Current Events > Soccer will never gain traction in the US

(+) Yeah! (+)

as long as it remains painfully soft and low scoring. after watching some world cup soccer (which should be used to gain new fans primarily in the us the biggest cash cow) its evident that it'll never gain serious support here due to the amount of just pure boredom, blatant flopping, bad reffing, low scoring i had to sit through. another thing, americans dont like ties and nothings worse than sitting through a 0-0 tie lmao youre never getting that time back.

penalty kicks are absurd as well. why do teams get what are basically free goals and oftentimes the game winning goal for a simple non egregious penalty? why not just give them the ball in their zone or something more sensible?

i wont go as far as to say soccer is dumb but if this is what the world likes its not gonna be palatable for americans. when this event is over im gonna go back to watching nba and football and soccer will never enter my thoughts for another 4 years. which is a shame because the sport should be trying to capture my enthusiasm and have me seeking out the euro leagues when the world cup concludes. but its not.

It's a low-scoring sport and that doesn't sit well with Americans.

If each goal was worth 8 points, we'd be all over it.

FortuneCookie posted...

It's a low-scoring sport and that doesn't sit well with Americans.

If each goal was worth 8 points, we'd be all over it.

Why is baseball a "top sport" then?

Jagr_68 posted...

Why is baseball a "top sport" then?

A soccer game can easily end with a score of 1-0 or 2-0. Baseball seldom has such a low score. Also, baseball has lost considerable traction in the past several decades. Basketball and (American) football have surpassed it.

To be fair, Americans have thousands of other means of entertainment. The rest of the world... not so much.

There's a reason Hockey does better here in the states than the rest of the countries south of our borders.

Kids in those places can simply kick a ball and play anywhere. Whereas Hockey is much more expensive to take on, due to the gear you'll need to buy. Parents aren't going to spend money on that on a struggling economy so kids grow up to like with what they're familiar with.

We literally just had a 7-0 game today

Jagr_68 posted...

Why is baseball a "top sport" then?

its not. baseball has been hemorrhaging fans. attendance numbers have been miserable for years now.

FortuneCookie posted...

A soccer game can easily end with a score of 1-0 or 2-0. Baseball seldom has such a low score. Also, baseball has lost considerable traction in the past several decades. Basketball and (American) football have surpassed it.

it isn't so much that Basketball surpassed Baseball; it is more that Baseball has waned to Basketball's level.

Babidi123 posted...

We literally just had a 7-0 game today

now go count the number of 0-0 and other low scoring games and draws. ill wait.

American Football aka commercials after every play causing a 1 hour game to take 3 hours.

Babidi123 posted...

We literally just had a 7-0 game today

We're not going to watch that even if in the off-chance that we'll get to witness a rare blue-moon blowout.

How many of those goals were penalty kicks?

Vicious_Dios posted...

We're not going to watch that even if in the off-chance that we'll get to witness a rare blue-moon blowout.

How many of those goals were penalty kicks?

1 of them.

spikethedevil posted...

1 of them.

Ooooooh, so exciting.

So Do yanks like penalty kicks or not? This topic is giving me mixed views lol.

Also

spikethedevil posted...

American Football aka commercials after every play causing a 1 hour game to take 3 hours.

Run with ball for a few yards or throw ball get tackled then commercial break.

It would, and we would dominate the world, if the NBA, MLB, and NFL didn't exist. America's best athletes go to those sports instead.

FortuneCookie posted...

A soccer game can easily end with a score of 1-0 or 2-0. Baseball seldom has such a low score. Also, baseball has lost considerable traction in the past several decades. Basketball and (American) football have surpassed it.

Figured it was bigger than that given all the World Series attention but that all makes sense regardless.

The argument for draws is one I don't fully get. Particularly because the teams still get a point each for a draw (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw). In the context of how the league tables are done in soccer, a draw isn't really useless and it still contributes to the overall league table.

If you just want the satisfaction of there being a winner or loser, then I guess I get it. But even then, a sucky team that hangs on to a draw gains 1 point instead of 0 points, and to them that can be huge. A really good team that gets a draw instead of a win gets 1 point instead of 3 and that can kill a really tight season.

So there's much more at stake from a draw than you would think.

Maybe that's the context that's missing? People think a draw literally means nothing was gained or lost in the match, when that just isn't true.

Clone2022 posted...

low scoring

Of all the things to matter...

i thought soccer was considered a kids game over here. don't mostly elementary school kids play it and then graduate to american football when they are older? does it depend on the region?

i remember enjoying soccer when i was kid and then all my friends started playing american football as we got older. i didn't like getting tackled so was never into it.

Vicious_Dios posted...

To be fair, Americans have thousands of other means of entertainment. The rest of the world... not so much.

lmao

Ratchetrockon posted...

i thought soccer was considered a kids game over here. don't mostly elementary school kids play it and then graduate to american football or does it depend on the region?

i get that impression too. im not even sure colleges support soccer teams? its a complete non entity here. the mls is a niche that has its diehard fans but its a distant 5th behind the nfl, nba, mlb, nhl.

voldothegr8 posted...

It would, and we would dominate the world, if the NBA, MLB, and NFL didn't exist. America's best athletes go to those sports instead.

probably. just like the us dominates the olympics. its not because we have the numbers game its because were all in and have a hyper competitive culture when the games matter to us. soccer doesnt matter.

spikethedevil posted...

So Do yanks like penalty kicks or not? This topic is giving me mixed views lol.

i like penalty shots in hockey but theyre seldom called and only on egregious penalties. penalty kicks in the world cup are commonplace and often game breaking. you can lose a game because some guy flopped and sold it like he got shot in the nads lol.

