What are you more interested in today?
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Seriously. Old men are sad. 162 games!at regular season baseball games vs. the World Cup or the U.S. Open.
I said I don’t watch soccer or golf.AAABatteries said:at regular season baseball games vs. the World Cup or the U.S. Open.
I think I’m now to the point where I’d rather watch any other sport than soccer, even the loosest term for sport (darts, cornhole, E-sports, etc). Even NASCAR has surpassed it in excitement levelAAABatteries said:at regular season baseball games vs. the World Cup or the U.S. Open.
Idle curiosity. I have a friend who is a golf fan who is not a soccer fan and he's been railing the last couple of days that local sports bars here have all soccer on TV and no golf. Just thought I'd ask here. And for sure, glad to give you guys a place to talk about it. I know it's hugely popular. I did watch some of the Brazil game today and thought it was fun.So what are you curious about here, Joe? Got long range commercial interests or just making idle conversation about popularity trends in our domestic sports? I got no beef with either or even something entirely different, fwiw.
I think futbol has a long -- long -- way to go to become embedded in the larger culture. Those of us who are fans have mostly made our peace with that. I'm glad your board provides a place for we dorks to post about the most fun, and funniest, sport on the planet.
I actually think you are wrong about this. Think about what has happened just in the last 5 years in terms of exposure and interest in the US.I think futbol has a long -- long -- way to go to become embedded in the larger culture. Those of us who are fans have mostly made our peace with that. I'm glad your board provides a place for we dorks to post about the most fun, and funniest, sport on the planet.
Thanks. This was almost exactly as I would have predicted. I know we have strong Soccer support here and that's awesome.@Joe Bryant when you set up the poll, did you have any predictions in mind in terms of how the vote would turned out? Just curious to see if the results are what you expected or not.
I don't see it. I've probably watched more live soccer games this year than anyone here. Big time college soccer conferences games frequently struggle to draw 1000 while their football counterparts are drawing 50,000+. This is with 10,000 -35,000 of a built in fanbase of the younger generation living within walking distance of their home field. Also tickets for these soccer games are a 10th of the cost.I actually think you are wrong about this. Think about what has happened just in the last 5 years in terms of exposure and interest in the US.
All of those kids that started playing soccer years and years ago are having children (my generation), and now millions of kids are playing soccer and watching soccer with their dads. I have young kids, but there are parents my age that are starting to have grandkids, and THOSE kids are playing soccer at a growing rate.
Soccer is EXPLODING here and on the fringes of the mainstream (if not already). And it is a sport that the younger demographic that companies love are flocking towards.
This is only the beginning.
edit to add: soccer in my lifetime will approach NFL numbers in terms of ratings. And certainly soccer will have way more participation than football.
You’ve used this analogy before and everybody told you it was terrible. There is no big time college soccer in the US. The quality of player compared to college football is laughable. Big schools like fsu don’t even have a team.I don't see it. I've probably watched more live soccer games this year than anyone here. Big time college soccer conferences games frequently struggle to draw 1000 while their football counterparts are drawing 50,000+. This is with 10,000 -35,000 of a built in fanbase of the younger generation living within walking distance of their home field. Also tickets for these soccer games are a 10th of the cost.
You’ve used this analogy before and everybody told you it was terrible. There is no big time college soccer in the US. The quality of player compared to college football is laughable. Big schools like fsu don’t even have a team.
This somewhat supports you (college football attendance down), but FCS is drawing 8000+ per game. The caliber of soccer athlete in ACC is far superior to FCS football players.Memphis and Tennessee both experienced a decline in their per-game home attendance numbers last season, according to figures released by the NCAA.
Memphis had a 2.8 percent decrease in per-game attendance from 2016 to 2017 (37,346 in 2016 for seven home games to 36,302 in eight home games). That’s a slight dip compared to Tennessee, whose average attendance dropped by more than 5,000 last season.
The Vols had a per-game attendance of 95,779 last season, a 5.14 percent decrease from 2016, when they averaged 100,968 per game. Tennessee still ranked No. 7 among FBS schools in total attendance.
The declines were part of a bigger trend with FBS schools having their largest drop in per-game attendance in 34 years. The average per-game attendance in 2017 was 42,203, which was 1,409 fewer than the 2016 season.
FCS schools averaged 8,223 fans per game, a decline from 8,357 the previous season.
End the brainwashingI said I don’t watch soccer or golf.
If we’re comparing baseball to other sports as far as boredom goes, soccer and golf are not the best ways to make your case.
