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Why soccer will never be big in the USA....... (1 Viewer)
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The Gator
Footballguy
2.5 hours? If it goes to extra time, then PKs that last 12 rounds, then yes
Games are less than two hours
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comfortably numb
Footballguy
a few other things i think soccer does really well
-no commercials, no time stoppage
You sit down for about 48 min and don't have a time stoppage, a time out, a commercial break
-40 game season
Seem like a perfect amount of games for a season. Many NBA/NHL casual fans wouldn't mind the regular season to be cut
-promotion and relegation
great way to get interest all around. Top teams playing for the title and the bottom team fighting for their league life.
One big thing Euro leagues are missing that US people want are playoffs.
Heck, in college we have instituted 2 playoffs in some conferences. You win your regular season title, you play a conference tournament, then you make it to the NCAA tournament. We love our playoffs.
-no commercials, no time stoppage
You sit down for about 48 min and don't have a time stoppage, a time out, a commercial break
-40 game season
Seem like a perfect amount of games for a season. Many NBA/NHL casual fans wouldn't mind the regular season to be cut
-promotion and relegation
great way to get interest all around. Top teams playing for the title and the bottom team fighting for their league life.
One big thing Euro leagues are missing that US people want are playoffs.
Heck, in college we have instituted 2 playoffs in some conferences. You win your regular season title, you play a conference tournament, then you make it to the NCAA tournament. We love our playoffs.
Playoffs are good.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Champions League does take on some of the playoff like qualities and many leagues have promotion and relegation playoffs and others have playoffs for various spots in the Europa League.I love playoffs though. I like that MLS has found some balance between rewarding the champion at yhe end of the regular season while still having a normal playoff system.
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The best player in the world is 5'5 and about 95 pounds, how could all those big/fast guys not be the best in the world?
I'll try to sum up why Americans will never accept soccer:
-America is not the best at soccer
-Americans will not accept a sport they are not the best at
-Americans will explain why they aren't the best
-Americans will belittle sport they are not the best at
Many other nations are better at soccer, and it's not because America doesn't try, and it's not because football and basketball players don't play soccer. Americans are simply not as good as many other nations. No need to be scared and defensive, accept it and enjoy or move on.
I apologize to Americans who like soccer, and those who don't but don't make excuses as to why America doesn't dominate. I also fully realize that the rest of the world does the same thing about American sports.
I look forward to this thread in four years.
The Gator
Footballguy
Do you mean if we took those guys now and trained them or do you mean if they started playing soccer at 4 years old?The best player in the world is 5'5 and about 95 pounds, how could all those big/fast guys not be the best in the world?
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Americans, especially young or hispanic in origin have already accepted soccer. The only ones who don't as a demographic are the older generation.The best player in the world is 5'5 and about 95 pounds, how could all those big/fast guys not be the best in the world?
I'll try to sum up why Americans will never accept soccer
.
The facts (ratings, attendance, sponsorship, team valuations, stadiums, expansion fees, tv contract values etc etc) show the sport in nothing but an upward growth. Not acknowledging these facts just shows a bias instead of a balanced thought process.
Of course a lot of people won't like soccer. Just as there is a lot of people who don't like any particular sport.
19 out of 20 people in America see the World Series on TV and choose not to watch it.
Luckily we have such a big and diverse population that we can support numerous sports even with out any where near a majority.
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Can the USMNT start 4 goalies?Do you mean if we took those guys now and trained them or do you mean if they started playing soccer at 4 years old?The best player in the world is 5'5 and about 95 pounds, how could all those big/fast guys not be the best in the world?
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Ask the soccer crazy African countries why their bigger stronger faster players on their teams lose out to smaller skillful players from other countries.
Riversco
Footballguy
Ratings look pretty dismal for soccer.
The cup final's best ratings were its first two years in 96 and 97 with a 1.4. They nosed to 0.6 by the last year it was on ABC in 2008. Last year's cup final set a new record low rating at 0.5. Regular season ratings also show deterioration.
I don't know how viable MLS on TV is. MLS just got a new TV deal for $90 million per year, up from $30 per year in the old deal. So someone still believes in MLS TV. But was it a mistake to cut that deal? The NHL TV deal is $200 million per year and their TV ratings are MUCH higher.
The attendance numbers are the bright spot, especially in select markets.
