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I'm glad to see this game selling well over here!

 

[user8503492]

As a father of an 11 year old who loves the sport I can say, things in America are changing more then ever.

growing up in the 80's, 90's we didnt have the web or 300 channels to see pro soccer, now he comes home and can flip on GolTV, FoxSoccer etc.. He can access videos, replays, scores, live streams etc..
Huge names, while a bit old, are coming over to use thier name to help sell the MLS.
MLS teams are slowly popping up in cities everywhere, as well as spawnign there own developmental programs.

2010-2011

In 2010, MLS average attendance was 16,675 spectators per game, a 4 percent increase over 2009. The NHL drew an average of 17,072 fans per game last season, a 3 percent drop from the year prior.
Among the largest crowds, the Seattle Sounders’ average of 36,173 MLS fans a game dwarfed the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, who drew an average 21,353 fans. The L.A. Galaxy also surpassed that figure, averaging 21,437. As MLS stadiums continue to expand and as the league continues to grow, so too should the league’s attendance numbers.
And for MLS, growth continues virtually across the board. Sixty percent of clubs – or 9 of the league’s 15 returning teams (not including the expansion Philadelphia Union) – experienced an increase in attendance.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/soccer/...nce-ranks-no-8-among-soccer-leagues-worldwide

MLS attendance ranks No. 8 among soccer leagues worldwide

MLS’s average gate this season is 18,828. While that’s less than half the average of 45,726 who attended German Bundesliga games during 2011-12, it’s higher than figures from France’s Ligue 1, Argentina's Primera División and Brazil’s Serie A.

2012

NBA and NHL Get the Boot: MLS Is the 3rd Most Attended Sports League in America
In just 16 years, the world’s most popular sport has climbed to become America’s third highest spectator sport on average. While soccer's relevance has been questioned by critics for many years, recent figures indicate that Major League Soccer (MLS) now averages higher attendance numbers than both the NHL and NBA respectively.

The MLS kicked off in 1996 as a result of a FIFA mandate requiring that a professional soccer league be launched in the United States if the country wanted to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The primary objective was to expand interest in the sport in North America. It has taken almost two decades, but that long-term goal seems to have been achieved.

The NFL leads with 67,358 during its 16-game regular season, and MLB averages 30,334 per game. Dating to the MLS all-star game, the soccer league is averaging 18,733 in attendance per game during the 2012 season, significantly higher than the record-setting 17,872 in 2011. In comparison, the NHL averages 17,455 in attendance per game, while the NBA averages 17,273. Additionally, Nielsen Media Research indicates that MLS telecasts are averaging a record high 345,000 viewers on average for each game shown on ESPN/ESPN2, and up 12 percent from 2011.

The MLS has parlayed these heightened exposure totals into record franchise values, expansion fees and TV revenue. In 2011, the network inked a deal with NBC Sports worth three years and $30 million dollars. Although this pales in comparison to the 10-year $2 billion TV contract NHL signed with NBC last year, the growth is encouraging for professional soccer.

Further, the MLS signed a record apparel sponsorship deal last September through its 8-year, $200 million contract extension with Adidas. The $25 million in revenue each year is a significant increase over the preceding contract with Adidas valued at $15 million per annum. The length and scope of this agreement is an indication of confidence that soccer will retain popularity in the United States.

Is it on the level of the other big 4...some its getting close to, some not at all...but is it a BIG change then 10 years ago HELL YES! Blame it on the Stadium sizes, family atmosphere etc...but you cant deny what is going on here in the states

 

[Chris_C]

it does...but I think its just a port of Fifa 12 console version.

I might get it anyway, since I didn't pick up last year's Vita version. Maybe with a price drop...

 

[ATF487]

There is nothing inherently wrong with that US soccer post. Obviously if interest increases greatly and soccer grows from being viewed as a kids sport to one played at a higher rate in high school and rivals football/basketball/baseball in collegiate play. Just like what is seem with small countries with a great interest in basketball like Lithuania versus much larger countries with little interest. The effect would be drastically multiplied for a country the size of the US. Its all about interest, not a inherent ability to play soccer, basketball, football, cricket, or whatever else.

