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#108
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Money and advertising? This niche sport has a multibillion-dollar TV deal for the World Cup that is larger than that in any other country. Popularity? The average attendance for an MLS game last season was 18,000. In North America, the only leagues drawing better than that are the NFL, MLB and Liga MX (Mexico's soccer league). The Seattle Sounders led MLS by averaging 44,000 fans per game. Only 2 dozen teams in European leagues drew better than that. As a whole, MLS is the 8th-best drawing soccer league in the world. TV ratings? Look at what ESPN gets for Premier League games, or what Fox gets for the Champions League Final. Some niche sport. You might not buy it, but the facts say otherwise.
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Attendance records: 09 : 3-2. 10 : 2-3. 11: 0-1. 12: 2-1. 14: 2-3. 15: 3-3. 16: 1-0. Last edited by DSpivack; 03-16-2013 at 05:44 PM. |
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Back to the topic at hand, I would be curious to know what the sort of coverage and reception the World Cup got in its third go around (which would have been what? 1936?) as opposed to the World Baseball Classic. I think the WBC could be a great thing for baseball but there are still some kinks that need to be worked out and participants (particularly the US) really need to buy into the importance of the event. |
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Spivak:
I fully suspect (and expect) that in 20 years (I won't be around though) soccer fans will continue to be harping about how "the sport is ready to break through in the U.S.!!!!!!" Bet on it, for real, it's gonna happen! LOL ![]() The "sport of the 70's" will morph into "the sport of the 30's" (as in 2030...) Lip |
#111
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Last edited by mahagga73; 03-16-2013 at 07:27 PM. |
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#113
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I don't understand willful ignorance in terms of ignoring facts about it. If some Fox affiliates reject the Champions League Final because of low ratings, why don't NBC affiliates do the same for the Stanley Cup Final? The former has had about twice as many viewers as the latter in the last two seasons. |
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No, I was making more of a statement than aiming it at you . I like a few sports that are niche , and I get the same kind of condesention aimed at me sometimes, that's all.
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Nor should you. I don't care for pro wrestling, auto racing, or golf, but I don't start disagreeing with fans of those sports while being proudly ignorant of facts involving them.
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MRKARNO 04-04-2005, 04:03 PM I was a doubter, but maybe, just maybe we can win with pitching, defense and fundamentals. |
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As someone who was involved in soccer for 23 years (1984-2007), I can tell you the sport is light years ahead of when I first started. Light years in terms of leagues, competition, play, participation, and hell, parents/coaches knowledge. Traveling soccer is a big deal, and it made me jealous of what these kids get. There was also no national team (or one that couldn't qualify for the World Cup), or a division one out door league when I played. While the league and team isn't up to par with the rest of the world, these did not exist growing up. So year, it has grown. A lot, actually. However, I don't expect the non-fan or hater to even get this part.
The reason for that? Because, as a pro sport, it will never be big. The MLS has only been around since 1996. There is no big history. Kids also pick up to what their father is a fan of at an early age. Even though there are more dads that played today then during my childhood (my father was the only one that played soccer of all the parents), it's still not even close to being enough. There were plenty of kids in my generation who didn't care for the sport. Sure, it's way ahead of what it is, but the reality is, it's not up to par. And, nor will it ever in my life time. Another factor is that there are a decent amount of soccer fans here. A good amount of them follow other leagues because the quality of play is much better. Soccer was a victim of instant gratification. The NY Cosmos drew monster crowds in the 70s. They had Warner Brothers check book and they could buy top stars. Since they did that, the whole league and general public went crazy. They failed to realize there were very little American born players playing and the rest of the league wasn't doing quite so hot. Hell, Elmhurst is a pretty good soccer town with an AYSO league and plenty of traveling leagues. The AYSO league wasn't even founded until 1984. Even then, since there are more opportunities with the other top sports, the best athletes aren't going to keep playing one they reach high school. I don't see that changing, and it's the reality of life. People can think what they want to think. I'm not going to try and change their minds. I don't promote the sport, and I honestly don't really care if it becomes popular nationally or not. I think I'm qualified to give a fair and honest assessment on the topic. I'm not into sports like I used to, and I barely watch these days as it is. But, going back to the topic of the WBC, as a country, we don't take international competition seriously. The days of the Soviet Union and other communists countries are long over. Another problem is that, as I said before, it's hard for a guy like myself to take this tourny seriously. The tourny forces American players who have zero ties to a country play for the country. The play itself isn't bad, I will watch it if I have nothing else on. But, I'm not going to have any emotional investment in it. Hell, both the White Sox and Bears faltered down the stretch last season, and even then, I didn't get too worked up over it. |
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