Can't take soccer (football) seriously

[saevel25]

Im curious what your definition of "make it" is. I would argue that soccer is so well entrenched now that it already has made it. The MLS isn't exactly fledgling. They average more fans per game than basketball and hockey.

I guess in terms of actually being a sport in the US, then yes it has made it.

I am more in line with getting close to Basketball and Football in terms of popularity. I think it is gaining ground. It is becoming more of an option for kids to play than it use to be.

I would love to see Soccer become popular in the United States.

[Abu3baid]

The average American huh... Yeah.. I guess it is just hard for some to appreciate the sheer beauty of a cross pass that ends up in the net from a diving header...

[Golfingdad]

The average American doesn't care about soccer. When/if they can change that, then they'll "make it". IMO of course. $500,000,000 overall revenue for the MLS this year $4,000,000,000 overall revenue for the NHL this year $5,000,000,000+ overall revenue for the NBA this year $8,000,000,000+ overall revenue for MLB this year $9,000,000,000+ overall revenue for the NFL this year. That demonstrates it right there. Doesn't mean one is better than the other, but soccer can't touch the popularity and profitability of the "popular" American sports.

Does it have to pass one of those to have "made it" though? And if so, why? To me, making it simply means being successful. Previous versions of soccer leagues in this country have always struggled and then ultimately failed, thus, they didn't make it. MLS has been going strong for several years now, and I believe it's still growing ( which is something that I don't think can be said currently about baseball and basketball), so IMO it's a safe bet it's not going anywhere. Not to mention the popularity of the EPL on American TV now too.

[Slice of Life]

The average American huh... Yeah.. I guess it is just hard for some to appreciate the sheer beauty of a cross pass that ends up in the net from a diving header...

Again, it's not a "one is better than the other" debate, it's just observational insight. I know literally 3 people off the top of my head that care about soccer. Out of my entire group of friends, family, etc., I know of 3 that follow it regularly.

Obviously that's a small sample size, and isn't necessarily representative of the entire nation...but it is telling.

Does it have to pass one of those to have "made it" though? And if so, why?

To me, making it simply means being successful. Previous versions of soccer leagues in this country have always struggled and then ultimately failed, thus, they didn't make it. MLS has been going strong for several years now, and I believe it's still growing ( which is something that I don't think can be said currently about baseball and basketball), so IMO it's a safe bet it's not going anywhere.

Not to mention the popularity of the EPL on American TV now too.

No it doesn't have to pass it up...but if we're talking about soccer trying to reach the level of popularity as any of the other 4 listed, it needs to come close.

Certain sports just aren't popular in certain areas. It's not a good sport vs. bad sport thing, it just "is". I think Rugby is great, played it in college...but it'll probably never be real popular here...and that's fine. It is what it is.

[Golfingdad]

Again, it's not a "one is better than the other" debate, it's just observational insight. I know literally 3 people off the top of my head that care about soccer. Out of my entire group of friends, family, etc., I know of 3 that follow it regularly. Obviously that's a small sample size, and isn't necessarily representative of the entire nation...but it is telling. No it doesn't have to pass it up...but if we're talking about soccer trying to reach the level of popularity as any of the other 4 listed, it needs to come close.  Certain sports just aren't popular in certain areas. It's not a good sport vs. bad sport thing, it just "is". I think Rugby is great, played it in college...but it'll probably never be real popular here...and that's fine. It is what it is.

I don't think that is telling at all. I know one person who hunts. I know zero who bass fish. How many people do you know that surf? Get my drift? It would be kinda silly to assume that they weren't popular sports in the rest of this country based on that info, don't you think?

[Slice of Life]

I don't think that is telling at all. I know one person who hunts. I know zero who bass fish. How many people do you know that surf? Get my drift? It would be kinda silly to assume that they weren't popular sports in the rest of this country based on that info, don't you think?

Agree to disagree. Surfing, bass fishing, and hunting are nowhere near as popular in America as Football, basketball, or baseball. Not sure you'd be able to find to many people that would argue that.

The Surf Bowl isn't going to get 200 million American viewers lol

[Golfingdad]

Agree to disagree. Surfing, bass fishing, and hunting are nowhere near as popular in America as Football, basketball, or baseball. Not sure you'd be able to find to many people that would argue that.

The Surf Bowl isn't going to get 200 million American viewers lol

Disagree to disagree. Remember, this little tangent argument started because I objected to Matt saying soccer won't "make it."  All I am saying is that an average attendance of almost 20,000 people per game, nationally televised games every week, increasing national coverage of international leagues, and per your numbers, a half a billion dollars in yearly revenue ... it already HAS made it.

[Slice of Life]

Disagree to disagree.   Remember, this little tangent argument started because I objected to Matt saying soccer won't "make it."  All I am saying is that an average attendance of almost 20,000 people per game, nationally televised games every week, increasing national coverage of international leagues, and per your numbers, a half a billion dollars in yearly revenue ... it already HAS made it.

lol, ok fair enough on that basis alone. My argument wasn't necessarily to validate Matt's "not making it" statement, but just saying it'll never be "popular" in America when compared to other sports.