I’m....not using that argument. My point was college soccer is not a big deal in the us and using that to show that the game isn’t growing rapidly is a false equivalence. From what I understand, many of the best young US soccer players don’t even play in college.This somewhat supports you (college football attendance down), but FCS is drawing 8000+ per game. The caliber of soccer athlete in ACC is far superior to FCS football players.
LOL at using the argument that your school doesn't even have a team to support soccer taking over in the US.
College soccer isn’t really importantI don't see it. I've probably watched more live soccer games this year than anyone here. Big time college soccer conferences games frequently struggle to draw 1000 while their football counterparts are drawing 50,000+. This is with 10,000 -35,000 of a built in fanbase of the younger generation living within walking distance of their home field. Also tickets for these soccer games are a 10th of the cost.
I'm just saying that I would expect to see a shift and it become a bigger deal with these "millions of kids" generation attending these schools.I’m....not using that argument. My point was college soccer is not a big deal in the us and using that to show that the game isn’t growing rapidly is a false equivalence. From what I understand, many of the best young US soccer players don’t even play in college.
Eh, it's not worth the effort. It's like trying to convince someone my favorite ice cream flavor is better than theirs. No rationale is going to overcome taste.Alternate prediction:
Soccer nerds and baseball nerds will try to convince each other that their sport is less boring than the other.
In what way were you surprised?US Open by a mile. A little surprised at the vote results, but to each his own.
On the surface that seems correct, but if you eliminated offsides the defenses would likely bunker leading to less scoring in many games.Favorite sporting event for me is the Ryder Cup by a wide margin. Final round of the US Open vs opening round of the World Cup that the USA didn't even qualify for?
Not close. US Open. I freaking hate the offsides in soccer. Defense should have to check the offensive player - not the other way around. Hate that.
I'm willing to have an open mind. Please elaborate.On the surface that seems correct, but if you eliminated offsides the defenses would likely bunker leading to less scoring in many games.
On a typical weekend, 1.5 to 2 million tune into golf. It's hard to compare to soccer because their are numerous choices and the best soccer games are on in the US before noon. The average EPL game draws close to 400,000 viewers for a single game. The average soccer game garners 350,000 viewers. 5-6 games over a weekend puts you on par with the PGA.US Open by a mile. A little surprised at the vote results, but to each his own.
I thought there were more golf fans on the board than soccer fans. But I realize i'm one of the older guys and many younger guys like soccer. I don't dislike it, just would rather watch golf, as it is something I play myself. I will certainly watch the world cup once they get into the final rounds of matches.In what way were you surprised?
This. Kids and I went to the SKC game against Dallas Saturday night and we bounced in the cauldron for 90 minutes. Way more fan participation and excitement than a Royals or Chiefs game - maybe the WS run was close or the Chiefs playoff games in the 90s.I actually think you are wrong about this. Think about what has happened just in the last 5 years in terms of exposure and interest in the US.
All of those kids that started playing soccer years and years ago are having children (my generation), and now millions of kids are playing soccer and watching soccer with their dads. I have young kids, but there are parents my age that are starting to have grandkids, and THOSE kids are playing soccer at a growing rate.
Soccer is EXPLODING here and on the fringes of the mainstream (if not already). And it is a sport that the younger demographic that companies love are flocking towards.
This is only the beginning.
edit to add: soccer in my lifetime will approach NFL numbers in terms of ratings. And certainly soccer will have way more participation than football.
I think there is a big correlation between having a popular MLS team in your area and liking the sport.This. Kids and I went to the SKC game against Dallas Saturday night and we bounced in the cauldron for 90 minutes. Way more fan participation and excitement than a Royals or Chiefs game - maybe the WS run was close or the Chiefs playoff games in the 90s.
Reasonable ticket prices, free parking and shuttles, and a game that won’t run over 2:15 are all a huge plus. My daughter was trying to learn more of the chants on her phone on the way home and my son wants a scarf.
The crowds were young and engaged and I don’t see the momentum slowing.
How can there be less than zero?On the surface that seems correct, but if you eliminated offsides the defenses would likely bunker leading to less scoring in many games.
Wait till it's re-organized. Think of how excited the kids in Altoona are gonna be.I think there is a big correlation between having a popular MLS team in your area and liking the sport.
Places like Portland, Seattle, KC, Atlanta, Orlando and others are really starting to make deep long lasting fans, adults and kids alike.
But it is not like that every where yet and the sport still has plenty of growth potential left in it.