The cup final's best ratings were its first two years in 96 and 97 with a 1.4. They nosed to 0.6 by the last year it was on ABC in 2008. Last year's cup final set a new record low rating at 0.5. Regular season ratings also show deterioration.
I don't know how viable MLS on TV is. MLS just got a new TV deal for $90 million per year, up from $30 per year in the old deal. So someone still believes in MLS TV. But was it a mistake to cut that deal? The NHL TV deal is $200 million per year and their TV ratings are MUCH higher.
The attendance numbers are the bright spot, especially in select markets.
The Gator
Footballguy
They are going to be focusing on a standardized TV schedule for MLS. I know what day/time every week I can catch an EPL game, not the same for MLS. They've been too herky-jerky with when their games are on. They are going to focus on getting games on TV at certain times and repeatedly at those times every week/month. This will help IMMENSELY and should start their TV uptrend.
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Riversco
Footballguy
I've heard that assertion before and one that could backfire. If ratings don't uptick after people keep asserting they will with a standardized schedule, that could push execs over into the "MLS is a failure" camp. So this is a pivotal TV contract.
I don't think huge tv ratings are that critical if attendance and interest continues to grow.
Riversco
Footballguy
No-one was talking huge ratings though. If they could just stop the TV ratings from hitting record lows, that would be a start.
The Gator
Footballguy
As far as I know this is the first time they're trying to get on a standard/repeated schedule. I do agree, this is a very pivotal time for them with their TV ratings. There won't be too many excuses after this
People have said the same of hockey. It's not as important as people make it out to be.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Agreed.
But it also a long contract(8 years) and MLS ratings are pretty low to start with so they do have some room to move. So who knows what it will be in 8 years.
I do hope they(Fox, ESPN and Univision) at least stick with the standardized time slots for a couple years.
One big item is obviously expansion. Having a team in NY proper as well as covering the Southeast with Atlanta, Miami and Orlando will give the league a national foot print it has never had before.
Before the TV deal is over, there should be at least two more teams as well added.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
MLS ratings are showing some signs of life. They are up over 100% compared to last year on NBCSN after the same amount of games played.
They have a long way to go though.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
EPL ratings are very strong
Liga MX Ratings are fantastic
US National team ratings are solid
WC Ratings are going to be extremely high this summer
Champions League ratings on Fox have been doing very well
don't equate MLS with the entire soccer tv scene here in the US. They are just one portion of the puzzle.
STEADYMOBBIN 22
Footballguy
I don't watch because of all the ladies pretending to be hurt.
Dickies
Footballguy
The Gator
Footballguy
They need 5min commercial breaks to give the player time to recover. That way when he comes back on the field for the next play everyone will think he's a tough guy and a warrior
17seconds
root of all aliai
You aren't reading my posts, I never said that. I said it has been growing. Beckham to the Galaxy didn't cause the sport to explode. It was a short lived story for the average sports fan.
The fact is you are taking the growing of the sport and conflating that into a major, mainstream professional sport in the US. It's not and everyone knows it's not.
But anyway.. bananas. It won't be popular because of bananas. That's where we started
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comfortably numb
Footballguy
NewlyRetired said:
MLS is like watching the WAC conference in CFB.
Talent is no where near the SEC/Big10.
People know it exists but most people can't name more than 2 teams
I am enjoying watching the Euro games but have never sat through 2 min of an MLS game.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
I grew up in the 60s and people were saying back then that soccer was going be the #1 sport in the USA someday.
I don't think it is going to happen in my lifetime.
I don't think it is going to happen in my lifetime.
Premier
Footballguy
The tv ratings don't matter much now because there are multiple sports networks that need content to survive. Fox Sports 1 isn't going to make it by rolling out one hot blonde after another to do highlights shows.
FS1, NBCSN and CBSSN have all debuted in the past 5 years and all need content. You will not be lacking for MLS games if that's your thing. And certainly not the Premier League...that is definitely here to stay and will likely have a bidding war once this NBC contract is up.
FS1, NBCSN and CBSSN have all debuted in the past 5 years and all need content. You will not be lacking for MLS games if that's your thing. And certainly not the Premier League...that is definitely here to stay and will likely have a bidding war once this NBC contract is up.
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NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I don't think it is going to happen in anyones grand children's life time.
