Are Americans becoming Soccer ( Football ) Fans?

[gabriel]

I have absolutely no idea whether soccer is big in the US. It's OK to watch ocassionally IMO but it's not the big sport for me.

[iamjumbo]

Nov 27, 2009 12:22:27 GMT gabriel said:

I have absolutely no idea whether soccer is big in the US. It's OK to watch ocassionally IMO but it's not the big sport for me.

forty years from now, it will be. it is pretty big with kids, and there are soccer leagues in every city and school. it will take a couple of generations though for those kids to have kids and make it a popular spectator sport

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

I've tried to watch soccer a number of times but have always found it to be about on par with badminton and curling in terms of excitement and interest. Just a lot of running back and forth with very little scoring. Most of the games I've tried to watch have been won on penalty kicks or with an opposing team shorthanded. Seems like the games are often won or lost by the referees rather than the players. Hockey is another non-starter for me and for the same reasons.

Houston has a professional soccer team and the games are well attended. However, the fans are mostly latino immigrants from Mexico and Latin America. There aren't many native Americans who bother to attend.

However, I'm not down on all Euro sports. For me the Tour de France is a high point of the sports year. It's a sport that has benefitted greatly from technology. I love those small portable video cameras that can send clear TV signals from a photographer on a motorcycle high in the Alps to my living room in Houston.

[fretslider]

Feb 27, 2010 18:18:24 GMT DAS (formerly BushAdmirer) said:

I've tried to watch soccer a number of times but have always found it to be about on par with badminton and curling in terms of excitement and interest. Just a lot of running back and forth with very little scoring. Most of the games I've tried to watch have been won on penalty kicks or with an opposing team shorthanded. Seems like the games are often won or lost by the referees rather than the players. Hockey is another non-starter for me and for the same reasons.

Houston has a professional soccer team and the games are well attended. However, the fans are mostly latino immigrants from Mexico and Latin America. There aren't many native Americans who bother to attend.

However, I'm not down on all Euro sports. For me the Tour de France is a high point of the sports year. It's a sport that has benefitted greatly from technology. I love those small portable video cameras that can send clear TV signals from a photographer on a motorcycle high in the Alps to my living room in Houston.

Try rugby - its a bit like your football, but without all the nancy padding

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Fret - I don't recall ever hearing or reading about a Rugby game being played in the Houston area. Might have to go to Europe to see that.

[fretslider]

Feb 27, 2010 18:26:38 GMT DAS (formerly BushAdmirer) said:

Fret - I don't recall ever hearing or reading about a Rugby game being played in the Houston area. Might have to go to Europe to see that.

DAS the six nations championship is on now, check the TV or go online.....

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Not possible Fret. The Setanta Sports Channel is on Directv channel 615 and Dish channel 406 costing $14,99 a month. They have the six nations rugby matches on a delayed schedule. Setanta is not available on cable (which I have) only on satellite. The monthly subscription cost would be too high even if it was available because they don't carry many events that I would find of interest.

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Look here Fret www.setanta.com/US/

Setana is a specialized sports channel that isn't widely available at any price. It is available in some markets (for example, Comcast (my cable provider) only carries it in Atlanta, Boston, and San Francisco). It costs $15 per month where it is available. Most of what they carry are Euro sports (soccer and rugby) which are of little or no interest to 99 percent of USA sports fans.

We have zero exposure to Rugby, don't know the rules, never see it played live or on TV. So I don't see how it could become popular over here.

Soccer is on TV twenty four hours a day here but primarily on the Spanish language stations.

[fretslider]

Feb 28, 2010 19:43:23 GMT DAS (formerly BushAdmirer) said:

Look here Fret www.setanta.com/US/

Setana is a specialized sports channel that isn't widely available at any price. It is available in some markets (for example, Comcast (my cable provider) only carries it in Atlanta, Boston, and San Francisco). It costs $15 per month where it is available. Most of what they carry are Euro sports (soccer and rugby) which are of little or no interest to 99 percent of USA sports fans.

