You guys can think it is happening but it's not, it's hard to be less popular so I get the excitement over slightly pushing the needle but no one cares about soccer. The Red Bulls don't draw 18k a game. That building is always empty, they clearly inflate #s. No one goes to the games, no one watches on TV. MSG has to fill programming during the summer so they shoe the games. at the pace it is going it should be able to make a dent in the American sports world by 3425.
the problem with your argument is you keep pointing to the MLS. that is equivalent to using the NBA D League to determine whether basketball is popular in the US. FIFA soccer, Premiere League soccer, La Liga, are all more popular in the US than MLS. obviously those matches don't play regularly in the U.S., so you can't use attendance as the basis of your argument. we have already shown that non-World Cup FIFA matches draw tv ratings on par with regular season NBA and MLB ratings, and explained why they are comparable events, so you have nothing to validate your argument with.
Ok and they still aren't popular. If we had the equivalent of those leagues in this Country then we'd be on to something but we don't. so one soccer game is on par w/ regionalized broadcasts of MLB and the NBA? soccer gets no ratings on TV and people don't go to games. No one talks soccer, it feels like espn is trying to shove it down our throats and they still don't talk about it. http://deadspin.com/what-i-learned-from-a-year-of-watching-sportscenter-5979510? utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow
The best athletes is a weak argument. You think the best athletes in Russia play soccer? Doesn't effect the popularity there. Facts will never work with junc though.
It does here, who cares about whether it does in Russia or not? MLS is like the minor leagues, if our best athletes were playing the sport it could elevate that league and people might actually begin to care.
very few people care, about the same amount of people that care about the WNBA. http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2012/wnba_finals_game_2_most_viewed_2012_10_18.html http://seattletimes.com/html/soundersfcblog/2019818837__---_tv_ratings_for.html
Americans do get behind USA soccer, but are not as enthusiastic for league soccer...It is too long and just does not have the media hype as it does overseas
You do realize the stands look pretty empty, right? in a tiny Stadium. and that was opening day!:rofl2:
you may want to take another look. the top of the place is empty, even many parts of the lower level. It seems like an overcast day and you are mistaking the blue of the seats for people. Show me a Sounders clip if you want to impress me. At least there I know the fans are crazy and love the team.
:rofl2::rofl2: This reminds me of when Rutgers fans told me people around here cared about Rutgers b/c the ESB was lit up to honor them. Keep trying.
junc is right. MLS will have hard time catching on. But soccer in general is becoming more and more popular. More European teams are playing friendly games in US soil and US public is behind the soccer team more and more. Worl Cup and Euro Cup draws big attention and ratings are increasing exponentially. MLS is a different story though. I don't expect it to surpass NBA or NHL at all due to the nature of the game. A regular season game won't draw any attention as it isn't as flashy as NBA or NHL.
