Manchester United begins US assault

BBC ^ | 24 July, 2003 | David Willis

[lambo]

Manchester United begins US assault

By David Willis BBC correspondent in Seattle

Near the main entrance to Seattle's Seahawks stadium a young Baptist minister stood holding a placard. 'Soccer nuts - Fornicators - Repent!' it declared. A young man in a red jersey stopped to ask the meaning. "It's all about worshipping false Gods," the minister replied.

"Well you're whistling in the wind here, pal," the passer-by replied, heading off in the direction of the hot dog stall.

So it proved, as a sea of red shirts streamed into Seattle's port district, chanting, singing, turning the warehouse-lined streets into a fiesta.

"Not since the United States shook off its colonial governors in the War of Independence has such a formidable British force been poised to invade the American market," wrote one American sports columnist.

That certainly is United's hope.

The world's most famous soccer club has just one key market left to conquer in its quest for global domination.

America is truly the 'final frontier'.

The club is hoping its two-week, four-game American tour will delight existing fans and broaden its appeal among those who think sport begins and ends with baseball.

But more than that, its directors are scrutinising ways of capitalising on this highly lucrative and as yet untapped marketplace - one that has yet to be bombarded with pencils and mugs and t-shirts and tea-towels all bearing the famous red crest.

Enthusiasm

Judging by the hyperbolic coverage its presence here has already generated, United's efforts have got off to a good start.

"Manchester United are to soccer around the world what the New York Yankees are to baseball, the Los Angeles Lakers are to basketball and the Dallas Cowboys are to American football," said one commentator, roll-calling a who's who of American sport.

Ticket sales for last night's game certainly reflected such enthusiasm.

Nearly 67,000 packed the Seahawks stadium, the highest attendance in its history.

With games in Los Angeles, New Jersey and Philadelphia still to come, the question is: will the party last - or is this destined to be just a summer fling?

Four million Americans regularly watch their games on satellite TV - a loyal fan base, but hardly earth-shattering given the huge population here.

North America remains a soccer backwater, and many agree it will take years - and possibly even generations - for that to change.

'United are awesome'

The future - if there is one - lies with teenagers such as Jason Harris and his friend Santiago Peralta.

They had travelled three hours on a plane from Arizona just to see United play.

Despite the absence of their hero David Beckham they were impressed.

"Four-nil - what a game!" said Jason, 15.

"United are awesome."

Both boys play in their school soccer team, and believe the sport is growing in popularity.

"Eventually we'll have a team to match the Europeans and the South Americans," said Santiago, who is also 15 and was born in Argentina.

"Just you wait and see."

As Jason's parents steered them towards their hotel, the Baptist minister was packing up his placards on the street outside the stadium.

If Man U succeed in conquering football's final frontier, one day he may have far greater cause for concern.

[lambo]

I'm posting this because I enjoy the feeding frenzy generated here by football (i.e., soccer) threads.

I have eleventh-row seats for the Man. Utd.-Juventus match July 31 at the Meadowlands.

[RoughDobermann]

Both boys play in their school soccer team, and believe the sport is growing in popularity

I certainly hope it is, but I doubt it. The last big "soccer is the new national pastime" was what, ten years ago? It's a girls sport anyway... Just thought I'd get that out of the way for those that are coming...

[What Is Ain't]

Lucky u. I scanned their sites hoping to see something in the midwest but - nothing doing.

Enjoy, I know I would. And Juventus too! Sigh...

[discostu]

Soccer has the same problem in America that hockey has (I'm a big hockey nut), it's too subtle and often times more skill is shown in preventing a score than in scoring. Americans (by and large) have no patience for 1-0 sporting events. Baseball occassion runs into the same problem, ask your average fan what they think of pitching duels, most hate them. Anybody that enjoy a pitching duel has the kind of mind it takes to be a fan of hockey or soccer.