We have zero exposure to Rugby, don't know the rules, never see it played live or on TV. So I don't see how it could become popular over here.

Soccer is on TV twenty four hours a day here but primarily on the Spanish language stations.

DAS I thought Setanta went out of business!

Try the Irish pages... www.setanta.com/ie/

28 February 2010
18:00 GMT Wales v France
Coverage from the 2010 Six Nations rugby competition.


If the BBC covered the game use the BBC iPlayer

But don't pay!

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Fret - I did find a you tube tutorial on Rugby. It does look a lot like American football but they're missing the best part (the forward pass). Definitely has some common roots with American football. Much better than soccer. Unavailable here though.

[randomvioce]

Mar 4, 2010 2:41:23 GMT DAS (formerly BushAdmirer) said:

Fret - I did find a you tube tutorial on Rugby. It does look a lot like American football but they're missing the best part (the forward pass). Definitely has some common roots with American football. Much better than soccer. Unavailable here though.

Its the forward pass that has ruined American football. The whole point of Rugby Football is that it about 'gained ground'. You have to advance up the pitch using your power, the ball is merely the marker to how much territory you have gained. The idea you can simply run up the pitch and catch a ball thrown forward without actually taking that ground in the first place defeats the whole point of both games.

To be fair though, rugby has changed far too much in recent times. Too many rule changes have taken the enjoyment of it for me.

[iamjumbo]

Mar 4, 2010 11:56:25 GMT @randomvioce said:

Mar 4, 2010 2:41:23 GMT DAS (formerly BushAdmirer) said:

Fret - I did find a you tube tutorial on Rugby. It does look a lot like American football but they're missing the best part (the forward pass). Definitely has some common roots with American football. Much better than soccer. Unavailable here though.

Its the forward pass that has ruined American football. The whole point of Rugby Football is that it about 'gained ground'. You have to advance up the pitch using your power, the ball is merely the marker to how much territory you have gained. The idea you can simply run up the pitch and catch a ball thrown forward without actually taking that ground in the first place defeats the whole point of both games.

To be fair though, rugby has changed far too much in recent times. Too many rule changes have taken the enjoyment of it for me.

wrong. the forward pass IS football. the "three yards and a cloud of dust" is boring as hell. it was fine back when the "four horsemen" were on the scene, but it stinks.
there is also the point that, no matter how good the runner was, if there wasn't a viable threat of a pass, the entire defense gets to gang up on him, and he won't go anywhere

[randomvioce]

Mar 4, 2010 18:26:21 GMT iamjumbo said:

wrong. the forward pass IS football.

Isn't the forward pass a newish invention? I agree that it changed the game in quite a dramatic fashion, but it betrays the games origins as a 'gained ground' game, into an overblown game of catch.

[iamjumbo]

Mar 4, 2010 18:47:47 GMT @randomvioce said:

Mar 4, 2010 18:26:21 GMT iamjumbo said:

wrong. the forward pass IS football.

Isn't the forward pass a newish invention? I agree that it changed the game in quite a dramatic fashion, but it betrays the games origins as a 'gained ground' game, into an overblown game of catch.

to an extent, yes. of course, it depends on your perspective. there are people who think a defensive game is cool. a 7-3 score is their cup of tea.
of course, that is boring as hell. the reason that i liked the arena league was because the scores would be 60-57 or so. the more scoring, the better.
the only time that a run is exciting is when the chap breaks loose for forty yards or so, which is not commonplace
you must also remember that part of the game is for the defense to not allow the catch

[randomvioce]

Mar 5, 2010 12:27:22 GMT iamjumbo said:

of course, that is boring as hell.

They started showing the NFL on Channel 4 here 25 years ago or so. When LA had two teams and the Colts where still in Baltimore. Not live but just the recorded highlights. The first 3/4 would get condensed down to about 10 minutes showing touchdowns, turnovers great plays etc. Missing out the punts, three and outs and small gains etc. They would then show the last quarter 'as live', with the breaks for time outs and turnovers taken out.

