American Soccer fans hurting MLS soccer???

[TFCREDNWHITE]

Visit any of the major soccer message boards that cater to U.S soccer fans, and you will likely read virtually the same threads over and over: threads about how some political commentator believes soccer is destroying America, threads about how some sports media talking head (most notably ESPN's Jim Rome) hates soccer, threads about starting a Facebook for soccer defenders, and threads about how FoxSoccer.com writer Jamie Trecker is an idiot for being critical of soccer in the U.S.

You also have the threads about how bad the MLS sucks, how much U.S fans who like Real Madrid, Barca, or "the big four" aren't really soccer fans, threads about how horrible the U.S. National Team is, and threads lecturing us, referring to soccer as football and American football as "throwball."

The sport's biggest fans have fallen into a self-imposed form of Balkanization, where cyberspace has reduced soccer fans in the U.S into two categories: the true believers and the Europhiles.........

read on...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...ccer-in-the-us

[Batman]

most of your point describes our site pretty well.

[TFCREDNWHITE]

the rest of it is a good read also....

[Redpunkfiddle]

Not to mention the worst offender: threads that rant in oversized fonts.

Oh soccer, why do you hate America?

[TFCREDNWHITE]

Not to mention the worst offender: threads that rant in oversized fonts.

Oh soccer, why do you hate America?

*sigh* sometimes people are asleep at the wheel and need to be awoken...

[BRed]

If soccer ever became as big as it is in Europe, it would bring such a culture shock and change in sports economics that it would pose danger to politicians in America.

Now think who keeps soccer from growing in America

[Cashcleaner]

I find no inaccuracies written in that article. Sadly, so very true.

Best quote in the article:

The purpose of MLS isn't to compete with the giants of Europe or even Argentina and Brazil, but rather to provide a professional league for American players and develop fan interest in the sport.

[BBBulldog]

if there was any Balkanization going on at least MLS groups would be good

[scooter]

man has a point
at least its based on fact not like the shite we get to read from ckelly et al

[Cashcleaner]

if there was any Balkanization going on at least MLS groups would be good

Nice one, Bulldog.

[TOBOR !]

I think I read somewhere that the US has put in a bid to host the 2018 World Cup or something (2014 ?). In any case, while FIFA mandated that the US had to create a domestic league as a condition of hosting the 1994 WC (and it took them 2 years to get that going) I can't help but think with the boost that MLS has received with the addition of Toronto, Seattle (not so much San Jose) and soon to be Philly, Portland and Vancouver, hosting the World Cup again (soon, maybe jointly with Canada) would seriously boost soccer support and interest in North America.

[Beach_Red]

I think I read somewhere that the US has put in a bid to host the 2018 World Cup or something (2014 ?). In any case, while FIFA mandated that the US had to create a domestic league as a condition of hosting the 1994 WC (and it took them 2 years to get that going) I can't help but think with the boost that MLS has received with the addition of Toronto, Seattle (not so much San Jose) and soon to be Philly, Portland and Vancouver, hosting the World Cup again (soon, maybe jointly with Canada) would seriously boost soccer support and interest in North America.

Americans are never going to be too interested in a sport that they can't win.

Look at the Olympics - if an American doesn't have a chance for a medal, do they even show that sport on TV? But if an American does have a shot at a medal, no matter what sport it is, for the few days it's on TV during the Olympics there's huge interest. Swimming, for example. For a week Michael Phelps is the most famous athlete in America because he won a bunch of gold medals, but it's not like any other swim meet will ever be on TV. I don't even know if that's right or wrong, it's just the way it is.

So, hosting the World Cup again would be a great party but what would really boost soccer interest and support is if the US did really well in the World Cup.

When it looks like the US have a realistic chance to win the World Cup soccer will be a huge sport in the US.

[TFCREDNWHITE]

I think I read somewhere that the US has put in a bid to host the 2018 World Cup or something (2014 ?). In any case, while FIFA mandated that the US had to create a domestic league as a condition of hosting the 1994 WC (and it took them 2 years to get that going) I can't help but think with the boost that MLS has received with the addition of Toronto, Seattle (not so much San Jose) and soon to be Philly, Portland and Vancouver, hosting the World Cup again (soon, maybe jointly with Canada) would seriously boost soccer support and interest in North America.

yeah it would help out again, but that is not until 2018! thats still 8-9 years away!! a lot of shit could happen in that time.......

[Keystone FC]

Americans are never going to be too interested in a sport that they can't win.