And really who cares where it lands in relative popularity? The sport is significantly more popular today than it was even 8 years ago and it will be more popular 8 years from now. That is really the only thing anyone should be concerned with.
Ned
Footballguy
Maybe this is part of the problem? We're an ADD-esque nation. All of these leagues for a casual fun just makes it seem very watered down. WTF do you watch? We all want/need that 1 major go to league.NewlyRetired said:
MLS is like watching the WAC conference in CFB.
Talent is no where near the SEC/Big10.
People know it exists but most people can't name more than 2 teams
I am enjoying watching the Euro games but have never sat through 2 min of an MLS game.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
The World Cup and Champions League are the closest you will come to that feeling but the sport is too big (ie too much talent) for there to be any one super league.Maybe this is part of the problem? We're an ADD-esque nation. All of these leagues for a casual fun just makes it seem very watered down. WTF do you watch? We all want/need that 1 major go to league.NewlyRetired said:
MLS is like watching the WAC conference in CFB.
Talent is no where near the SEC/Big10.
People know it exists but most people can't name more than 2 teams
I am enjoying watching the Euro games but have never sat through 2 min of an MLS game.
roadkill1292
Footballguy
We don't know this at all. Take a look at the history of sports popularity in this country and you see it changes every few decades. And the bananas thing is a ridiculous angle.17seconds said:
comfortably numb
Footballguy
As mentioned aboveMaybe this is part of the problem? We're an ADD-esque nation. All of these leagues for a casual fun just makes it seem very watered down. WTF do you watch? We all want/need that 1 major go to league.NewlyRetired said:
MLS is like watching the WAC conference in CFB.
Talent is no where near the SEC/Big10.
People know it exists but most people can't name more than 2 teams
I am enjoying watching the Euro games but have never sat through 2 min of an MLS game.
English Premiere League (England)
La Liga (Spain)
are the 2 big ones and all the talent is in Europe.
Basically Europe is like College basketball.
England = ACC
Spain =Big East
Italy =Big12
etc
You can follow the big teams from each "conference"
Then during the year (while each conference regular season is going on)they have the Champions league (best teams in Europe playing for NCAA championship)
Then there is a UEFA League cup this is kinda like the NIT championship
Either way,if you simply want to watch great soccer, just follow the England and Spain leagues and the above tournaments.
Watching those are watching the greatest in the world play and an entirely different level of talent and atmosphere to each game.
it's like watching a Duke/North Carolina game as opposed to a Seton Hall/Maryland game which would be the MLS right now.
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Dentist
***Official FBG Dentist***
I agree with a lot of things here:comfortably numb said:
the no commercials thing can be solved with corner ads as it is.. continuous time is still better
40 game season - agree except the season is too long... march to december?
I absolutely LOVE the ideas of relegation and promotion.. i wish that could be adapted to college football, college B-ball.. etc.
And I generally dislike playoffs so I have no issue with that.
playoffs are mostly stupid.. you have a long regular season where a team proves its worth and then you want some one-off contest to tell you who the best team is when there is a decent amount of variance in the sport? Horrid.
Norman Paperman
Footballguy
Within 50 years, the top-3 sports in the US will be Soccer, Lacrosse, and Basketball
Football will have sued itself out of existence, and baseball will die with the baby-boomers. Hockey will continue to be a niche sport.
Football will have sued itself out of existence, and baseball will die with the baby-boomers. Hockey will continue to be a niche sport.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Most countries with out winter issues run from August to May and then the summer is the offseason.
Dentist
***Official FBG Dentist***
man... i am so with you on this.. if baseball could get back to an 80's average of a 2 hr 30 min game i'd be ecstatic.
I don't even want to sit down to a game until the 3rd inning because they go so long.
this is happening in most sports... people don't want more always... less is more a lot of the time!
Dentist
***Official FBG Dentist***
well that sounds horrible too.
7 months is plenty for a sports season.. again, less would be better... you have to go away for awhile so that people "miss" your sport and look forward to it.
this is one of the main problems amongst many with tennis... they have a 1 month offseason
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
There is no off time for soccer. What I mentioned was just league play. During the summer is international play (like the World Cup, the Euro Championships, Copa America etc).
