Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000's?

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

Many people still bash football here and call it a sport for dorks, sissies and foreigners.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

Late last July I walked past a line outside a building and heard two different groups of people, probably about 50 feet apart from one another, discussing the recent World Cup. That was in Cooperstown, New York, and that line was outside the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

At my school at least 100 kids play soccer at a time and they use their hands and they tackle each other(American football type tackle). So my answer is a definite maybe.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

So, if they use their hands to move the ball:

How is it soccer?

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

What do you guys think about FIFA the video game? It might sound funny but that game does big things for the sport in the under 25 demographic. I can't tell you how many peope I know that never gave soccer a chance but love the sport now because someone put them on to FIFA the game.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

the national team has become part of our culture. It didn't feel like it was back in the 90's and 2000's. 2010 was the first year I really felt it was. People stopped supporting France or Italy just because their grandparents came from there and started to support their own country (God, I hate these kind of people)

I hope the Gold Cup can take advantage of the interest in the USNT. Americans like winners and its a tournament we would be favored to win.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

There is much less hostility towards soccer in the US now. Without a doubt. No question. Even my pals I watch NFL with now ask me about important games, just becuase they saw something on ESPN SportsCenter... all those little clips add up. "Did you see the Uruguay guy?? Unbelievable.How can he do that?"

Also- I think you have to realize that the US is to the point where even if you didn't grow up playing soccer, you have a kid or a grandkid that DOES play soccer. It's now to the point where guys who used to be more hostile have approached me for tips on coaching their daughters teams!!!

ESPN is betting big on soccer and WC broadcasts so I expect the sport to continue to grow here- they really have alot of influence in the US.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

YES. Totally agree. FIFA videogames require an in-depth understanding of teams and players so kids quickly become very familiar. Unless you want to get crushed you have no choice. FIFA takes understanding that used to take years to acquire and compresses it. You have to know personnel, tactics, and formations. For example, I knew very little about hockey until I played the NHL game...a month into it I knew all the best teams, players, and even many players' preferred side to shoot. Either that or have my friends making fun of me and gloating, which wasn't an option.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

The people who are giving it a chance now were likely always giving it a chance, and those who didn't, still aren't. Luckily, the latter group is starting to get old and senile.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

Sometimes it's the little passing references that can be the most telling: A couple of days ago ESPN's Page 2 published a list of "What 2011 babies will never know in sports." Tucked into the middle of the list was this:

• Soccer as an exotic, niche, vaguely un-American sport

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

That's exactly how I started becoming interested in hockey. Where I am from, it snows once every 10-15 years, and ice is something you put into your tea.

20+ years later, I'm still an NHL fan. All because of video games when I was a kid. I moved to a part of Florida with a lot of northern kids, who came from hockey environments. Most kids were amazed I knew who their heros were, and could name the players on their teams, all because of nhl games.

I've gotten at least 4 people interested in Soccer through various incarnations of the FIFA franchise. Two are rabid fans, the others are more WC 4 year types, but they all love the sport well enough and that's all that matters.

I got into hockey video games about right about the time Paul kicked a goal that sent us to the WC. I started watching NHL in 1988- 1990 and haven't looked back since.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPC16du5WNU&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - NFL Player Chad Ochocinco visits Real Madrid[/ame]

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

Once I can finally get a soccer game in my town's pub, then I will declare it lessened. I have requested multiple times and have been mocked as many.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

funny but in columbia, south carolina, when the world cup was on.

every bars ad on the newspaper would have it hightlighted

"world cup games live, all soccer fans are welcomed."

if you have requested games and they wont put them on, f.. them, find a different bar.

we always get together with friends and when it comes to big games on tv like the college cup or the usmnt, usually about 5 of us or more ask for the soccer game to be put on, and they do it.

when there is a basketball game or a football going on, they tell us they gone get us a table where we can watch the soccer game bc some people are watching the other game, which is a lie anyway, most people in the bars dont care of what is on tv unless is their hometown team.

anyway, i dont know what kind of bars you go to, or maybe you just go by yourself, but for the most part, they will put the game on, i mean you are a customer, they want/need your money...

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

I agree with the above. That has to be some pretty powerful haterade taken by the bar's management to continuously refuse to put on a soccer game.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

I agree too. I know South Bend is ND Football land, but there's a huge international student contingent that has to be watching games somewhere. Plus ND is NCAA Womens Champs so ditch the old bar!

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

Maybe the culture is different here in Portland, but I never noticed any anti-soccer sentiment to begin with. Soccer wasn't on TV as often and didn't receive as much media attention, but other than that it wasn't treated any differently than Football, Basketball, or Baseball. Now that we are getting an MLS team, Soccer could even surpass the amount of media attention that Baseball gets here.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

Damn,you live in a cool city. I can't wait to make it out there for a game.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

I wouldn't say anybody considers it "cool" to like soccer. If they aren't fans themselves, chances are they'll just go on to the next topic, kind of like if you told them your hobby was coin collecting. But there's not a lot of active hostility that I notice, but I don't think there was ever any active hostility.

At work a guy said, "I thought this was America" in response to overhearing me talk about the results of a recent game. He was just trying to be funny, I wouldn't call it hostile.

Generally people accept that it's part of American life now, but the vast majority still don't have any interest in it or knowledge of it, outside of youth soccer if they are parents.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

i guess it depends, with me since im brown, they expect me to like and to know about soccer

i told a dude on the basketball the other day that i was going to watch the tostitos bowl haha i was like, "i hope oregon wins" and he was like

"you mean american football? you like american football" my answer was yeah of course.

i wear my soccer stuff most of the time as well, and a lot of people know that i was one of those legenday high school players so not a big deal for me to talk about soccer anywhere.

idk is still "weird" to talk about soccer to the average american i guess.

my roommate is a former baseball player, kind like redneck.

once i started showing him ronaldinhos videos he was like "ohhh my he is fast."

we joke around a lot, he tells me that soccer isnt a real sport, i tell him baseball players are fat, and we are cool.

 

Re: Question for Americans: Is there less anti-soccer sentiment in America now than in the 90's-2000

It seems to me that people are more willing to accept soccer now than they were 10-20 years ago. I think people get more excited about the World Cup now for sure, but I think the domestic league is still a big work in progress.