Vicious_Dios posted...

To be fair, Americans have thousands of other means of entertainment. The rest of the world... not so much.

There's a reason Hockey does better here in the states than the rest of the countries south of our borders.

Kids in those places can simply kick a ball and play anywhere. Whereas Hockey is much more expensive to take on, due to the gear you'll need to buy. Parents aren't going to spend money on that on a struggling economy so kids grow up to like with what they're familiar with.

Ill take American living up to the ignorant stereotype for 100.

Clone2022 posted...

it'll never gain serious support here due to the amount of just pure boredom, blatant flopping, bad reffing, low scoring

Agreed, and even worse how the blatant flopping has infected the NBA.

Every single flop should result in a penalty kick-- with the flopper getting it right in the balls.

Flopping is barely an issue anymore since they brought in VAR.

garan posted...

Agreed, and even worse how the blatant flopping has infected the NBA.

that is one of the biggest complaints with the nba. but at least its high scoring and were in an era where every team has a star player so theres still plenty of drama and excitement in all the games. its not like that for soccer, its very top heavy with certain teams and lower ranked teams how no star players whatsoever.

12 million Americans watched the USMNT play Wales at 2 PM on a workday. It has traction.

Antifar posted...

12 million Americans watched the USMNT play Wales at 2 PM on a workday. It has traction.

that pales in comparison to the superbowl and nba finals. you might wanna reexamine that take given this event is a global game, 11 million is breadcrumbs

Clone2022 posted...

that pales in comparison to the superbowl and nba finals.

It's actually right on par with recent NBA finals viewership
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_Finals_television_ratings?wprov=sfla1

because its way more fun watching a bunch of idiots with low stamina taking breaks every few minutes, while praying they don't get permanent brain damage like the people who enjoy watching that crap.

Like 99% of the planet watches the World Cup. They aren't going to change their format just to please 1 country

Antifar posted...

It's actually right on par with recent NBA finals viewership
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_Finals_television_ratings?wprov=sfla1

each game sat at 12 million or higher consistently for 6 games. these soccer games arent gonna do that.

FortuneCookie posted...

It's a low-scoring sport and that doesn't sit well with Americans.

If each goal was worth 8 points, we'd be all over it.

If football games had 7-0, 14-0, or 14-7 scores as the expected norm, football would need a lot more hitting to be popular.

Clone2022 posted...

each game sat at 12 million or higher consistently for 6 games. these soccer games arent gonna do that.

Each game was broadcast in prime time, rather than the middle of the workday. USA's match on Friday is bound to outdo any of last year's finals games.

Zikten posted...

Like 99% of the planet watches the World Cup. They aren't going to change their format just to please 1 country

its not any old country. its the cash cow. if you can gain popularity here your earnings go up tenfold. another global sport called formula 1 is doing it. they should absolutely be trying to capture american audiences. its ludacris to say otherwise.

Clone2022 posted...

another global sport called formula 1 is doing it.

That sport is drawing a fraction of the viewership as soccer in this country.
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/formula-1-race-draws-over-195852274.html

Antifar posted...

Each game was broadcast in prime time, rather than the middle of the workday. USA's match on Friday is bound to outdo any of last year's finals games.

youre still not getting it. this is a global event they should be drawing numbers comparable to the superbowl not a national nba game

Clone2022 posted...

this is a global event they should be drawing numbers comparable to the superbowl not a national nba game

I'm only comparing US audiences!

Antifar posted...

That sport is drawing a fraction of the viewership as soccer in this country.
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/formula-1-race-draws-over-195852274.html

different timetables. soccer has been around for decades. formula one is just now breaking through. the numbers theyre drawing are impressive for what is basically a completely unknown sport to most americans. americans think auto racing begins and ends with nascar, thats not the case anymore.

Clone2022 posted...

youre still not getting it. this is a global event they should be drawing numbers comparable to the superbowl not a national nba game

billions of people are watching the world cup...

This dude got absolutely clowned on the hockey board last night so now hes trying to take his anger out on soccer instead. Its really pathetic.

Antifar posted...

I'm only comparing US audiences!

so am i!

electricbugs2 posted...

This dude got absolutely clowned on the hockey board last night so now hes trying to take his anger out on soccer instead. Its really pathetic.

are you ok?

Wait, aren't you guys hosting the next world cup?

bulletproofvita posted...

Wait, aren't you guys hosting the next world cup?

Yes, and it's bound to break the record we still hold for attendance at a WC

It's never going to gain traction because the best US athlete will always go NBA/NFL/MLB, other countries have their genetic freaks go into soccer and create superstars. US will never have a break out worldwide superstar because they're playing other sports.

bulletproofvita posted...

Wait, aren't you guys hosting the next world cup?

Yeah, and the previous US World Cup smashed attendance and profit records.

And (almost) nobody cared before or after, and if anything most were annoyed during.

Thats just how big of a sports market that the United States is. Even something with passing interest makes mega bucks over here.

What even is this topic? Are you aware of how much MLS has expanded since just 2010 to make it easier for you

Clone2022 posted...

i get that impression too. im not even sure colleges support soccer teams?

JFC the ignorance in this topic.

Some serious goalpost moving going on here

Whats amazing is China has such a massive population and i read somewhere that only 100,000 kids there plays soccer regularly. And its estimated that one world class player emerges from every 200,000 players.

When the country is not interested in playing the sport, theres not really much you can do about it. Small countries such as Netherlands and Belgium, they produce so many world class players for their population size.