Support NeoGAF

[SonicMegaDrive]

"Ruuugh! Me am no like Soccer. Me am prefer football! Ruuugh!"

 

[Ash Housewares]

Whats action packed about 10 second plays followed by 30 second breaks?

Theres 45 minutes of constant action in a game of soccer.

keep tryin, nobody cares

 

[Squirrel Killer]

I'm just wondering why two of the biggest sports in the world, F1 and soccer have yet to catch the attention of the American people? In comparison, the four big sports of the US, ice hockey, baseball, American football and basketball enjoy very limited appeal worldwide. Why is this so?

Can it be possibly attributed to European colonialism in the late 19th and early 20th century that led to the spread and rise of soccer in Asia and Africa?

Could it be that F1 has 80% of it's races in Europe? Could it be that since every country in Europe bigger than Liechtenstein has it's own national race gets Europeans interested moreso than Americans? Then add in that there's a grand total of two races held that average American fans could even hope to attend, that all but one of the others is held in the middle of the American night, and that there's not a single American involved in F1, and it's not too surprising that there's little interest. Perhaps Scott Speed's entry will help things, but since he's going to be on Red Bull's B team, I kinda doubt it.

Two other things about NASCAR that really drive fan interest are the facts that they race just about every damn weekend and the racing is really close. Watching your favorite driver battle it out every weekend makes you more connected to him/her. It's easy to lose interest with the long breaks F1 takes. I hate oval racing, but the tight racing is fairly compelling. Barring a major mistake or a bizarre grid like Suzuka this year, you pretty much know who's going to win an F1 race by the halfway point, if not the one quarter point.

...F1 (is that basically the same as IRL?)...

:lol:

Whats action packed about 10 second plays followed by 30 second breaks?

Theres 45 minutes of constant action in a game of soccer.

All 22 guys are going all out for those 10 seconds. There's a ton of jogging and even walking going on during a 45 minute half of soccer (as the Brits coined it.)

I think colonialism, or more specifically, the fact that America was not a colony when sports developed into a major part of everyday life, is largely responsible for the difference in sporting traditions.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Guess so. Other then pay per view, only time you will ever see soccer on TV is during World Cup and Olympics.

I don't really watch a lot of TV, but evn in my limitied random channel surfing, I come across MLS soccer more often than bowling and volleyball combined.

 

[Leatherface]

"Ruuugh! Me am no like Soccer. Me am prefer football! Ruuugh!"

Tee-hee lets play Soccer! Tee-hee =P

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

Actually, if you want to make fun of it, call it "Footsie".

That's what this guy I know likes to call it.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

Don't know why NFL even bothers with that Euroleague. Who would want to watch at most a bunch of 4th stringers play, especilly from people who don't really care for the sport.

Germans kinda like it, and its a dev league that is really important for the NFL to have.

 

[myzhi]

I don't really watch a lot of TV, but evn in my limitied random channel surfing, I come across MLS soccer more often than bowling and volleyball combined.

You probably live in or near big city with large spanish speaking population. Yeah, I see soccer games on spanish and alt sports channel all the time in NYC, but once I leave for place with few spanish speaking, don't see them. Even big cities, you almost never find them on national channels, like ABC, NBC, CBS, ESPN(main), and Fox (main).

 

[psycho_snake]

We're AMERICANS, dammit. We're not followers, we're LEADERS. But seriously, that's why. You like F1? Screw you! We like NASCAR. You like Soccer? Tough! We like Football. NASCAR sucks, and I wish Soccer (or your Football) was popular over here. I loved the '02 World Cup.

NASCAR is bollocks!

Hopefully football will become more popular. '02 world cup was great, just like the rest of them and '06 world cup will be even better because there are so many great teams. Although they are not a great football team, the USA will be in Germany playing in the world cup.

 

[myzhi]

Germans kinda like it, and its a dev league that is really important for the NFL to have.

It's not really dev league, like baseball, where people are drafted and sent there for training. The players in Euroleague hardly has a chance to make it to NFL.

 

[psycho_snake]

Okay, I won't tell you.

Dont be a smart arse

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

Im sure most of you remember the World Cup in 1994 when it was held in the USA. I was still quite young then so I dont remember any of it, but Im curious to know if any of you actually took any notice of football or not. Surely the interest in football must have increased after the world cup.

