[LUconn]

Things related to soccer that Americans do that annoy me
-a somewhat contradictory list by LUconn


Refer to the game as football or futbol
Refer to the playing surface as a pitch
Refer to the uniforms as kits
Describing an awesome occurrence as "brilliant"
exclusively referring to 0 as nil
trying to force others to like soccer because the rest of the world likes it so much
trying to belittle soccer because the rest of the world likes it so much
referring to both tie scores and players even with each other as "level"
referring to shoes or cleats as boots.


That's all I've got for now. It's one thing if you are from somewhere else that uses that type of dialect and terminology, but in the US those things already have names. Don't start calling things other names because that's what the guy with the accent on TV calls them.

[blwall1416]

Soccer's fate in the US is determined by time.

NFL/NCAA Football: August - Feb.
NCAA/NBA Basketball: Oct. - June
MLB: April - Oct./Nov.
NHL: Sept. - April

Not to mention: Golf, NASCAR, MMA, Boxing, Wrestling (entertainment)

Combine that with the fact that it only gets "exciting" every 4 years & you have the reasons it will not get big in the US.

Even when it comes to cheering/watching games in the sports bars, it will be the "in" thing to do, much like having all Apple products.

[SuperJon]

Soccer already does better than the NHL when it is played in primetime. I think it's safe to say soccer has passed the NHL.

[Rocketfan]

Soccer already does better than the NHL when it is played in primetime. I think it's safe to say soccer has passed the NHL.

Wait are you talking MLS? Is that considered Prime Time soccer?

[blwall1416]

I just threw the NHL in there for those crazy Canadians that won't leave the US....makes them feel special.

But, "experts" are still saying they don't plan on seeing a huge increase in soccer for the US.

Soccer's TV ratings and attendance fall well short of the established major sports in America, and sports marketing experts caution that winning a single soccer game -- or even the biggest tournament in the world -- will fix that.

“Let’s say the U.S. won the World Cup,” Berger said. “I’m not convinced that MLS will see a huge increase in their popularity and be on par with the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball.

"I see the World Cup like the Olympics. It comes around every four years. It has a huge global audience. The casual fan is going to tune in because it’s about heritage and country. But is the casual fan then going to go watch MLS? I don’t think so.”

[Sly Fox]

I'm an MLS guy and even I can't buy that soccer has passed hockey on a national scale. Both are niche sports that the casual fan just has trouble getting into. Then again, that's how NASCAR started.

[SuperJon]

Soccer already does better than the NHL when it is played in primetime. I think it's safe to say soccer has passed the NHL.

Wait are you talking MLS? Is that considered Prime Time soccer?

No, I wasn't talking about MLS and should've used something different than prime time.

I was talking Champions League games in the afternoons (prime time in Europe), the national team playing at night, and the times a European club comes over here. (Edit: This probably isn't true right now with the Champions League being on Fox Soccer Channel but when it's on ESPN it's ratings are very good.)

I consider the MLS the same as minor league baseball in most cases. It's fun to check out occasionally but the quality isn't worth setting the schedule around.

[01LUGrad]

I'll use my students as a measuring stick:

-4 years ago, I had 3 kids out of 140 that were interested in the scores of the WC games.

-Demand was so high this year, I worked a deal with the librarian to get the games shown in my classroom (when the kids weren't taking exams, of course). During one lunch period, I had 45 kids in my room watching some random match (I had standing room only and had to send kids back to the cafeteria because it was so crowded). I was shocked at how much the kids knew about the teams and players.

Interest is definitely on the rise. It will still take time, but there will come a day when the MLS will be on par with the "other 3" big-time sports in the US.

[Libertine]

Then again, that could just mean that kids prefer watching TV over daily schoolwork.

[flamesfilmguy]

I'll say this the kids at the pool this summer have been really interested. they know i love soccer and every time i come into work(i lifeguard on the side during the summer because of football offseason)they ask me about the games. especially from 14 years old and up. one of the dads is bringing his sling box to the pool tomorrow and rigging it somehow to watch the games while his kids are at swim practice. it will be interesting to see how many parents watch during swim practice. I also live in the land of the soccer mom so that could be part of it.

[RubberMallet]

Maybe this football thing is catching on...
I can't believe I was watching this alone at home!

they were saying the same thing in 1994.

Yep. And soccer's popularity in this country is exponentially greater than it was in 1994. It's not going to be an overnight thing. Soccer's growth, like many things, happens in spurts and long gradual periods. I don't think it will ever rival American football, but I can see the day in my lifetime where it will have a place on the landscape along side basketball, baseball, and hockey. The main obstacle, in my opinion, isn't the sport itself. It's that the top flight leagues are in Europe. When the best players in the world play for American club teams, professional soccer can reach its potential here. It's unlikely to happen, b/c the popularity and money would have to come before the players will. MLS is becoming a respectable mid-level league, but I doubt Americans will ever come out in mass for a mid-level league.

i can't see how its exponentially greater.

all of this has been said since the inception of the mls. yet even the top teams barely pull 300k in 30 games. the influx of latin immagrants is helpign their numbers as well.

i agree, we don't really get the stars over here and that would help. the salaries they would command just isnt' justifiable to anyone but LA or DC.

Every world cup the US soccer supporters say "this is the year" yet nothing much happens. until they find a way to get rid of the myth that peopel who can't play baseball/football/basketball play soccer, it will continue to be that way.