[Golfingdad]

lol, ok fair enough on that basis alone. My argument wasn't necessarily to validate Matt's "not making it" statement, but just saying it'll never be "popular" in America when compared to other sports.

That's why I said disagree to disagree, because I figured we weren't actually disagreeing.

It's nowhere near as popular as the other 4 major sports (nationally) and I don't expect to to pass any of them any time soon.  Maybe it never will.  But its at least gotten to the point of being popular enough that the MLS is not going away.

---

And just for fun (I know I've posted this before, but) ...

[saevel25]

That's why I said disagree to disagree, because I figured we weren't actually disagreeing.

It's nowhere near as popular as the other 4 major sports (nationally) and I don't expect to to pass any of them any time soon.  Maybe it never will.  But its at least gotten to the point of being popular enough that the MLS is not going away.

I think it is possible. With the increased safety issues with football. I can see parents not wanting their kids to play it. It is also expensive. So is baseball. Basketball is still a sport that is based on height.

If the athletes make a move to Soccer then it will expand. Most colleges get the best athletes who played in highschool or on traveling teams. AAU is huge for basketball.

It might take a while, but I can see it growing.

[Golfingdad]

I think it is possible. With the increased safety issues with football. I can see parents not wanting their kids to play it. It is also expensive. So is baseball. Basketball is still a sport that is based on height.

If the athletes make a move to Soccer then it will expand. Most colleges get the best athletes who played in highschool or on traveling teams. AAU is huge for basketball.

It might take a while, but I can see it growing.

Maybe ... but that's one thing that has never been a problem here; kids playing soccer.  Here's a wiki excerpt:

As of 2006, over 24 million Americans play soccer. There are 4.2 million players (2.5 million men and 1.7 million women) registered with U.S. Soccer.[26] Thirty percent of American households contain someone playing soccer, a figure second only to baseball.[27] Increasing numbers of Americans, having played the game in their youth, are now avid spectators. A 2011 ESPN sports poll ranked soccer as the fourth most popular team sport in the United States, with 8.2% of Americans ranking soccer as their favorite sport (compared to 3.8% for hockey).[28] A 2011 ESPN sports poll ranked soccer as the second most popular sport in the country for 12-24-year-olds.[29] In 2013, Lionel Messi became the first soccer player ever to rank among the Top 10 most popular athletes in the U.S.[30]

I think it's always been like this, though, even when it wasn't that popular to watch or attend.  Everybody I knew growing up played baseball in the spring and soccer in the fall, and this was back in the '80s.

But you're right about football and its safety issues.  My wife and I have already decided that we're not going to encourage our kids to play football.  Soccer, baseball, tennis, golf are the directions they'll hopefully want to go, and try and leave the concussions and CTE for the other guys.

[jamo]

Too many to quote, but c'mon guys: soccer is not exciting to you . I find it plenty exciting. I find baseball exciting. NBA basketball. Golf. To me , they're exciting. Important distinction, IMO.

[Slice of Life]

Too many to quote, but c'mon guys: soccer is not exciting to you.

I find it plenty exciting. I find baseball exciting. NBA basketball. Golf. To me, they're exciting.

Important distinction, IMO.

Agree completely, thus the following:

"Will never enjoy the sport, but can understand people who do."

[Shorty]

Agree completely, thus the following:

"Will never enjoy the sport, but can understand people who do."

You clearly have not seen it played at the highest level.

[saevel25]

You clearly have not seen it played at the highest level.

Highest level doesn't mean it is more enjoyable to watch. I prefer watching NCAA football and basketball over the NFL and NBA.

[Golfingdad]

You clearly have not seen it played at the highest level.

I know a lot of people who would say they have seen it played at the highest level. To that I'd counter "perhaps, but you haven't really WATCHED it at that level"

[Shorty]

Highest level doesn't mean it is more enjoyable to watch. I prefer watching NCAA football and basketball over the NFL and NBA.

I would say that watching the world's best play almost any sport is enjoyable. In particular ball games.

It's not as if you are watching a stodgy, slow-moving game without skill or tactics.

One thing I can no longer watch is women's tennis, but that is purely because of the ridiculous grunting and screaming.

As a side note, I do find it interesting that the sports (did I read " the four sports", as in definite article) focused on here are of virtually no consequence elsewhere on the planet. That doesn't mean they are unimportant or boring - quite the opposite - but let's have a global perspective. :-)

[Roblar]

I love soccer - especially when played at a high level.

I loved playing soccer before injuries.  ...and soccer injuries took me to golf - which I also enjoy!

Having played makes it easier for me to appreciate how much skill the top players have, especially their touch and passing.

I also think NFL makes a great sofa sport (especially when you record it and can fast-forward through all the delays/commercials/etc.).

Soccer, on the other hand, is much better in the stadium.  (Much more affordable in the US too.)