The sport runs 12 months a year.
msommer
Footballguy
Let me preface this. I really like hockey. When I lived in the US I would go to games several times during the season.But, my experience with watching it on tv is not good. I find it borderline unwatchable. I simply cannot follow the puck with certainty. Maybe I should get a wall screen or something once they start showing it in 4K mode.Aaron Rudnicki said:NHL is 2.5 hours.
msommer
Footballguy
For a European fan your priority is your own team and league, then the Spain/Italy/UK and Champions League depending on your preference (if you also like Liverpool, you'll probably watch more EPL than Serie A and the inverse if you like Juventus).I suppose this is an/the issue with MLS. If the quality of the product is not up to snuff to make you go or to sit down in front of the tv, then the risk remains that it eventually will be marginalized.As mentioned aboveMaybe this is part of the problem? We're an ADD-esque nation. All of these leagues for a casual fun just makes it seem very watered down. WTF do you watch? We all want/need that 1 major go to league.NewlyRetired said:
MLS is like watching the WAC conference in CFB.
Talent is no where near the SEC/Big10.
People know it exists but most people can't name more than 2 teams
I am enjoying watching the Euro games but have never sat through 2 min of an MLS game.
English Premiere League (England)
La Liga (Spain)
are the 2 big ones and all the talent is in Europe.
Basically Europe is like College basketball.
England = ACC
Spain =Big East
Italy =Big12
etc
You can follow the big teams from each "conference"
Then during the year (while each conference regular season is going on)they have the Champions league (best teams in Europe playing for NCAA championship)
Then there is a UEFA League cup this is kinda like the NIT championship
Either way,if you simply want to watch great soccer, just follow the England and Spain leagues and the above tournaments.
Watching those are watching the greatest in the world play and an entirely different level of talent and atmosphere to each game.
it's like watching a Duke/North Carolina game as opposed to a Seton Hall/Maryland game which would be the MLS right now.
It appears not to be a problem yet as things are pointing in the right direction. But it has been in the past and maybe it will be again.
comfortably numb
Footballguy
All joking aside, is your vision OK?Let me preface this. I really like hockey. When I lived in the US I would go to games several times during the season.But, my experience with watching it on tv is not good. I find it borderline unwatchable. I simply cannot follow the puck with certainty. Maybe I should get a wall screen or something once they start showing it in 4K mode.Aaron Rudnicki said:NHL is 2.5 hours.
I have to say I think NHL on TV is probably one of the best watchable games for me, and I am not a huge hockey fan.
McGarnicle
Footballguy
Safe bet that the NFL will be #1 for the rest of our lifetimes. It's never been bigger and continues to grow. Let's see one year of diminishing revenue before we start writing eulogies.
And soccer will never approach football or baseball in our lifetimes. At best it may equal hockey in a few decades (but I even doubt that).
And soccer will never approach football or baseball in our lifetimes. At best it may equal hockey in a few decades (but I even doubt that).
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
It will take many decades for MLS to catch the NHL and even that is likely very optimistic.
However soccer (EPL, MLS, World Cup, Euro Championship, Copa America, Liga MX, Champions League etc) is probably already equal to hockey as a whole in the US.
The most common mistake people continue to make is trying to equate MLS to the entire sport in this country. That is a huge mistake.
McGarnicle
Footballguy
Hockey is awful on TV, especially compared to the live experience. Going to a NHL game is one of the best sports experiences there is, and I don't follow the sport at all.All joking aside, is your vision OK?Let me preface this. I really like hockey. When I lived in the US I would go to games several times during the season.But, my experience with watching it on tv is not good. I find it borderline unwatchable. I simply cannot follow the puck with certainty. Maybe I should get a wall screen or something once they start showing it in 4K mode.Aaron Rudnicki said:NHL is 2.5 hours.
I have to say I think NHL on TV is probably one of the best watchable games for me, and I am not a huge hockey fan.
Clifford
Footballguy
roadkill1292
Footballguy
Fatboyz football could easily get down close to the two hour mark if it was just willing to give up some of its commercial time and adjust the clock rules. There's no reason for most of the clock stoppages, like incomplete passes. Which kinda doesn't jibe with the "ADD-American fan" argument that is offered all the time -- we're certainly willing to sit through endless commercial breaks. Unless I'm misinterpreting the ADD argument in general. Does that mean we can't watch an athletic contest for 45 minutes straight? Because once you get used to that, commercial breaks are just unbearable.
