Why isn't football / soccer that popular in North America, United States / USA ?

[BioDefenseGrad]

The game is simply too low scoring for them (what each doesnt score double figures!). The crowds probably cant even comprehend a draw 0-0 2-2 etc... They actual playing time per period is perhaps too long by about 15 mins for the average sports fan.

I also wonder why (American) Football isn't more popular overseas...

 

[Night_Owl]

I also wonder why (American) Football isn't more popular overseas...

Because of something called Rugby. No pads or helmets involved. Original game.

 

[Rey C.]

I would rank the popular sports as such
1. NFL
2. NBA
3. NHL
4. NBA
5. NASCAR
6. MLS

I'm not sure where other sports rank. And I only know this because racing is really the only sport I still follow, but NASCAR is 2nd behind the NFL now (talking about U.S. TV ratings here).

The most watched sport in the world is soccer. The second most watched sport is Formula One.

I tell ya what's kind of odd or funny though: with all the talk over the last few years about soccer moms this and soccer moms that, how many Americans here actually know someone who watches soccer??? To be honest, outside of Hispanic friends of mine, I don't know anyone who watches soccer on TV. In fact, I wouldn't know what channel to go to to even watch a game. I used to watch it sometimes in the 90's with my then girlfriend (a Latina). Had to watch "the futbol" with her to keep the peace.

But I'm really not into any stick & ball sports anymore. What did Ernest Hemingway say? "There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games."

 

[Baill Inneraora]

The thing I can't stand about in soccer is when they take a dive. They through their hands up and squeal like 13 year old girls when they weren’t even touched. I know it is part of the game's strategery to try and have your opponent called for a yellow or red card, but it looks awfully weak.

In American Football or Hockey, if you get crushed, you still get up quick and act like it didn’t hurt….no matter how bad of shape you’re in.

 

[Jagged X]

The thing I can't stand about in soccer is when they take a dive. They through their hands up and squeal like 13 year old girls when they weren’t even touched. I know it is part of the game's strategery to try and have your opponent called for a yellow or red card, but it looks awfully weak.

In American Football or Hockey, if you get crushed, you still get up quick and act like it didn’t hurt….no matter how bad of shape you’re in.

Yup that's one thing they really need to get rid of, but many of you guys exaggerate like that happens on every play. Lets face it, soccer will never make it big in the States. It is what it is. Although it is kind of surprising to see 93,000+ people in the LA Coliseum to watch a sport nobody cares about .

 

[Rey C.]

Although it is kind of surprising to see 93,000+ people in the LA Coliseum to watch a sport nobody cares about .

I would think L.A. (considering the demographics of SoCal) would be the best soccer market in the U.S.

 

[Mighty McClure]

I've often wondered this myself. There are a lot of sports on TV and a lot youth sports leagues. When I grew up, the youth sports leagues were pretty much baseball and football. Basketball and volleyball was available in high school.

I remember seeing kids shows on USA Network that had soccer. Until that last decade or so, most kids, ie adults in their 30s or older, really weren't exposed to it.

 

[megamega]

I would think L.A. (considering the demographics of SoCal) would be the best soccer market in the U.S.

yeah but 70,000 odd fans showed up twice to see chelsea play in seattle and then later barca play seattle.

 

[Rey C.]

yeah but 70,000 odd fans showed up twice to see chelsea play in seattle and then later barca play seattle.

Ah. OK. I didn't know that. So it sounds like it does pretty well here as a spectator sport with attendance, just not so well with the TV audience?

 

[Member2019]

Same argument for Basketball then (and not for Rugby) ...

The thing I can't stand about in soccer is when they take a dive. They through their hands up and squeal like 13 year old girls when they weren’t even touched. I know it is part of the game's strategery to try and have your opponent called for a yellow or red card, but it looks awfully weak.
In American Football or Hockey, if you get crushed, you still get up quick and act like it didn’t hurt….no matter how bad of shape you’re in.

And how is "diving" any different than the non-sense and acting in Basketball? In the opposite direction, you can find sports like Rugby where that shit doesn't go on as well.

But I agree, that does get old in Football (Soccer) just like in Basketball. I enjoy American Football, Hockey and Rugby for the reasons that it does not push that level of bullshit.