That worked well, until they started showing the whole game live and then the viewing figures dived.

I think the games are too slow for British sports fans. The NFL sunday night game is on Channel 5 now, which is a bit of a come down, although the superbowl is on the BBC. I don't think Channel 5 can afford the rights, so the public service broadcasters has to take it over. The 3rd quarter blow out in the late 80s didn't help either to be honest.

For me, the game only works from the two minute warning. That is when it gets interesting, with a no huddle offence on the pitch. The rest is just build up.

Don't get wrong, I am not knocking the sport, I am not trying to bad mouth another person's passion, or say it is a silly game or anything like that, just not my cup of tea. I can accept that America may never take up normal football and that some find it and rugby boring.

You guys like your sports and we prefer ours. No problem either way.

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

My sports interests are in the following order:
1. NBA Basketball - the players are so athletic - you can see the talent. It's very fast moving.
2. Tour de France - I look forward to the three weeks in July when the tour is on TV. It's early in the morning over here and a great event.
3. NFL Football - The games are exciting to watch but there are too many injuries, too many overpaid primma donnas, and only sixteen games in an entire season (except for the playoffs and preseason practice games).
4. Girls Beach Volleyball - Love the uniforms :-)
5. Professional Tennis - The great events like Wimbeldon and the French Open can be spectacular sporting events when the top players are evenly matched.
6. College Basketball
7. College Football (USA)
8. Baseball (really a minor interest)

That's really about it. I'd put all of the following into the same category (Zero Interest, I would turn down a free ticket to the world championship match): Auto racing, golf, soccer, wrestling, boxing, hunting, table tennis, horse racing, track and field (except in the Olympics), hockey, shooting sports, fencing, swimming, bowling, skateboarding,

[beth]

I came across this on a blog today and thought some of you might get a kick out of it. It is not very kind to U.S. sports fans, but has a few grains of truth here and there .


7 Reasons Americans Will Never Embrace Soccer

I like my beer cold, my TV loud, and my grill flaming. I’m as red-blooded American as they come, and one of the biggest sports fans you will ever meet. I consider myself a human database of football stats, basketball trades, baseball figures, NASCAR victories, and even the current cricket standings.

There is one sport, however, that has always taken a back burner here in America . . . despite being the most popular game in the world.

Soccer, the beautiful game, futbol, football, or whatever accepted term is used to describe it will never be embraced in America. It’s a sad truth, but it’s a conclusion that’s inevitable and can be completely explained.

Admittedly, my passion for soccer was born my junior year of college while playing FIFA 06 with some roommates. Being junior varsity lacrosse and basketball players, we wanted to test our skills against the best of the best just to find out how tough the game really is. Our competitive intramural team name was FIFA 06 (With Multi-Tap), and we got our asses handed to us in the playoff semi-finals.

So after playing “the beautiful game” on the field, on all gaming consoles, and in arenas, I decided I would take a shot at watching a couple of games on the television. I hate to say it, but I just couldn’t take it. HD didn’t even help.

Although the majority of readers will take offense to this article, just hear me out. There are 7 reasons mainstream America will never embrace this game, and they are absolutely undeniable.


1. Americans don’t have the Attention Spans.

Soccer is a continuous game that is heavily influenced by a team’s endurance and stamina. Unfortunately, Americans do not understand that concept. While one of the most popular sports in the United States involves watching a car go around a track for 600 miles, soccer is players running constantly for 90 minutes. Unlike soccer, however, NASCAR also involves the elements of horrendous crashes, pit stops, and fan favorites. Football also stops after every play, and during the four quarters of the game. The same goes for the innings of baseball, and the quarters of basketball.

2. Low Scores.

Because soccer is such a competitive and trying sport, the scores remain relatively few and far between. Americans like scoring, in all ways, forms, and meanings. Look at every other sport and their average scores, and then compare them to a high scoring soccer affair involving 5 – 6 goals. While scoring a goal is exciting, you have to remember spectators endure 90 minutes of passing balls and running in order to witness the goal.