No worries though, its never going to happen. Interest will never increase to that level and the US will remain where they are in world rankings.

The problem with logic like this though is that it assumes that the US could develop soccer players well using its current collegiate system. It can't; players need to be playing the game at a high level at much younger ages, and I don't see this happening until MLS academies can really get going. It's not like american football/baseball/hockey where you need to develop your strength and size before competing at the highest level.

Anyway, glad to see the positive sales numbers. I have problems with fifa but the series really is the high water mark of sports games

 

[user8503492]

The problem with logic like this though is that it assumes that the US could develop soccer players well using its current collegiate system. It can't; players need to be playing the game at a high level at much younger ages, and I don't see this happening until MLS academies can really get going. It's not like american football/baseball/hockey where you need to develop your strength and size before competing at the highest level.

Anyway, glad to see the positive sales numbers. I have problems with fifa but the series really is the high water mark of sports games

Biggest problem facing MLS academys is a lack of lower division play. They hit the age to sign and its go up against MLS pros.

Of the 52 homegrown players — prospects from MLS youth academies signed to professional contracts — who have signed with MLS clubs since 2008, 27 failed to make any league appearances in 2011 or thus far in the 2012 season. Eight have been released.

Without a functional system in place to give such players actual game experience, MLS risks stagnating their development, thus also likely curbing the long-term growth of the American player pool.

“That is definitely a concern,” U.S. men’s national team coach Juergen Klinsmann said during a conference call with reporters on April 4. “And it’s definitely a topic we want to bring up with [MLS Commissioner] Don Garber and MLS because we want to make sure that especially younger groups of players get as much exposure as possible coming through their developmental stage.

“I know that an 18-, 19-, 20-year-old is not at the same level as an experienced player and a proven player, but we’ve got to make sure that they get the chance to break through and get their minutes in.”

 

[DirtyLary]

I would love to play Fifa, but I am afraid that the learning curve is just to high.

My thoughts too. Mainly the Ultimate Team, which is the huge addiction in this game. Not know anything about the sea of players seems like a huge hindrance.

 

[T-0800]

Soccer is such an amazing sports. Can't wait for the US to be as serious about it as the rest of the world

I think Soccer is great as a videogame but find the real thing incredibly boring.

 

[Soi-Fong]

I think Soccer is great as a videogame but find the real thing incredibly boring.

Do you mean watching or playing? Because 90% of the planet would disagree with you.

 

[Massa]

Do they invest into any other sport tho? Basketball, Football, Hockey, Baseball?

Soccer has to compete with the 4 biggest leagues in the world which are invested waaaaay more then soccer here in the states. So even with funding in American soccer its heavily at the back of the pack when compared to what is spent on other 4 biggest, most popular, wealthiest sports leagues in the world.
Hell, I'm betting more is spent on Hockey in cities in America that have never seen snow instead of soccer.

Plus there is a stigma with soccer I'm sure doesnt exist in other parts of the world.
In Brazil will you be called a "Foot Fairy" or "Homo" for playing soccer? In America, you will at some point.

No, they don't invest in anything.

But you answer the question of popularity yourself. Soccer isn't popular in the US because... it's not popular with the people in the US. No amount of money or number of academies will change that.

 

[alterno69]

What some of you guys from the US seem to ignore is that in most of the world people don't get into football thinking about winning millions of dollars, they do it to emulate their idols, the biggest stars, to play in their favorite team be it local or international and mainly because football in many countries is a way of life. Passion moves football at the early stages, the chances of making it big as a football player are really really low considering the millions of kids that play it in most areas. You can't just throw money at it(alhtough it does help a lot).
Football is in our blood.

 

[alterno69]

Do you mean watching or playing? Because 90% of the planet would disagree with you.

I think what he means is a popular videogame diesn't mean the sport is getting more popular, i like baseball games but i can't watch a baseball game on TV to save my life, most boring shit ever for me.

 

[Fjordson]

What's interesting with the States is that their women's team is incredibly good, but the men's teams aren't top tier yet.

