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Forums - Sports Discussion - Why USA never jumped the soccer bandwagon?

outlawauron on 07 September 2015
Mnementh said:
outlawauron said:

>Using FIFA rankings as a basis of fact.  

What else should you use, it's the official organization for the sport. The ranking is based on results in international games and everyone can recalculate it himself if he wants to. What do you base your ranking on, coinflip?

Using those rankings as a basis of fact is absolutely crazy to anyone who actually watches the games. The system is rigged to benefit certain countries and doesn't properly affect current form, head to head results, or predicted outcomes if the teams play (you know, the real reason you rank teams).



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se7en7thre3 on 07 September 2015

Here is the REAL problem - too many competitive leagues with money.

Imagine if half the NBAs best players were playing in the EUro league....the NBA would not nearly be as popular. Americans are accustomed to having the "best of the best" play against each other, loaded with super stars. Too many leagues is confusing when you factor in Americans have other major sports to follow. Remember, Americans love the world cup so it isnt a sports issue...

To gain our interest they'd have to create a system where it would be fair worldwide representation i.e FIFA league and not a league bound to a single nation. For soccer to become popular in the US, it would have to follow the world cup format, but instead of players national ties it would be the best of the best tied into one league.

teams like

London Royals
Rome Lions
Paris Panthers
Rio de janiero Acai

etc

I know there are way too many soccer players worldwide, and too much politics involved to make it a reality. But again to draw American interest the key would be to have the best superstars under one umbrella ...32, 50 or however many team league, divided by territorial conferences, setting up a great playoff system to have a yearly "Super Cup"..

Solution: have one super Fifa (a strong brand we are familiar with) league, and the rest of the current leagues would serve as a minor leagues. The "player loaning" etc can continue , and demotions/promotions like in baseball would also be implemented.

http://the18.com/news/how-super-league-could-be-most-entertaining-league-ever

^ not exactly what I said, but its on the right track



mornelithe on 07 September 2015
Mnementh said:
mornelithe said:

What's wrong with Soccer?  What's your problem with the sport of Soccer?  I played Soccer as a kid.  Soccer was a great deal of fun, in camp, after school, tons of soccer.  Probably played more Soccer when I was younger, than I did any other sport.  Kind of strange really, when you think about it.  My interest in soccer didn't really carry over into adulthood.

It's called football. Everywhere in the word except the US.

No really?  I hadn't heard. :P



Blag79 on 07 September 2015

we already have enough boring sports here i guess



gamingpotato7 on 07 September 2015
KBG29 said:
For me it is the massive lack of entertainment. Whether it was playing it in school, or wtching it on TV, it is just the most boring sport in every aspect. I watch almost every sport out their, pool, bowling, cards, racing, Rugby, Austrailian Football, Golf, Tennis, Swimming, Wrestling, UFC, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, US Football, , etc. including the womens league of many of them, and I enjoy all of them. However, I just can not get Soccer, I try about 3 or 4 times a year, I sit down and watch a whole soccer game, and I just don't see what makes it click.


You are clearly biased towards it. If you don't get it, you don't get it. It is one of the most skillful sports out there, unlike many of the ones you said. Each time a ball enters the goal it is an explosion of enthusiasm and a meaningful one at that since scoring goals is so rare. When a team scores many goals, people don't celebrate so much because they understand the value of a single goal in a 90 minutes match. It is the most popular sport in the world, not because people are poor so they can only play that. It is popular because it is extremely fun to play and a hugely passion driven game. Try to understand it better, and maybe it can be more fun than watching cards or bowling.



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Metallox on 07 September 2015
Lawlight said:
Metallox said:

The men's team is the best in the CONCACAF. How is that a terrible team? 


Mexico is actually.

Also, average attendance for an MLS match is higher than that of an NBA basketball match.

It isn't. The United States plays much better. Mexican players are passing a very hard time, especially Vela, Herrera, Reyes, Chicharito and many more. 



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Abun on 07 September 2015
Mnementh said:
Abun said:

Soccer is a national sport with no personal attachment like MLB,NFL and NBA.By that I mean most cities or states have their own team,which makes it a more intimate connection.As a Raven's fan I feel closer to the team since they represent my city.I feel a since of pride when I drive near Camden yards and M&T bank stadium,plus being black I grew up playing basket ball and football or owning one of those balls like most blacks.Then you have high school and college baeball,basket ball and football.Small towns and states have their own teams with huge rivalrys.