3. Americans are Fat.

The average weight for American men is 191 pounds, which is 20 pounds heavier than men 40 years ago. The childhood obesity problem doesn’t help either, with nearly 20% of children between the ages of 6 – 12 being overweight. Simple logic will tell you that being overweight means being unhealthy, which probably means you can’t perform well in stamina sports such as soccer. Other sports, however, rely on the big man to take the post, block and tackle, or mash a bomb out of the park. Soccer’s not a big man’s game . . . and a nation’s sports interest that is fixed in an unhealthy lifestyle will likely focus on sports that don’t require healthiness or losing weight.

4. There are no Individuals in Soccer.

Although there are players like Henry, Ronaldinho, and Ronaldo the majority of great players and teams rely on teamwork more than any other sport in existence. Football, baseball, and basketball can all stand to have a weak link during game play. Although the weakest link can be exploited in these sports, the offense does not suffer from their mishaps and great players can more than make up for them. Players like Peyton Manning, Lebron James, and Randy Johnson can single handedly take over the game and produce a win. However, soccer requires extreme teamwork and patience. One weak link could mean a collapse in offense as well as defense. Americans like a hero . . . and it’s hard to be a hero on the soccer field without losing it for the team.

5. The Lack of Stats.

In all athletics, stats are crucial for the sports junkie. Being able to rattle off batting, FG, or QB ratings bring joy to millions of Americans. In soccer, the only real stats are passes, tackles, goals, and saves. Of course there are the occasional corners and cards, but the stats simply aren’t as meaningful nor interesting as other mainstream American sports. I could not tell you the passing percentage of Spain in the UEFA Cup, but I can tell you the ERA of most NL pitchers. The same goes for most of Americans that follow any sport closely.

6. No Rivalries in America.

The MLS boasts an unimpressive 16 teams in 16 cities here in America. There are only 2 conferences, and their marketing has done little to focus on city rivalries. In other sports we have Carolina v. Duke, New York v. Boston, USC v. UCLA, and so on. In the MLS, there is hardly any gut wrenching rivalries to partake in. No, Houston vs. Dallas does not count . . . does the nation stop to watch these two teams battle? I think not. In Europe it is the complete opposite, where hundreds of teams have city rivals, as well as their country rivals. Until there’s some flare, American soccer will remain on the back burner

7. Americans love exactness.

When a player drops a football, fans scream. They also do the same for dropped baseball, pucks, basketballs, or even when a NASCAR driver misses his line and falls behind. We love perfection and our team never turning the ball over. Which explains why Americans could become very frustrated while watching a game of soccer. Because the soccerball is handled by the feet and can be extremely hard to control, precision is hard to come by during a match.


The site is here for any who would like to read the comments generated by the article.

www.bspcn.com/2008/07/17/7-reasons-americans-will-never-embrace-soccer/

[DAS (formerly BushAdmirer)]

Beth - This guy has some interesting theories but there are some holes in it.

1. Attention span - Basketball is a high energy high intensity sport and Amercans love it. Soccer teams substitute a lot.
2. Low Scores - He may have something there. Low scores sometimes means no scores in soccer. Baseball is another game that can get boring when there is no scoring.
3. American are overweight but usually not when they're teen agers in school. That's when they'd be playing soccer. It's not the forty year old couch potato who plays high energy team sports. Shaq is overweight. Want to challenge him to an athletic contest?
4. No individuals in soccer? That's a stretch. Just like in other professional sports the team pay big money to get the best players. If individual talent didn't matter they wouldn't do that.
5. Lack of stats- that's a big stretch. Like in any other sport the fans know who the big time scorers are and how many stops a great goalie has made.
6. No rivalries in America?? That's bogus. American's would cheer for American teams against other natiionalities just like Europeans do.
7. Exactness??? Now he's lost me completely. While I agree that soccer is a dumb sport because the ball is only handled by the feet, it has nothing to do with exactness. It's just dumb.