If this had happened at a soccer game it would have gotten a lot more attention from the media, who would have said that America doesn't need soccer bringing in "foreign" hooliganism. http://www.latimes.com/sports/ats-ap_sports10sep20,1,5169316.story?coll=sns-ap-topsports
I like how the article's conclusion puts it all in perspective: "The Giants, who won the game 6-4, had already clinched the National League West on Wednesday. Friday's loss, meanwhile, dropped the Dodgers three games behind Philadelphia in the National League wild-card race. "
So now we're attacking the soccer bashers for not only what they say, but what they would have said if some hypothetical situation happened?
Well, I've heard some outrageous allegations leveled at soccer for similar occurences. No one is going to imply that there's something inherent to baseball that lead to anyone being shot. That said, there's absolutely no way this would've received more coverage if it had been a soccer match. The fact that it was at a baseball game is likely to be perceived as the story itself.
It's just this theory that perceptions of "hooliganism" hurt soccer attendance in this country makes no sense to me. It seems to me if the whole country thought that nothing but riots and fist fights happened at soccer games, MLS would have so many 19 year old guys at games, they'd sell out every match. Ask Harley Davidson if being associated with thugs and hoodlums hurts sales...
No, it wouldn't. This had nothing to do with the game. The parties involved could have been arguing over aluminum siding, for all we know, and could have happened anywhere. It has more to do with LA being a place where people get shot in stadium parking lots, regardless of the sport.