Soccer teams are bound to cities, only for international events there is a national team that consist of th best players in the usual leagues. Also rivalry is usual for teams and their fans.

The NBA,MLB and NFL all have teams with decade old rivalries and newer rivalries such as the Ravens vs Steelers,which we in MD and the people in Pen state are all captivated by.Than you have the college rivalries which may be even bigger as college sports actually have their own fans who do not even watch much pro sports.Basket Ball and Football are huge from the children's league all the way up to the pro league.Those sports are not just popular on the biggest level.Soccer does not have that same following even in the children's league and most just play it because they can not play the other sports.



Mnementh on 07 September 2015
outlawauron said:
Mnementh said:

What else should you use, it's the official organization for the sport. The ranking is based on results in international games and everyone can recalculate it himself if he wants to. What do you base your ranking on, coinflip?

Using those rankings as a basis of fact is absolutely crazy to anyone who actually watches the games. The system is rigged to benefit certain countries and doesn't properly affect current form, head to head results, or predicted outcomes if the teams play (you know, the real reason you rank teams).

Rigged? Inhowfar? To benefit which countries?

http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/procedure/men.html



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Abun on 07 September 2015
gamingpotato7 said:
KBG29 said:
For me it is the massive lack of entertainment. Whether it was playing it in school, or wtching it on TV, it is just the most boring sport in every aspect. I watch almost every sport out their, pool, bowling, cards, racing, Rugby, Austrailian Football, Golf, Tennis, Swimming, Wrestling, UFC, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, US Football, , etc. including the womens league of many of them, and I enjoy all of them. However, I just can not get Soccer, I try about 3 or 4 times a year, I sit down and watch a whole soccer game, and I just don't see what makes it click.


You are clearly biased towards it. If you don't get it, you don't get it. It is one of the most skillful sports out there, unlike many of the ones you said. Each time a ball enters the goal it is an explosion of enthusiasm and a meaningful one at that since scoring goals is so rare. When a team scores many goals, people don't celebrate so much because they understand the value of a single goal in a 90 minutes match. It is the most popular sport in the world, not because people are poor so they can only play that. It is popular because it is extremely fun to play and a hugely passion driven game. Try to understand it better, and maybe it can be more fun than watching cards or bowling.

For me personally I don't see how positions differ in Soccer except for the goalie.In football each position is different and key to success with plays that actually have to be set in order to score.It is the same for Basket Ball as not all players have the same skill set and the scoring is higher because it is a fast temo sport with a shorter distance to the hoop and you control the ball with your hands.The excitement is huge when a player hits a big time shot or the game is close as is with football.Fans also cheer for great defense in both sports.There is nothing like play off basket ball and football either as far as big games.



Mnementh on 07 September 2015
JWeinCom said:
Mnementh said:


Only that this other sport does involve usage of arms, not feet.


Allow me to congratulate you on this novel and astute observation.  I will immediately begin a campaign to find a new name, change the vernacular, and completely rebrand the product.  Because it makes no sense to keep a name we are all familiar with and creates no issues, because it is not 100% technically accurate in modern times, despite a rational entymological explanation.

After I'm done with this, I'll begin to work on the pressing issues of renaming hot dogs which are not dogs and strawberries which are not berries.  After this I will demand that monkey wrench's be renamed to reflect the fact that monkeys do not use them, demand that people stop using the phrase funny bone as the bone is not humorous at all, demand that we stop using the term restroom because people do not rest in it, lead the charge against hamburgers as they are not made of ham, and demand that Eminem change his name so that we do not confuse him with a delectable chocolate covered treat.

As my last, and perhaps most important, task, I will demand that goaltenders no longer use their hands, soccer players never used their heads, and punting and fieldgoal kicking are abolished.  Because, in a sport, you are apparently only allowed to use body parts specified in the sports name.

Again, congratulations on your observation.  Comedians from the 80s and 10 year olds everywhere would be proud of your insight.

Sorry, I didn't know it was so personally important for you that the name is soccer. As a german I completely think football is the natural name, as we always called it Fußball, which would be translated football word for word. But if you americans prefer to call that to some sport where you mostly carry around a ball instead of kicking it, so be it. But be prepared to be made fun of, which I do all the thread.

Now I go to fry some frenchmen to have something to eat alongside my hamburger - which is someone from hamburg....



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