Look at the Olympics - if an American doesn't have a chance for a medal, do they even show that sport on TV? But if an American does have a shot at a medal, no matter what sport it is, for the few days it's on TV during the Olympics there's huge interest. Swimming, for example. For a week Michael Phelps is the most famous athlete in America because he won a bunch of gold medals, but it's not like any other swim meet will ever be on TV. I don't even know if that's right or wrong, it's just the way it is.

So, hosting the World Cup again would be a great party but what would really boost soccer interest and support is if the US did really well in the World Cup.

When it looks like the US have a realistic chance to win the World Cup soccer will be a huge sport in the US.

This is true. I have cousins in Michigan and they always tell me that they watch CBC olympic coverage because the CBC covers more sports and not just the ones Canada has a shot for a medal in. The US TV will only show an American winning and cut to something else fast if they lose.

[Keystone FC]

I think I read somewhere that the US has put in a bid to host the 2018 World Cup or something (2014 ?). In any case, while FIFA mandated that the US had to create a domestic league as a condition of hosting the 1994 WC (and it took them 2 years to get that going) I can't help but think with the boost that MLS has received with the addition of Toronto, Seattle (not so much San Jose) and soon to be Philly, Portland and Vancouver, hosting the World Cup again (soon, maybe jointly with Canada) would seriously boost soccer support and interest in North America.

I can't see there being a joint effort between the US and Canada to host a World Cup. The US has too many facilities to choose from not to mention it's been 15 years since the 94 WC and we've added stadiums plus SSS as well. There would be ALOT of screaming if we did do a joint effort citing the example I gave.

[TOBOR !]

I can't see there being a joint effort between the US and Canada to host a World Cup. The US has too many facilities to choose from not to mention it's been 15 years since the 94 WC and we've added stadiums plus SSS as well. There would be ALOT of screaming if we did do a joint effort citing the example I gave.

Not a joint effort out of necessity, but one of inclusion. Look at the baseball World Classic (for instance) - tell me that the US couldn't have hosted that by themselves (I refer to the games held in Toronto) - they expanded it to include Canada.

It would be better to have the two countries involved to generate interest in both countries and spread costs over two governments. By the time 2018 rolls around you've got successful, established markets in MLS, more existing TV coverage, a larger population base already following the sport (our kids, us, more immigration, etc.).

Plus, your US squad would be better (as hopefully would the Canadian squad). I think this place would go bezerk for the World Cup next time around.

[maninb]

Not a joint effort out of necessity, but one of inclusion. Look at the baseball World Classic (for instance) - tell me that the US couldn't have hosted that by themselves (I refer to the games held in Toronto) - they expanded it to include Canada.

It would be better to have the two countries involved to generate interest in both countries and spread costs over two governments. By the time 2018 rolls around you've got successful, established markets in MLS, more existing TV coverage, a larger population base already following the sport (our kids, us, more immigration, etc.).

Plus, your US squad would be better (as hopefully would the Canadian squad). I think this place would go bezerk for the World Cup next time around.

FIFA has already stated they will NEVER allow 2 auto qualificaation spots to go to hosts AGAIN! like Japan and Korea got....Concacaf would then only have ONE open qualification spot...That'll never happen...

[Parkdale]

an article on the internets?

fascinating !

[TOBOR !]

FIFA has already stated they will NEVER allow 2 auto qualificaation spots to go to hosts AGAIN! like Japan and Korea got....Concacaf would then only have ONE open qualification spot...That'll never happen...

..maybe a tournament between the US and Canada for one automatic qualification while the loser has to go the longer route through CONCACAF ? Maybe increase CONCACAF's allocation by one spot (at the expense of another region, or create a playoff somewhere where an automatic spot once existed)... or increase the number of available spots...

[Fort York Redcoat]

This is not new. It's just bigger news now.

One can defend MLS and know its faults.
One can appreciate foreign football and not disrespect their own.
The growth is happening regardless and some will respond negatively.

Besides, we're not just defending our league we are educating. It's not up to us if others feel threatened by something they don't udersand fully.

[Wagner]

Rome doesn't really hate soccer.
I'm a huge fan of his, he makes laugh out loud in my little cubicle...
anyways....he more rips on the crazed extreme culture that some places have...
he brings up the machete wielding fan in jamaica, he brings up the bags of blood and urine, etc...
also, Soccer in the USA is more of a fringe sport, where it's more mainstream in canada. I think it's important to note the difference...in canada, winter = hockey, summer = soccer (for more and more kids every year, baseball is dying in canada)

in the states - if you are a good athlete, you're likely playing pointyball, baseball, basketball, etc....those choices aren't as strong in Canada.