. It's just a matter of time.
As long as I don't have to listen to 2 hours of ESPN programming dedicated to a dance done in the other team's penalty box after a goal i'll be happy. Seriously they had ESPN on in the gym the other night and 2 hours of it's programming was dedicated to a dance that Terrel Owen's did in the endzone.....isn't dancing girly anyways?
Obviously, you don't follow American football that much, because that dance was one of the funniest things ever done at a football game. The idea was TO was making fun of a guy from the other team (Ray Lewis, the guy who was allegedly involved in a murder the week of the Superbowl a few years ago).
Its all about money. Soccer needs a sugar daddy with deep pockets. The MLS should re-evaluate foreign ownership. There are dozens of foreign teams that want to invest in US soccer but are not allowed. Bring the dollars and it will bring the fans, TV and all the rest
Americans are used to watching the best in all their sports be they team or individual..the perception, correct, is that the soccer played in MLS is not the best in the world, hence the general lack of interest, attendence etc. Americans will show up in large numbers when the best is on show...WC 94 set attendence records for a world cup that won't be beaten until the event is held here again...ponder this: for how many other sports would 55,000 people pay $75.00 a pop to watch bulgaria vs nigeria in Dallas, Texas as they did in WC 94 ? ....I rest my case....
P.S. bulgaria vs nigeria wouldn't draw flies in Italy or spain.....hell in WC 1990 the italians didn't even sell out England vs Germany in the semi-final..
The WC in 1994 was the first one where all tickets were available in advance. Indeed, ticketing was structured in such a way that you pretty much had to buy up a set of tickets rather than buying individual games. The upshot of that was that people were buying tickets for games without having a clue who'd be playing. It's also highly likely that Italy being knocked out at the semi-final stage the previous day might have dampened the enthusiasm of a few Italians with tickets in 1990. The fact that they didn't show up isn't the same as having tickets unsold.
And this is relevant how? I don't think anyone was talking about how good Beckham is as a player. The fact is, however undeservedly, Beckham is one of the two most recognized faces in world football, and his popularity has been useful in spreading the game. That's what the original poster was talking about. However the suggestion that he be rewarded with a position at FIFA is laughable. Beckham is only interested in self-promotion anyway, any benefit to the game is incidental to him.
This is why i dont think soccer is breaking through in the US. I dont belive soccer means the same for you USA-soccer fans and for us European soccer fans. To me soccer isn`t first of all love for the game. It isn`t just about the game it self. In the US you have this few big clubs who shall cover large areas. In Europe we have many little clubs. These Clubs represent the area you acctually grew up in. I think we identify our self with our club differently than you do. I understand that NY Metrostars have fans not only in NY city but in Ny state and in New Jersy and other areas around. These fans cant identify them self with the club when they didnt even grew up in the city the club is playing its home games in. I dont trying to disrespect US-fans at all. I belive they love and understand the game just as Europeans do. But i cant belive they got that identity-feeling with the clubs as we do. In US only people who really likes soccer goes to the games. In Europe many people who never watches soccer or cares for soccer in general, often follow their local team anyway. Especially when their local team plays another team from the same city (derby-mathes), beacause it means something to them if there local team wins or loses. They dont care so much for the game, but they feel that the team represent them. I think US-fans is totally missing out on this. Its a shame you havent got any derby mathces. For many fans in Europe, winning a local derby match is as important as winning the league. For me going to the away games in fan busses, drinking bear, shouting and singing at the stands is Soccer. Its not just about the game. But you cant do that. While we have many away-matches which takes a 1-2 hours in busses, you cant drive from New York to Dallas or LA. Well you can but it would be extremly boring. Especally if you lose...... Would it not be more exciting for New York soccer-fans to play local clubs like Harlem, Brooklynn, Bronx, Queens? You should know the feeling when you lose against the local club you hate so much, and taking the oral abuse from the guy you work with the next day, because he is fan of the club that won. And the feeling the next time, when your team has won and you can have your revenge. If i was growing up in the Bronx, i cant understand why people would rather see New York Metrostars play Kansas instead of Bronx playing Brooklynn. Relligation is another thing. If your team is not among the best teams, its boring and there is really nothing to fight for. In Europe you have to fight for the right to play among the best also next year. Well this is my thoughts, and i hope soccer one day will get the media covers it desserves in the US. David