Anyways, glad FIFA is selling well over here now. Coming from England, I've always been a huge football/soccer fan, but nobody gave two shits when I first moved here. Definitely seems to changing somewhat over the past few years.

 

[industrian]

I think Soccer is great as a videogame but find the real thing incredibly boring.

The same accusation can be - and is - thrown at any sport. The simple solution is to only watch high-level games/events.

 

[Loudninja]

Sold over 1 million in the UK
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/uk-charts-million-selling-fifa-13-is-no-1/0103747

 

[Fafalada]

Note ... that there is no comments regarding the Vita version. You get what you put out ..

Not with Fifa - they've been recycling the same PS2 version on iPad forever and it just keeps selling better and better.

Anyway if this growth continues Fifa will be challenging COD in a year or two in WW sales.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Sold over 1 million in the UK
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/uk-charts-million-selling-fifa-13-is-no-1/0103747

Wow:

EA’s FIFA 13 is not only top of the charts, but it sold an incredible one million plus copies in its first week according to the UKIE Charts, compiled by GfK Chart-Track.

It’s not the first game to do so (it’s the fourth, in fact), but it joins a very exclusive club that includes only Black Ops, Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3.

And considering the current state of the UK market, the achievement is all the more remarkable. The numbers absolutely nuke anything we’ve seen from any other title in the UK this year.

In hitting these incredible sales, FIFA 13 betters the week one numbers of FIFA 12 by 27 per cent in units and 31 per cent in value. Again, remarkable in the current in the current climate.

Its success drove the overall market to a 196 per cent week-on-week gain in unit sales and a 282 per cent jump in revenue. FIFA 13 claimed 71 per cent of the UK’s total video game unit sales last week and 80 per cent of its revenue.

The biggest achievement of all, perhaps, is that the UK market actually bettered the same week performance of 2011 – up by 11 per cent in units and 18 per cent in revenue.

 

[Saty]

4.5 million copies in 5 days worldwide.

FIFA 13 has sold over 4.5 million units worldwide across all platforms in five days, according to EA.

FIFA 13 launched in the US on September 25, selling 353,000 day one, and went on to sell 1.23 million games in the first 48 hours of availability in the United Kingdom.

EA said FIFA 13 is only the second videogame franchise ever to sell more than 1 million units in the UK within one day.

http://www.vg247.com/2012/10/03/fif...n-units-worldwide-on-all-formats/#more-303309

 

[Fjordson]

Wow, that's damn impressive. Good year for sports games it seems.

 

[Sanjay]

Pretty sure America only dominates in American sports.

GOLF, I missed the last day on Ryder Cup but we owned that shit guys.

 

[Shining Sunshine]

I wonder if FIFA outsold Panda.

 

[Fjordson]

I wonder if FIFA outsold Panda.

The new WoW expansion? I can see that. Especially retail. Seems like a lot of people going digital for WoW these days.

 

[heringer]

As someone who grew up playing Winning Eleven / Pro Evolution Soccer since Goal Storm, I still find myself surprised at how EA turned things around with FIFA.

FIFA 09 was the revelation version for me. It was the version that made me think "ok, FIFA will definitely dominate now" when everybody still had the "lol FIFA" attitude, at least in my country.

Now it's like Konami doesn't even have a chance anymore. Damn. I love FIFA, but I hope Konami will make a big comeback someday.

 

[Seda]

I'll update the OP, with the original PR though.

 

[mil6es]

GOLF, I missed the last day on Ryder Cup but we owned that shit guys.

joke post was funny

 

[BrokenEchelon]

Good.

This country needs an infusion of Soccer love. I would gladly get rid of the NHL or MLB so that the MLS could shine.

 

[Seda]

If a mod could change thread title to what I have in the post title, that'd be cool.

 

[Shining Sunshine]

The new WoW expansion? I can see that. Especially retail. Seems like a lot of people going digital for WoW these days.

Both retail and digital.

They're at 9 million subscribers from the last news release, and half of them are from China. They don't have more than 4.5 million active users to sell the game to.