Posted on 06/20/2014 8:05:16 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
The US has brought more fans to Brazil than any other country and this may be a genuine tipping point....
A recent ESPN poll found that among Americans aged 12-17, football was now neck and neck with baseball in terms of popularity, and well ahead of ice hockey. A Washington Times survey found that almost a third of Americans planned to watch at least some of the tournament. The New York Times has splashed the World Cup over its front page several times in recent weeks. Beneath the surface, the last four years have seen the emergence of magazines such as Howler and Eight By Eight, covering the game with the same depth and detail as any European publication.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
A USA soccer fan would say, "if you don't like it, leave."
Please, enlighten us all with your wonderful athletic endeavors, oh great one.
You do have a point. I think one of the reasons that is true is that black Americans have stopped playing the game in huge numbers. The only active great black American baseball player that comes to mind is Andrew McCutcheon with the Pirates. I love watching that kid play.
The Yankees are in on it. ;-)
Wrestling?
And not to sidetrack the thread, but the NFL is facing an existential crisis with regard to CTE. The sponsors haven't figured it out yet (and they shouldn't be the first to do so anyway, as long as the money is changing hands), but the owners are either too fat, too lazy, or too stupid to figure it out (again, because of the money most likely).
Some of you clowns on this board have no sense of humor!
As for your stupid keyboard warrior comment, take a look at my profile, you will notice I don’t have to prove anything to you princess.
Yawn...
Youth football participation already declined by over 10%.
This is an excellent point that never (rarely) gets mentioned. It would be like saying a new drink isn't popular unless it meets or surpasses sales of coke and pepsi.
I watch snippets of soccer on occasion, but mostly just pay attention to win/loss results. It's just too boring for me - about on par with baseball, but at least a step up from golf as a spectator sport.
Sports with a typical maximum of maybe 2 or 3 goals/scores per game are a snoozefest to watch IMHO.
Kid soccer is actually much more entertaining to watch than professional - more scores, more crazy stuff going on.
Here we go...all the soccer haters on FR.
I just don’t understand why somebody would want to take the time to rain on somebody else’s sport - if you don’t like it so what, why bash it? I know people that love curling and other odd sports, while I won’t watch it on TV I’m not going to insult them by bashing it....which is what goes on in FR.
I moved to the USA in the 80’s - there was NO soccer coverage, ZERO! Now I can watch ALL the soccer I want, MLS, English Premier League, etc. - so while many FReepers don’t know anyone that likes the sport I know dozens of my American friends/family that have become hooked. I’m sure all the TV coverage means NOTHING right? The popularity is (finally) growing in leaps and bounds.
Just because you don’t know what you’re looking for doesn’t mean interesting things aren’t happening - it’s just ignorance to assume there’s not.
To me, the funny part is many soccer bashers are baseball fans!! LLLLLOOOOOOLLLLL! That said, I DON’T BASH BASEBALL - because I know there’s aspects of the game that I just don’t appreciate, I never played.
Flame me if you will - but you’re all in denial if you think the game isn’t growing.
Soccer fans in the US love the NFL. The two biggest boosters of the beautiful game have been Lamar Hunt and the Kraft family. These titans of the NFL literally bankrolled the latest tide of American soccer enthusiasm.
Of course the Yankees are in on it. The Bronx Bombers are partnered with Manchester City in owning the club NYC FC, which debuts in Yankee Stadium in 2015. Mariano Rivera is season ticket holder #1.
We went from zero games (in English) 25 years ago to these leagues being shown regularly on US TV (in English), MLS, EPL, SPL, Ligue 1, La Liga, Bundesliga, Eredivisie, Serie A, A League, English Championship, Champions League, Europa League, Concacaf Champions League, plus South American domestic leagues. This did not happen because nobody is interested in soccer. Those who continue to deny the obvious, are in the words of my favorite Geordie, Ray Hudson, as sharp as a bag of wet mice.
But soccer is soooo exciting. Kick it to that guy, kick it to that guy, kick it to that guy, kick it to that guy, take shot. kick it to that guy, kick it to that guy, kick it to that guy, kick it to that guy, take shot...ooops the goalie tripped...GOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!
A bunch of guys running around a field kicking a volleyball?
BORING
I don’t recall who said it but someone quipped, “Why should I be impressed with a sport that doesn’t even require opposable thumbs to play?”
;’)
Would that include skeet-shooting?
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