[Snerfling]

more skill is shown in preventing a score than in scoring

I, like most Americans, find soccer boring, but I, unlike many Americans, will watch it when it involves top flight teams. Regardless of the particular sport, watching some of the world's best athletes is a treat unto itself.

[Dead Dog]

That's not necessarily true, defense is key to football, and often the most exciting side to watch. Plus, many football games are 7-0 9-0 (or 1-0 1.2-0 in metric sports).

Soccer's problem in the US is that it is a sport for women and skinny premadonas.

[Weimdog]

ManU & Celtic brought more people to Seahawk Stadium than the Seahawks ever have, almost 67,000. Sold out in 1 hour.

ManU put on a goal scoring clinic, trouncing Celtic 4-0.

I can't wait for the match this Sunday at the Collesium in LA. Got my tickets the day they went on sale.

American keeper Tim Howard is now a Red Devil...

"Howard will fly tomorrow (July 12th) to Manchester where he will take a physical, complete paperwork, and he will likely sign a contract Tuesday for a reported $1.4 annual salary plus substantial performance bonuses. He also will be given use of a home and car.

Major League Soccer will receive a reported $2 million transfer fee from Man. U., plus an additional $1.5 million should Howard become a starter."

http://www.soccertimes.com/mls/2003/jul12.htm

[Dead Dog]

"It's all about worshipping false Gods,"

I don't think the passerbye or the BBC got the joke. Pretty funny actually.

Here's You're god, Sissy Soccer Pagans!"

F_g Ball Bump

[Jay D. Dyson]

Why Soccer is Struggling in the U.S.

Nufsed.

[SoDak]

I'll watch them, but only if the Paint Drying Channel is knocked off the air.

[RoughDobermann]

I'll watch them, but only if the Paint Drying Channel is knocked off the air.

Just curious, but what sports WILL you watch?

[IYAS9YAS]

Soccer hoodlums...making football rioters look like saints for more than 30 years.

[discostu]

Ahh, you sound almost like me. I openly mock baseball and basketball, but every once in a while when I know the game is going to be good (or I've got the serious jones on) I'll flip them on. During this July duldrum when there's no football or hockey I spend a lot of time on Fox Sports World watching games I don't know and don't understand, but something about great athleticism always shines through. Many are the times I've yell "my God that was amazing" had my wife ask "what happened" and answered "I don't know, but it looked hard and he did it well".

[IYAS9YAS]

Like you style. Soccer to me is a nap looking for a place to happen. Same with baseball on T.V.

[discostu]

But football defense isn't like soccer and hockey defense, at least not the part that people notice. You know how in football you can always spot the REALLY good cornerback because nobody ever throw it to his receiver, this guy doesn't get to put up good numbers with tips and intercepts because no QB will throw near him. It's not very exciting unless you're a student of the game, but the level of skill that goes into being a CB nobody throws near FAR exceeds the level of skill necessary to make an interception. That's how defense tends to work in soccer and hockey, especially hockey now that the positional goaltender has been invented, these are guys for whom the motto is "if I'm exciting I screwed up". If you're a student of the game and can understand why the team on offense just stopped and regrouped it's great, but that doesn't sell well here.

Soccer is only a sport for skinny premadonas when bad teams are playing. They do tend to be skinny, but you run up and down a field longer than an NFL field for 90 minutes with only one break and limited substitutions and tell me how much extra weight you manage to keep. The premadonas all pretty much stink and exist solely to draw yellow cards, and the worst soccer premadona doesn't even rate compared to Randy Moss. Watch for the bloody knees, that's how you find the real soccer players.

[walkingdead]

You know Macarani and all the Irish went and watched that game.

[cyborg]

how true! the stereotype of the fat, beer guzzling american sport fantatic continues.... :-)

[Dead Dog]

I bet Macarani doesn't remember much of it.

[lambo]

That's a good page. The rest of you ought to go see it.

I just checked back in after having to take a phone call, and I must say, I'm disappointed in the low level of venom on this thread. I really expected more than the restrained and intelligent discussion I've seen so far.