The World Cup was here in '94? lol

I don't remember. If it isn't the NFL I really don't care. I don't care about other sports. I hate baseball. I don't get Nascar. And I only have a mild interest in basketball because it's so easy to follow the home team.

 

[myzhi]

Now, auto racing. Can't understand how it's so popular. How can anyone get excited seeing a car go round, round, round....round, and round a track 200+ times. Heck, games base on it are boring. How good can the real thing be any better. Rather snooze through all of it except last lap if any.

 

[SteveMeister]

In the US, nearly every person under the age of 30 played Soccer as a kid at one time or another. Give it another 20 years, when there are more money people who are fans, and it'll probably have wider acceptance on the professional level.

That said, I personally haven't been able to get in to Soccer, but then I didn't play it as a kid and on the rare occasions when I've caught part of a game, it hasn't grabbed my attention. YMMV.

NFL football is the only sport I follow. Baseball has way too many games for me to give a crap about any single one of them. Basketball isn't quite as bad, but has the problem where a game can be completely dominated by one player, which I think is a flaw in the game's design. Hockey I think you have to have grown up playing it to like -- it's fun to occasionally go to a game, but it's a tough sport to watch on TV.

But NFL football. Every game's crucial. So much strategy. So large a breadth of skills and talents involved at every level, from the players at all positions to the coaches. God what a great game, I love it. Nothing else comes close. Fuck the haters, they know not of what they speak.

 

[Guileless]

One hypothesis I've seen is that many of the immigrants that came here during the late 19th/early 20th centuries wanted to become Americanized, and they took up American sports as an easy way to do that. Nobody wanted to play soccer or cricket. Joe DiMaggio's parents were immigrants from Italy, one of the greatest soccer nations in the world, and he became an all-time baseball great (and his brother also played in the major leagues.) Joe Namath's parents were Hungarian, etc.

I know it's hard for people who don't grow up with it to grasp and understand, but I still think that American football is peerless as a spectator sport. And I think this despite watching more soccer than 99% of the American public. I guarantee you that those of you from Europe who think it's ridiculous and boring, if you were born in Pittsburgh you would be huge Steeler fans and think the NFL was the greatest thing since Chinese checkers.

 

[Mama Smurf]

No doubt, and if you lived in London you'd be wrapping youself up tight in your Man Utd bedsheets at night and dream of Wayne Rooney bumming you.

I find Hockey extremely enjoyable to watch on TV. I guess out of all the american sports it's the one most like soccer, so that's probably the reason. Great game.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

No doubt, and if you lived in London you'd be wrapping youself up tight in your Man Utd bedsheets at night and dream of Wayne Rooney bumming you.

Speaking of which, isn't Man Utd American owned now?

 

[Mama Smurf]

Yes, the leprechaun got it.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Although they are not a great football team, the USA will be in Germany playing in the world cup.

Top 20 Ranking as of October 2005

Rank 	Team
1 	Brazil
2 	Netherlands
3 	Czech Republic
4 	Argentina
5 	France
6 	Mexico
[b]7 	United States[/b]
8 	Spain
9 	England
  	Portugal

Where are you from, again?

 

[Ninja Scooter]

we like to watch only the BEST of the best. We get that with football, baseball and basketball. With soccer, shit like the MLS is like a minor league. The best players are in Europe and South America. Soccer will never catch on unless somehow all the best players in the world come to the MLS, and thats not happening. I mean, really, just how popular are those pro basketball leagus in Europe? Im sure they don't hold a candle to the professional soccer leagues over there. As for Nascar, blame the rednecks.

 

[Bigfoot]

There are a lot of factors that determine how popular a sport is. Soccer is big in Europe, Central and South America, and Africa, so this makes it the most popular sport in the World. Aside from Europe, these continents are considered 'poor', and have a lot of European infulence, so this could be why soccer is so popular.

In Canada, sports (in terms of what people watch) are like this:
1) Hockey
2) CFL Football
3) NFL Football
4) Curling / Basketball / Golf / Tennis
...
10) Soccer

Some of this has to do with climate (cold weather), and also how close we are to the USA. I don't know exactly why people don't like watching soccer, but I played soccer for 4 years growing up, and I get bored watching 10 minutes of a soccer match, yet I can easily watch tennis or curling (partly because I still play these sports).

