Why soccer will never catch on in the U.S.
- Thread starter jbernardi
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Ditto.
For the record, I like soccer. I cover high school soccer for local TV. I just do not see the "catching on" part. The level of participation has actually declined over the last decade in this area. (not opinion, real numbers from local soccer leagues). The level of play has remained consistent, but that is not to say it's "good" on an international level.
What is catching on like wildfire here is Lacrosse! The number of teams in the area has quadrupled in the last decade and the level of play is generally outstanding!
See ya
Tony
For the record, I like soccer. I cover high school soccer for local TV. I just do not see the "catching on" part. The level of participation has actually declined over the last decade in this area. (not opinion, real numbers from local soccer leagues). The level of play has remained consistent, but that is not to say it's "good" on an international level.
What is catching on like wildfire here is Lacrosse! The number of teams in the area has quadrupled in the last decade and the level of play is generally outstanding!
See ya
Tony
Soccer may not be mainstream with a Fox game of the week or a Monday night game, but the fact still remains that there is a population in this country that loves it. As our country's makeup changes, it is possible for that audience to grow. Additionally, advertising plays a major impact; more advertising = more television exposure = more viewers! Believe it or not, many businesses are now looking at the MLS and who knows . . . I am sure people said Nascar would never be mainstream and look now!
There is that chance. But here is why I don't think it will become a main stream game:
Yes there are immigrants who love the game. Their locally born children, in general, DON'T! The immigrant's children are influenced by their parent's taste, but they are more influenced by their peers. If most of their friends are playing (american) football, baseball, basketball... guess what they want to play?
See ya
Tony
Yes there are immigrants who love the game. Their locally born children, in general, DON'T! The immigrant's children are influenced by their parent's taste, but they are more influenced by their peers. If most of their friends are playing (american) football, baseball, basketball... guess what they want to play?
See ya
Tony
I agree as well Tony; again though, I think advertising plays a large role in this! Look at what advertising and Tiger Woods did for golf in the inner cities; even further back, look at what advertising and Michael Jordan did for basketball
That is the best post on this subject in years. I aplaud you for having the courage to say that truth. Many people feel that if you point out that after a generation, and certainly after two generations, people are more American in culture, language, tastes, morals, values, whatever, than whatever their ancestors were, you are a "racist" or whatever. Thank you.
So what exactly is "American culture" today?
I agree with you, but I believe the definition of that term is constantly shifting, toward other countries' traditional cultures.
Soccer in HDTV is beautiful, I have been trying to watch as much olympic soccer on the NBC channel as much as I can, I have taken naps this weekend during the day so I can be up at 2:30am to watch the games. I dunno, something makes me excited watching 7 or 8 games in the row snoozing every so often in-between all of them. Sucks they aren't all live but doesn't bother me.
It depends in what part of the country you live...if there is ANY shift at all. I live in Miami, the so-called "American culture" looks alot more "American" than Cuban....yet I am sure that if someone from say, Iowa, were to come down...he or she would say the "American culture" would be somewhat Latin American. And if someone with latin origins would head towards Iowa....he/she could not tell the difference.
MLS is allright. I'm not a big fan, but in my opinion it is an okay fit for the North American market.
What I cannot stand is futball - all the fricken diving that goes on. It is insane. In hockey, if you dive like that, you don't draw a penalty - generally, you get a penalty for diving!
Too many times I have seen a player carried off on a stretcher, but perfectly fine 2 minutes later. Pretending like your hurt to draw a penalty is not the North American way. It's a disgrace to sports.
THAT is why futball will never catch on in North America.
Soccer might.
What I cannot stand is futball - all the fricken diving that goes on. It is insane. In hockey, if you dive like that, you don't draw a penalty - generally, you get a penalty for diving!
Too many times I have seen a player carried off on a stretcher, but perfectly fine 2 minutes later. Pretending like your hurt to draw a penalty is not the North American way. It's a disgrace to sports.
THAT is why futball will never catch on in North America.
Soccer might.
That is one thing that drives me NUTS when watching European Cup and World Cup and so on. A simple rule, if the stretcher has to be brought out on the field for an injury, that player is out for the half. It doesn't matter that the stretcher-barers didn't make it to the player before he was magically healed (PRAISE THE LORD! A miracle!). He stops the game due to an injury, he is out for the half. The team can send in a sub.
Taking a dive to stop the game, take a breather, or draw a foul to the point that the game has to be stopped for more than the time it takes to replace the ball for the direct or indirect kick if the whistle blew means that player sits out the rest of the half!
It'll never happen, but I can dream!
See ya
Tony
See ya
Tony
Taking a dive to stop the game, take a breather, or draw a foul to the point that the game has to be stopped for more than the time it takes to replace the ball for the direct or indirect kick if the whistle blew means that player sits out the rest of the half!
It'll never happen, but I can dream!
See ya
Tony
See ya
Tony
I remember when the NFL had that problem. That's why the "you lose a timeout if a player injury stops the clock after the 2 minute warning" came about. To put a stop to that nonsense.
