SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums College, Pro & International Soccer Something to do between games

Here's a good read for the dead time between games. It's about why soccer is not popular in the US.
http://www.slate.com/id/2142554/?nav=navoa

Enjoy!

That article is horrible! In my opinion, the real reason soccer is not as popular as a spectator sport in the US as it is in the rest of the world is that it did not become a part of the “fabric” of American society during our society's development and maturation. In the rest of the world, soccer has been the most popular sport for over a century. By the time soccer began to make it's impact in the US, it was too late. The very mature American societal psyche of the late 20th and early 21st centuries is difficult to penetrate.

Two significant events played primary roles in excluding soccer from the sports psyche of the American public during the society’s significant maturation stages:

1. Early football playing colleges rejected Association Football (soccer) rules in favor of the “handling” rules of the Rugby style game when they formed the Intercollegiate Football Association in the 1870s. American gridiron football then evolved from this style of play and has thrived to the present day as the most popular spectator sport among US colleges and universities. As a result, soccer disappeared entirely from the college sports scene for nearly 40 years and did not become an official NCAA sport until 1959.

2. The failure of professional soccer leagues in the US as a result of the “soccer wars” of the late 1920s. During the 1920s, the American Soccer League (ASL) became prosperous and commonly played before crowds of over 10,000 spectators. This league led to the US success in the 1930 World Cup and compared quite favorably with the popularity of the National Football League (gridiron) at the time. In the late 1920s, a long running dispute between the ASL and US soccer’s governing body, the USFA (later renamed USSF), led to the eventual demise of the ASL. As a result, no professional soccer league was very successful again in the US until the 1970s.

I personally believe that soccer has not caught on in the US for two reasons:

1. Money. It is difficult for teams and TV to make money off of soccer. There are no breaks in the action for TV to have commercials like Football, Basketball, etc. If TV can not put in commercials, no money is made on their part and thus they do not show soccer on TV very often. By putting soccer on TV more Americans are able to see the beauty of the game and become fans. Additionally, it is difficult for teams to make money. Even the superteams in Europe do not make much (I think only a couple make any money). Even though these teams have huge followings and even sell advertisments on their uniforms, they do not come close to making the amount of money that US professional teams make. In Europe owners own teams for enjoyment, but in the US most owners also want to turn a profit.

2. Ties. Ties a part of soccer. Americans HATE ties. Just look to the MLB Allstar game a few years back to see how much Americans despise ties. You can also look to the SCHSL to see that there are no ties in regular season. For some reason Americans can not accept a game where both teams are equal. There must be a winner. One team must be better than the other.

I want soccer to succeed in the US, but I do not think it will happen because of money mostly (ties is a bit of a stretch), but you never know. Sports fluctuate. At one time Boxing, Horse Racing, and Baseball were the most popular sports. Now it is Football, Baseball, and Basketball. Maybe in thirty years the MLS cup will be as big as the Superbowl or we will be talking about the World Cup of American Football starting this week in Germany. Who Knows.

(Sorry for the typos and grammatical errors)

..if money is the biggest reason soccer will not succeed in the US..then soccer will surely succeed in the US.

Footballers in Europe, South America, Asia, EVERYWHERE make MILLIONS! That money doesn't come from nowhere. Just watch an EPL match..and you see the solution everywhere. The players themselves advertise the companies that support these leagues. The jerseys are advertisements during the entire match.

MLS has come a long way as far as their marketing is concerned..but they can go a lot farther.

We can all relax though.. the US will win the World Cup this year..then after WWIII when we're all Chino-Americans ..everyone will be forced to love soccer! ..er.. football.

I know what you can do in between games...try working!!! HAHAHAHA

Merely talking about clubs making money and Television making advertising money off games. There are no breakes in the game (besides halftime) for TV to have commercials. European Club do not make any money. Most are in debt even Real Madrid. Here is a article
http://www.economist.com/research/backgrounders/displaystory.cfm?story_id=1142895