Does anyone know of good sources of data relating to some of the frequently mentioned numbers behind soccer participation in the States? Not game stats or archives -- more along the idea of: •Number of youth players (boys/girls) •Number of high school players (boys/girls) •Number of collegiate players And -- if you know that -- do you have any leads on finding info on soccer related spending, or revenues generated through soccer participation, or any such "market" info? Any leads on such would be appreciated -- thanks!
A poster here in the Stats and Analysis Forum was asking many of the same questions in a bit of a different way. I'm not sure if he found any answers. I'm a littl econfused as to what exactly you mean as data not stats. However, there are plenty of sites related to the sociologocial effect and history of soccer. Those might help you out. If you find your answers would you please post them in here. It'd be nice to hace sort of a Bigsoccer hard copy of some of those answers.
STATS and DATA I guess the distinction I'm drawing between STATS and DATA is that between game statistics, match reports or archived results (stats) AND those data reporting on soccer demographics, revenues and participation numbers. Thanks, sregis, for your link. Since my request, I have uncovered a useful report jointly published by US Soccer, Soccer America and the Sporting Goods Manufacturers' Association. It's a perfect, packaged introduction to the demographic info relating to soccer in the States. If I can figure out the steps (I'm new at Big Soccer), I'll download it and link it here or attach it to the relevant forum. It's not revolutionary, it's just a one-stop shop for a lot of the info often cited when referring to the growth of the American soccer culture.
Also check out the US Soccer Foundation's "Soccer in the USA 2002-2003" publication (there doesn't seem to have been a 2003-2004 edition published): http://www.ussoccerfoundation.org/downloads/soccerintheusa.pdf and (if you want to spend some money): http://www.sgma.com/reports/2003/report1055255060-27852.html
yeah tehse types of questiosn come up every now and then. might be a decent sticky in the Soccer in America forum, or you could just dump the info in the Stats & Analysis forum which has become a bit of an appendix for Bigsoccer. Congrats on finding what you were looking for.