Dear american football...

[Jake]

I'd be a bit worried if I were you. This wasn't some "oh, how cute a soccer game is on" moment for the american sports fan. This was a "holy cow, this is freaking great" tournament.

Add this to the concussion issue and I think there's legit reason for concern.

Some 10 year old future Bo Jackson might choose soccer with a nudge from mom and dad.

 

[Toga]

I'd be a bit worried if I were you. This wasn't some "oh, how cute a soccer game is on" moment for the american sports fan. This was a "holy cow, this is freaking great" tournament.

Add this to the concussion issue and I think there's legit reason for concern.

Some 10 year old future Bo Jackson might choose soccer with a nudge from mom and dad.

With the concussion issue probably being the more important of the two.

 

[TheCusian]

I'd be a bit worried if I were you. This wasn't some "oh, how cute a soccer game is on" moment for the american sports fan. This was a "holy cow, this is freaking great" tournament. Add this to the concussion issue and I think there's legit reason for concern. Some 10 year old future Bo Jackson might choose soccer with a nudge from mom and dad.

Agree. I think there is plenty of talent around for both to be okay however... Just need to peel off a few great athletes.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

Wake me in 4 years when it's semi-relevant again.....like curling.

 

[Toga]

I think I can root for Belgium.

 

[dasher]

gg

I'd be a bit worried if I were you. This wasn't some "oh, how cute a soccer game is on" moment for the american sports fan. This was a "holy cow, this is freaking great" tournament.

Add this to the concussion issue and I think there's legit reason for concern.

Some 10 year old future Bo Jackson might choose soccer with a nudge from mom and dad.

No. No sport without stats will ever be popular on the professional level in the United States

 

[jekelish]

Wake me in 4 years when it's semi-relevant again...like curling.

"I don't like soccer so it will never be popular."

Gotta love that crowd. You do realize that MLS has a higher average attendance than NBA now, right? Just because you aren't a fan doesn't mean that millions of Americans share your opinion.

 

[texascpa]

Sorry, even though I like soccer, it will not replace football, ever, unless the government outlaws football or the sport changes drastically.

 

[ImperialOrange]

gg

No. No sport without stats will ever be popular on the professional level in the United States

Tons of stats to be had my man. EPL fantasy football Is a blast and that only uses a few measurables.

 

[jekelish]

Sorry, even though I like soccer, it will not replace football, ever, unless the government outlaws football or the sport changes drastically.

It'll never replace football, I agree entirely. But people trying to deny its exponential growth are just being foolish.

 

[texascpa]

"I don't like soccer so it will never be popular."

Gotta love that crowd. You do realize that MLS has a higher average attendance than NBA now, right? Just because you aren't a fan doesn't mean that millions of Americans share your opinion.

Pull Seattle's 44K out of the equation and that's no longer true. Even that said, look at tv attendance and get back to me.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Doesn't soccer have its own concussion issues?

 

[Rocco]

Agree to disagree. Football is America and America needs football, not futbol.

 

[Scooch]

Soccer is making a *lot* of progress. But it's ceiling is welllll below football, basketball and baseball for the foreseeable future.

I could share a million data points that prove that, but it's not worth piling on.

Soccer fans should be very happy with the trajectory the sport is on. Comparing it in totality to any of the big 5 American sports is going to disappoint.

 

[jekelish]

Pull Seattle's 44K out of the equation and that's no longer true. Even that said, look at tv attendance and get back to me.

Oh really?

I pulled Seattle out of the equation and the average attendance is still 17,426 based on mid-June numbers:
http://mlsattendance.blogspot.com

The average NBA attendance is 17,407: http://www.insidehoops.com/attendance.shtml

You were saying?

 

[Bortukal]

Football has nothing to worry about.

Baseball and hockey on the other hand...

 

[Scooch]

Oh really? I pulled Seattle out of the equation and the average attendance is still 17,426 based on mid-June numbers: http://mlsattendance.blogspot.com The average NBA attendance is 17,407: http://www.insidehoops.com/attendance.shtml You were saying?

NBA teams also play 41 home games, vs 18 for MLS clubs. That's a factor too.

 

[Toga]

Tons of stats to be had my man. EPL fantasy football Is a blast and that only uses a few measurables.

But it can't tell you when the last time a right-handed hitter struck out with men on first and third on a Thursday prior to the All-Star break during an even year. Now can it?

 

[Toga]

Football has nothing to worry about.

Baseball and hockey on the other hand...

Aside from attending a game in Camden Yards, I haven't watched a baseball game in two seasons. I used to watch all the time.

 

[SUbear]

Oh really?

I pulled Seattle out of the equation and the average attendance is still 17,426 based on mid-June numbers:
http://mlsattendance.blogspot.com

The average NBA attendance is 17,407: http://www.insidehoops.com/attendance.shtml

You were saying?

Stadium sizes enter into this as much as if not more than popularity. Also number of NBA games is exponentially greater, which tends to dilute per game attendance. TV viewership would give a much better indicator of comparative popularity.

 

[jekelish]

NBA teams also play 41 home games, vs 18 for MLS clubs. That's a factor too.

It is, no doubt. But I'm just saying, people are foolish to suggest that soccer isn't growing tremendously as a sport in the US. If I'm not mistaken, it's the most widely played sport among kids in the country, and more and more kids will continue to stick with it as their primary sport as the MLS continues to grow, they see how much money can be made in top leagues, and injury concerns keep building for other sports. Not to mention the growing Latino population.

 

[jekelish]

Stadium sizes enter into this as much as if not more than popularity. Also number of NBA games is exponentially greater, which tends to dilute per game attendance. TV viewership would give a much better indicator of comparative popularity.

I am not talking about popularity of basketball versus soccer in the US. Obviously, basketball is the #2 sport in the country. I'm just saying soccer is on the verge of taking the #3 spot and people who don't like soccer are dismissing that fact.

 

[Bortukal]

Stadium sizes enter into this as much as if not more than popularity. Also number of NBA games is exponentially greater, which tends to dilute per game attendance. TV viewership would give a much better indicator of comparative popularity.

To that point, this is a great article about ratings as they pertain to soccer. Really a must-read for everyone interested enough to be commenting on this topic. Note that after NFL and college football, the USA vs. Portugal game outdrew every other major sports program.

 

[TheCusian]

Soccer is infinitely more exciting than baseball.

 

[texascpa]

Oh really?

I pulled Seattle out of the equation and the average attendance is still 17,426 based on mid-June numbers:
http://mlsattendance.blogspot.com

The average NBA attendance is 17,407: http://www.insidehoops.com/attendance.shtml

You were saying?

Lol, you got me. That's what I get for estimating.