World Cup hurting Soccer in the USA?

I have a theory, and I would like to know what you think about it.

I think that the World Cup hurts the chances that soccer will be a major sport in the USA.


Let's face it, International Soccer is In a terrible state right now, when it comes to the Quality of play.

You can see Daring and creative play in the early stages, but in the big matches, Almost all the major teams play very defensively, without taking any risks.
They seem content with controlling the ball without really getting to scoring opportunities. And they keep so many players near their own goal, that it's almost impossible to score. How can you start a fast break when all of you're players are stuck to your penalty area?

Don't me get me wrong, I like to watch good defensive play and I don't want every game to end in a 5-4 blowout.
But in inter' games, it seems like the teams don't even care about attacking. It looks like the coaches think: " We'll get our goal somehow, or we'll just win in a shootout. the important thing is not to allow any goals".

I learned not to expect great soccer from the world cup. I watch it for the drama and atmosphere. When I want to watch good soccer, I watch the Champions League, Spanish league or any other quality league. Even so called "2ND tier" leagues, like the French or Portuguese, are much more entertaining.
But, for the people who are not soccer fans, the World Cup is being sold as the greatest soccer on earth.

Think about it, If you knew nothing about soccer, and you'd be told that that World Cup soccer, is the best quality soccer there is, do you honestly think you'd become soccer fans?

I think soccer would stand much better chance in America, if club soccer was marketed more heavily. Just think how much greater the chances of someone to become a soccer fan would be, if the first game he'd watch was the 99 or 05' Champions League finals (And yeah, I know there were extremely boring CL Finals, but on average the quality is much higher).

I would be happy to know what you think.

As someone who knows how great football can be, it totally appals me that FIFA have let the game get into this state. Its hardly surprising seeing as the corruption starts at the very top.

I don't bother to go to games any more, I don't buy shirts either because I cant spend any money when teams are only interested in cheating rather than trying to beat their opponents.

Ill change my mind if the game gets back to the way it was in the early 90s and the officiating gets back to how it should be.

If I was American, Id laugh at the sport and there would be no chance that Id follow it, however I know how great it can be and its very hard not to hope it might get back there one day.

I agree with part of your statement. I think the thing that turns most Americans completely off football is all the diving and this WC was a pretty good one for divers. As I've said before, Americans admire those athletes that play through pain and still get the job done (Kirk Gibson, Willis Reed, etc.). All the diving just goes against the American psyche and by now, diving has become an accepted part of football.

Steve summed it up well I think when he said that FIFA have a heavy share of the blame. FIFA hasn't cracked down on diving for years and until they do, they won't be getting very much of the American market.

while this certainly is not the first rhead on this topic ;) i believe you may have put it better than most. we know that american fans do not like scoreless games, and they always want a winner. we can see the changes to hockey as proof of that. the bottom line is that if you do not concede you stand a good chance of not losing, and when there is a lot at stake that is simply a reality.

diving is the other issue that hurts the sport internationally (not just in the USA), and flyhigh makes a very good point on that. FIFA is just a big giant beaurocracy and they are no hurry to change their sport. they look at their bottom line and do not see a problem.

The fact of the matter is, Americans are not international citizens when it comes to sports.

Most of the sports they follow are not played extensively outside of the US, and those that are (i.e. baseball/basketball) barely register on the radar aside from those players who end up in the MLB/NBA.

The sports that dominate their attention are extremely domestic in orientation. The college sports phenomenon only adds credence to this. NASCAR vs. Formula 1. etc. etc.

The American sporting culture is filled with so many competitive leagues that it's difficult to create space for another, which not only has extremely few Americans participating in (i.e. Champions League or any of the major European leagues) but also suffers from time zone issues and an inability for fans to actually attend.

The MLS is the only route for the USA to fully embrace soccer, and I am doubtful that this will ever occur. Attempts have been made in the past to fixate American attention on soccer (i.e. Pele playing in the US) but they've ultimately failed.

Obviously there are MANY MANY American soccer fans, but they are a minority when it comes to the American sports fan population as a whole. Major events like the Olympics and the World Cup may grab more mainstream attention for a little while, but it is sporadic and fleeting.

Thank you for the input.

I agree about the diving. I've grown accustomed to it, But from an objective point of view it's really ruining the game.

I think I've read somewhere that FIFA has created a new rule, banning players found guilty of diving for 2 games. I can't remember where it was.

Nyquil, I also think that soccer would never rise to the level of popularity of the big sports in America, But it could become more popular, if Americans would see some exciting soccer.

And about the timezones... If we can get up in the middle of the night to watch NHL and NBA games, you can do it too... :D

And about the timezones... If we can get up in the middle of the night to watch NHL and NBA games, you can do it too... :D

I love my Saturday morning EPL matches.

But sports runs on money. And the money in North America comes from advertising. And the advertising money comes from prime time, which means 7-11 pm.

I think I've read somewhere that FIFA has created a new rule, banning players found guilty of diving for 2 games. I can't remember where it was.



id like to know where you came across it, because ive not heard anything of it. i know a lot of people have proposed it, but nobody with any fifa connections as far as i know

id like to know where you came across it, because ive not heard anything of it. i know a lot of people have proposed it, but nobody with any fifa connections as far as i knowIt was on the BBC site a few days ago.

I don't think so. During the WC, every time I went through the TV section of a department or electronics store, there were people glued to the TV. During Ukraine vs Switzerland all the employees at Sears were watching. At the bar at the airport, you couldn't move it was so crowded watching the championship game.