[Schfourteenteen]

Yep. And soccer's popularity in this country is exponentially greater than it was in 1994. It's not going to be an overnight thing. Soccer's growth, like many things, happens in spurts and long gradual periods. I don't think it will ever rival American football, but I can see the day in my lifetime where it will have a place on the landscape along side basketball, baseball, and hockey. The main obstacle, in my opinion, isn't the sport itself. It's that the top flight leagues are in Europe. When the best players in the world play for American club teams, professional soccer can reach its potential here. It's unlikely to happen, b/c the popularity and money would have to come before the players will. MLS is becoming a respectable mid-level league, but I doubt Americans will ever come out in mass for a mid-level league.

i can't see how its exponentially greater.

There's two facets to this popularity thing - spectatorship and participation. If people weren't watching the EPL ESPN wouldn't televise their games. Each year the World Cup viewership grows in the U.S. Besides, how many people watched soccer in 1993? 2? It's not hard to progress when that's what you're working with.

Participation is where you see the major increases in the U.S. The U.S. has developed a good farm system for American kids to get better and to get noticed. Just about all of the top level English clubs have a youth development club in the U.S. and more importantly, there is a growing number of youth clubs in America.The USYL boasts roughly 50 youth clubs around the nation. The United Soccer Leagues has a 70 team Development League(PDL) along with 90 youth clubs across the country. They're about to expand into parts of Texas and Cali and should have 150 age tiered youth clubs nationwide next year.

[SuperJon]

To tag onto that, the ratings for the 18-35 demographic over the past few years have been growing and growing and growing. That's where you see the biggest difference in soccer vs the traditional second-tier sports (hockey, golf, NASCAR, etc).

[Sly Fox]

Most of us in our 40s grew up playing soccer but that simply didn't carry over to enjoying it as a spectator sport. In fact, the year around culture of youth soccer today actually burns the kids out on the sport IMHO. The same thing is happening to youth baseball. By the time a kid reaches the point of being able to be a paying customer themselves they have been overwhelmed by the sport.

I realize Houston doesn't represent much of the rest of the nation based on our unusual demographics. But at Dynamo games, the crowd is split fairly evenly between Latinos who simply love the sport and choose to support their home club with the other half being parents bringing their suburban kids to a game to see how it is supposed to be played back in their youth leagues. There's not very many primarily English-speaking adults buying tickets just to watch the sport. The same applies for the international matches of which there are a slew every year here in Houston ... except the percentages swing much further toward Latinos.

To deny there will be a bump from the sport after a World Cup is overly cynical. Participation will be stronger and the star players of the USMNT will become brand names for the next 18 months. The challenge is that while Joe Public is down with cheering on his nation against the world, he doesn't get jazzed by club soccer (MLS, EPL or otherwise).

[SuperJon]

Most of us in our 40s grew up playing soccer but that simply didn't carry over to enjoying it as a spectator sport. In fact, the year around culture of youth soccer today actually burns the kids out on the sport IMHO. The same thing is happening to youth baseball. By the time a kid reaches the point of being able to be a paying customer themselves they have been overwhelmed by the sport.

I've seen the exact opposite. I look at my brother and his friends. He played travel soccer every year from the time he was in 7th grade through high school. One of his best friends was playing ODP soccer in 8th grade. They all grew up on the soccer field. Now that they're in college, only one of them is still playing, a few of them got burnt out on actually playing, but they haven't missed a single US game and have all been watching most of the other games. They may be burnt out on playing, but they're not burnt out on the game.

[Sly Fox]

World Cup is an exception to the rule. Its like the Olympics when we all get excited about sports we quickly forget for the next four years.

[SuperJon]

What is Bob Bradley's obsession with Findley? He's useless as a starter. Everyone sees that but him.

[SuperJon]

Yeah, let's play Clark instead of Edu. That's working out great.

[RubberMallet]

World Cup is an exception to the rule. Its like the Olympics when we all get excited about sports we quickly forget for the next four years.

correct.

professional soccer in the us expands in large part to there just being more people here. in teh past twelve years attendance has only grown 10% when it comes to per game attendance. meanwhile in those 12 years our population has grown what 15%?

i would like to see soccer get more popular...there is just not much room for it as the big 4 have cornered the year.

the US just isnt' ready for another national boring sport.

[01LUGrad]

Ugh. This is bad. Altidore looks lazy and Findley is pretty much worthless. I'm glad the guy is fast, but there is a sport for that. It is called track...you know, where you don't have that silly ball to worry about.

Bradley needs his best "win one for the gipper" speech ever if we want to even think about playing beyond today.

[RubberMallet]

Ugh. This is bad. Altidore looks lazy and Findley is pretty much worthless. I'm glad the guy is fast, but there is a sport for that. It is called track...you know, where you don't have that silly ball to worry about.

Bradley needs his best "win one for the gipper" speech ever if we want to even think about playing beyond today.

giving up too much space...containing where its uncalled for. guys keep trying to take it to the goal line to get around the defender when they can easily cut the ball back. we should be down 2-0 though.

[Maximus]

Hey Luconn.. how are your nerves? ; )

[RubberMallet]

he just nutmeg'd the guy who drove my cab in chicago 2 weeks ago.

[BJWilliams]

There goes that man again! Landon Donovan is gonna hit cult status one of these days and people are gonna start making jokes about him along the lines of Chuck Norris jokes.

[4everfsu]

Our defense sucks and two of our foward players are useless, who ever the tall black guy is, I am not impressed, also the other black player who had a chance to score in the first half when he was open.