I think big corps havent caught on jet or maybe they have, but here in the U.S we always have to have a winner for everything. Thats the way it is you know the old saying "second place is the first loser" well there you go most Americans cant imagine why play 90 minutes without a winner. We all know that if Crystal Palace (EPL) holds Arsenal (EPL) to a draw like this past weekend, well thats no a draw its more like a lost. ESPN and ESPN2 showing the world series of poker. Give me a brake I like poker, but when did poker become a sport? we need soccer on on the local channels. The only time I get soccer on the local channel is when the MLS starts and when MLS cup is played otherwise I have to watch FOX SPORTS WORLD and I have to PAY EXTRA for that package. I was pleased to see one game of MLS on ESPN2 on Saturdays early in the season now instead world series of poker. What a joke. Look we need to press these channels by e-mailling more about "hey when are you guys start carrying more soccer" otherwise they think no one is watching. If they watch they will come.... onece big sponsors see that there is a following we will see more endorsement. I know ADU got a million dollars for NIKE, but thast nothing compared to Labron James 100million endorsement see thge difference which sport get the most coverage? B-ball or soccer. I trully believe we have alot to offer the world in talent, we just need to get up to par with our league and coverage of our league.
This changes next season when the Mexican side Chivas enters a team that will be playing in Los Angeles, sharing the stadium with Los Angeles Galaxy.
This is why every time you are not watching something else program you satelites cable to jump to the Soccer games. How many times has there been no-one in front of your TV and there is a game on???? They can't tell if your sitting in front of tv watching the game, yet!
This is why every time you are not watching something else program you satelites cable to jump to the Soccer games. Sorry, I did not understand the above. How many times has there been no-one in front of your TV and there is a game on???? They can't tell if your sitting in front of tv watching the game, yet! Well I dont know exactly how television networks go about decideing how the progarmming is done. I do know that if enough calls, letters and e-mails about soccer programming comes their way they might consider carrying more of it. I have in numerus of occasions called my local cable company and asked if when or if they are ever going to carry GOLtv for example. If more of us did this maybe local cable companies would see it profitible to carry such channel, at the end of the day it's all about money. I know theres a big group of us out there that wants more soccer on the American airways. I can tell just by looking at bigsoccer.com may be if we had some way of getting the attention of these networks we could see more soccer on the local and cable channels. If there is anybody out there who knows how to go about doing this lets hear it, I'm for writting an e-mail or anything LEGAL to get more soccer on TV.
Americans do this in a different way. For people living outside of big cities, more rural areas they do this sort of support for their local college team. For me I was born in Chicago and support my sports teams from there, but I moved to South Carolina and have since supported a college team here called Clemson. Their main rival is another college in state The University of South Carolina. Now lots of states have this sort of setup, sometimes it may cross state lines as Ohio State vs. Michigan is a huge game every year in college football. I think you only need to look at how well these games are attended every year. Numerous schools have stadiums that fit more than 100,000 people. Hell a pretty small school like Clemson has a stadium that seats more than 80,000 people. That would be like having Porstmouth having a stadium the size of Man U. Now certain areas of the US support things differently as the Northeast doesn't really give a crap about college football but loves pro sports because there are more pro sports to choose from up there while in lesser populated areas like the south pro sports is followed much less intensly than college football and to some degree college basketball. Now what the US needs to make soccer popular is a superstar the likes of Pele to get us a world cup would do the trick. As for the media holding the sport back, you guys and gals need to let your local tv reporters know you want more coverage, most think nobody follows the sport and that is why it isn't covered, sorry all you conspiracy theroists out there. As for relegation I would love to see it but the owners won't go for it and they are in control. Also that is a benefit of the salary cap that the NFL uses, it brings parity to the league and a team that was bottom of the league last year can make do moves in the offseason and become champion the next year. Granted I wish the cap wasn't so small as to break up championship teams the day after they win but from a fans perspective it brings more teams into contention than the same three or four like over in Europe.