I agree that the diving certainly hurts. But a big reason, I think, that Americans aren't too interested in soccer in general--aside from all the other big reasons that have already been mentioned--is that pro soccer in the US stinks. Clearly Americans will watch the best soccer players play--the TV ratings were fine. But the talent the MLS offers isn't good enough. That and like the Olympics, you sort of gear up for the World Cup, if they played it every year the interest in the US would fade.

It was on the BBC site a few days ago.

nice......hopefully they carry through with it

I think I've read somewhere that FIFA has created a new rule, banning players found guilty of diving for 2 games. I can't remember where it was.


If thats the case Grosso deserves to be suspended for life not 2 games :shakehead

99% of the time a guy who gets tackled and goes down is not really hurt enough to not continue to play and just needs a little time to run it off. My idea is that if a player is so 'injured' that they have to roll around on the ground and need treatment then they should be taken off the field and either subbed or they will have to stay off for at least 10 minutes and therefore their team be down a man for that time.

If FIFA brought this rule in everyone would get up straight away trust me. This wouldn't eliminate diving but it would get rid of all those idiots who roll around like they have been shot.

nice......hopefully they carry through with it
Theres 2 problems.

1 - I have a feeling it will only apply to players who dive with no contact, not players who barely get touched and go down or ones who get a forearm in the chest and go down clutching their chest.

2 - Video evidence wont be allowed so it will only happen when refs book players for it which hardly ever happens seeing as most dives are only clear on video evidence.
The SPL wanted to use video evidence for their league but FIFA declined.

If thats the case Grosso deserves to be suspended for life not 2 games :shakehead

99% of the time a guy who gets tackled and goes down is not really hurt enough to not continue to play and just needs a little time to run it off. My idea is that if a player is so 'injured' that they have to roll around on the ground and need treatment then they should be taken off the field and either subbed or they will have to stay off for at least 10 minutes and therefore their team be down a man for that time.

If FIFA brought this rule in everyone would get up straight away trust me. This wouldn't eliminate diving but it would get rid of all those idiots who roll around like they have been shot.

*sigh* :shakehead

let it go.

It was a brutal challenge from Neil, like *** was he doing? He just dropped right in front of him. It also looks like there was some contact. http://youtube.com/watch?v=k2PgG8j0gyQ&mode=related&search=

The ref called it anyway, and if you said why didnt he get out of the way, its a lot harder then u think especially after he just ran half the field too. The call could have gone either way. Rough way too lose though. Perfect penalty by Totti too.

Most of the sports they follow are not played extensively outside of the US, and those that are (i.e. baseball/basketball) barely register on the radar aside from those players who end up in the MLB/NBA.

The sports that dominate their attention are extremely domestic in orientation. The college sports phenomenon only adds credence to this. NASCAR vs. Formula 1. etc. etc.


Have you ever seen Koshien in Japan?

Loudest

Fans

EVER

I like college sports, i can see why people would enjoy it, but Koshien is by far the better competition. You've got Sadutaru Oh (when he's 15 or 16) telling his 3rd baseman not to tell the coach that his fingers were bleeding so he could pitch, you've got Kiyohara hitting like 3 dingers in a game to become the schoolgirl idol of the country overnight, and you've got Matsuzaka throwing 256 pitches a game, and then comign on for relief the next day.

It's like Bar Mitzvah for Japanese, but with more testosterone.

Have you ever seen Koshien in Japan?

My point is that the Japanese baseball leagues are not widely covered in the US.

If anything, the MLS/US Soccer has raised the bar of talent worldwide.

If anything, the MLS/US Soccer has raised the bar of talent worldwide.

errr, hows that? Any European league would still dominate em.

My point is that the Japanese baseball leagues are not widely covered in the US.

yeah, it was sort of OT

Koshien is still damn awesome though. The drama is fantastic.

errr, hows that? Any European league would still dominate em.

Not any more. Are you watching the scores of the exhibition matches?

Real Madrid plays DC United in Seattle this evening.

Exhibition matches with uninterested B squads don't really count though :)

Exhibition matches with uninterested B squads don't really count though :)

B Squads?

Real Madrid says game is serious stuff

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soccer/2003185022_saltlake09.html

In addition to Beckham, Ronaldo, Robinho, Raul, Carlos and many more, Real Madrid forked out plenty of cash this summer to acquire Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro, Dutch striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy as well as Brazilian midfielder Emerson.

All of those players will be in uniform tonight at Qwest Field, excluding Ronaldo, who is back in Spain continuing his "recovery and shape-up program," according to the team's Web site.

Given the tremendous ratings, I don't think the WC hurt soccer here. Anything that gets people talking about the game rather than hating on it is a good thing IMO. But I totally agree about the quality of play. There's no way anyone can compare the football played in Germany with that played in most top European league matches, especially the Champions League. More exposure to the best players and the best teams will convert the average sports fan. Hell, if Bill Simmons can become intrigued, there's hope for every lame NBA-MLB fan out there ;)

B Squads?

Real Madrid says game is serious stuff


Real Madrid and DC United both went out and played for real and the two teams played to a 1-1 tie at a neutral site. Granted, if Real Madrid didn't sub in so many people in the friendly and if DC United didn't do as a good of job of holding them off, it would have been different. Plus, Real Madrid (and Chelsea and Barcelona et al) don't really have "B" squads, just a 2nd first team. :)

I wouldn't discount all MLS teams as junk squads. They definitely don't have the depth (or the money) to stay up in a top league; but don't underestimate their talent or will.