 

[Jagged X]

yeah but 70,000 odd fans showed up twice to see chelsea play in seattle and then later barca play seattle.

Good point. They also had big crowds when Chelsea played the Milan teams.

 

[titsrock]

Re: Same argument for Basketball then (and not for Rugby) ...

And how is "diving" any different than the non-sense and acting in Basketball? In the opposite direction, you can find sports like Rugby where that shit doesn't go on as well.

But I agree, that does get old in Football (Soccer) just like in Basketball. I enjoy American Football, Hockey and Rugby for the reasons that it does not push that level of bullshit.

Basketball has flopping. It is, essentially, the same thing as diving in soccer. Diving, in soccer, CAN have a major impact on the game though because a successful "diver" can earn a penalty kick for his team and change the entire complexion of a game. Flopping in the NBA can't really change the outcome of a game.

Diving in soccer is a huge negative and I worry that "Casual American Fan" will give soccer a chance someday, witness a horrible case of diving which turns a game against American Fan's team (the USMNT) and it will tune him out completely. So, in sum, I don't need soccer to enter into the Big4 of sports popularity. I think it will continue to grow into a strong niche sport. I think the USMNT could actually make the World Cup Semis on a consistent basis before MLS becomes a serious league in the eyes of World Football Fans.

Hockey also had a major problem with Diving (in the mid/late 90s) but they passed rules outlawing it. It still occurs but not as frequently.

There's plenty of "phony stuff" in pro football. People acting like they're getting held, clipped, WRs "trapping" the ball, fumbles....etc. Pro football is such a slow game that the Refs have time to "sort out the mess" usually...

 

[thenar]

i go to new york red bull games which are held at giants stadium which holds around 78,000 people i would say the red bulls are LUCKY to get 4to 5 thosand people a game. its very hard to tell with so few people in a big stadium like that. when beckam comes to town they sell out. i was curious whats the attendance at you local mls?

thanks

 

[nightwanker]

Poll: Which jerseys do you prefer on women?

http://board.freeones.com/showthread.php?t=338650

 

[jasonk282]

Re: Same argument for Basketball then (and not for Rugby) ...

Hockey also had a major problem with Diving (in the mid/late 90s) but they passed rules outlawing it. It still occurs but not as frequently.

...

Apprently you have not watch hockey since then.

 

[marquis2]

I'm not sure where other sports rank. And I only know this because racing is really the only sport I still follow, but NASCAR is 2nd behind the NFL now (talking about U.S. TV ratings here).

The most watched sport in the world is soccer. The second most watched sport is Formula One.

I tell ya what's kind of odd or funny though: with all the talk over the last few years about soccer moms this and soccer moms that, how many Americans here actually know someone who watches soccer??? To be honest, outside of Hispanic friends of mine, I don't know anyone who watches soccer on TV. In fact, I wouldn't know what channel to go to to even watch a game. I used to watch it sometimes in the 90's with my then girlfriend (a Latina). Had to watch "the futbol" with her to keep the peace.

But I'm really not into any stick & ball sports anymore. What did Ernest Hemingway say? "There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games."

I think that cricket is #2 because of its vast following in Asia.TV audiences of 3 billion have been recorded.

 

[Horny Devil]

Soccer is pretty popular here in North America. The reasons it's not that popular imo

1. American Football
2. Baseball
3. Hockey
4. Basketball
5. Freeones

 

[ed007]

Americans prefer to play sports with their hands. :rubbel:

 

[titsrock]

ESPN seems to be having a nice, slow, tempered hand in "growing" the sport of Soccer in the US (by focusing on the EPL).

The snarky lame comments about soccer seem to be disappearing from the highlight package as the American sports mind actually sees what these athletes are capable of doing. Granted the sport is being served up to the masses in quick edited chunks, but that's how most things are delivered to Americans today....:dunno:

The U.S. has a favorable draw for progressing beyond the group stage of the World Cup. If the US could shock the world somehow...maybe more people would care about following Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, Tim Howard, etc post World Cup....

 

[Straight Shooter]

Why Isn't Soccer Popular in America?

That's right I'm bringing this thread back. I hope we can get a good discussion going on the subject of soccer in America. Do you agree that soccer isn't popular in America? if so what could be done to raise the profile of the game? Or do you disagree in saying that soccer isn't popular in the states? make your case