It is catching on. Its just facts, maybe the TV is lagging behind, but in terms of attendance, expansion, soccer specific stadium projects, it sure is catching on. These fans who go to the games, are super dedicated, they will pass it on to there families forming new traditions and bonds.
what attendance? every time I see a game on TV it's always in front of empty buildings outside of Seattle. Sure they are expanding for some reason but that is forced growth hoping someday the fans follow rather than a clamoring for more making them expand to meet the demands of the fans. I really do hope for the sake of you guys that it catches on, you guys love it but I just don't see it happening any time soon.
Soccer has picked up steam in the last 8 years that is for sure...It is gradual, but the sport is gaining more and more popularity and honestly there are more kids of different races in America that have parents born in others countries that are introducing their kids to the sport. And with the sport being more accessible is helping
actually it is very popular. and you are wrong. Fox's taped delayed broadcast of Premiere league soccer got higher ratings last year than the average broadcast of MLB on Fox. 2011: 1.5 rating, higher than the 1.2 and 1.4 for MLB and NBA games. and that is a tape delayed match. http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2011...ontinues-to-impress-with-ratings-success.html Manchester v Chelsea: 2.5 rating http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/20...n-u-s-with-nearly-2-5-million-viewers/104606/ more people watch tape delayed matches, even when they likely already know the outcome, than nationally televised MLB and NBA games. and when the European teams come to the US they sell out every single time. you know this defeats your argument, so you ignore it and continue to harp on MLS, which isn't the most popular soccer in the U.S.
NBC Sports covering alot of the Barclays games this upcoming season should give us an indication of how avid the fans are in the US. If they will get up early to catch the games, etc...
it's nice to post links but what are we comparing? regionalized MLB games in a 162 game season vs. 1 game a week for soccer? Are these sellouts actual sellouts? I know for 100% fact the Yankees couldn't sell out the soccer games they had a month or so ago but it was listed as a sellout. They gave away thousands of seats if not 10s of thousands. so these #s are nice but compare apples to apples. I have never debated that high level soccer could be successful here. if the English league talent played here it would be successful but that's not the case.
It is a natural, progression which is taking place. Interest in foreign leagues is only going to lead to interest in the domestic league(s), like wanting to take your kid to see a live match. Even now several NASL teams are building soccer specific stadiums. Its true growth.
I'm pretty sure he was comparing it to a Saturday afternoon game on Fox. Those are national broadcasts and he also pointed out that it was on taoe delay meaning in most cases the person knew the outcome.
Sure it's growth, moving at a snails pace but it is growth. Many non traditional sports in this Country have grown over the past decade. Sat afternoon regional broadcasts of teams everyone gets to see anyway. FOX games never do well in the ratings, does that mean there's no interest in baseball? or that soccer is close? of course not. Those Euro teams people don't get a chance to see and I like tos ee sustained ratings not just one particular game and those air on football Sundays. What American is watching any soccer game on a football Sunday?
Legends and Jack Dempseys both running buses NYC to Hofstra for Cosmos opening night. Should be a blast.
you should listen when people are trying to make you smarter, and say thank you. don't get snide just because you can't hang. be better today than you were yesterday.
I am always trying to improve but how can I when someone is trying to tell me soccer is the 2nd most popular sport among 12-24 yr olds? at some point you guys have to come back to Earth and realize the nonsense you are posting. if it was that popular among that age group it would be popular period. Just like you posting stats w/o context who were these people that took the survey? if you believe this then I don't know what to tell you. I feel bad than an adult would be that naïve.