In Australia and NZ, Rugby and AFL is much bigger than soccer. Anyways, my point is that it's not just the USA (Americans) that are isolated. Just because soccer is "the most popular sport in the world" doesn't mean it is the most exciting and best sport. As I and others have said, there are other factors such as cost and climate that should be considered.

 

[Dagless M.D.]

Top 20 Ranking as of October 2005

Rank 	Team
1 	Brazil
2 	Netherlands
3 	Czech Republic
4 	Argentina
5 	France
6 	Mexico
[b]7 	United States[/b]
8 	Spain
9 	England
  	Portugal

Where are you from, again?

The fact that you use Fifa rankings negates any point you are making

 

[Squirrel Killer]

The fact that you use Fifa rankings negates any point you are making

What can I say, I'm just a footsie-impaired American.

 

[xabre]

Oh, baby. I LOVE F1, but absolutely LOATHE NASCAR.

There's no excuse for liking NASCAR and anyone who does should be committed. It's garbage, plain and simple. I don't think American Football is much of a sport either, but at least it's a far cry from NASCAR. The rest such as Hockey, Baseball and Basketball are fine.

 

[dskillzhtown]

And of course, Americans have shit for brains when it comes to racing. I don't know why we like NASCAR. That bit is just fucking stupid. I can't explain it. The cars are ugly, the track is boring, the drivers are rednecks. I just can't offer up a valid excuse for our taste in racing sports.

I guess that is why several of the open-wheel drivers have expressed interest in going to NASCAR.

NASCAR is not my thing, but to call it stupid is ridiculous. I guess Indy racing is stupid as well, right? Afterall it is just going around in an oval. Actually, the similiarities with F1 are there. The same calculations to fuel use, tire wear, car set-ups, etc. But I guess since it is uniquely American, it has to be stupid, right?

 

[Dice]

Whats action packed about 10 second plays followed by 30 second breaks?

Are you kidding? There is so much going on in football it HAS to be stopped. When it does get stopped you're not like "oh, now we have to wait again", you're talking about all of the intricacies of what just happened and what they should do. It isn't just playing position with two people facing each other, but challenges are made all across the field even where the football is not. Everything has meaning in football, that's why it's exciting.

 

[xabre]

Are you kidding? There is so much going on in football it HAS to be stopped. When it does get stopped you're not like "oh, now we have to wait again", you're talking about all of the intricacies of what just happened and what they should do.

I'm sorry, but it's not much of a sport if it has to be stopped after every play to 'strategise'. And all these 'intricacies', now c'mon the game is no more special than any other game out there. Rugby variants as well as football (soccer) never fail to implement specific strategies and plays on the fly and therein lies the beauty of those games; the strategising happens before the game, the plays are rehearsed and the specific on-field responsibilities made clear and the game is the opportunity for the players to carry that out. That isn't to say that the coach doesn't bark instructions to his players during the game, he has to and that must be relayed to the players, rather the strategising doesn't result in an utter lack of fluidity like it does with American football.

Another thing I don't like about NFL is the non-existent concern for stamina. It plays little part in the game, run a play...break, run a play...break etc. The concept of being rat shit tired is not applicable to American Football like it is to Rugby, Soccer, Basketball etc, and it has no bearing on the final result like it does in those games. Yet another issue is the commercialisation that I can't stand, everything is big business, big commercials, big bucks...just get on with the bloody game.

 

[Cooter]

Another thing I don't like about NFL is the non-existent concern for stamina.

Are you kidding me. That is an ignorant statement if I've ever heard one.

 

[impirius]

We love football because it's all about war and front lines and gaining territory

 

[Ristamar]

Another thing I don't like about NFL is the non-existent concern for stamina. It plays little part in the game, run a play...break, run a play...break etc.

:lol :lol :lol

 

[xabre]

Are you kidding me. That is an ignorant statement if I've ever heard one.

How could I be kidding you? It's as obvious as the sky is blue; any game that is essentially a series of short intense plays punctuated by repeated breaks is hardly going to be in anyway comparable in regards to stamina to a game like Rugby or Football where players are constantly forced to be in constant motion for long periods of time.

No doubt you've been brought up to think the game is God but I think you need to get some perspective here.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

Seriously, does anyone with internet access enjoy NASCAR?

That made me laugh.

 

[Cooter]

How could I be kidding you? It's as obvious as the sky is blue; any game that is essentially a series of short intense plays punctuated by repeated breaks is hardly going to be in anyway comparable in regards to stamina to a game like Rugby or Football where players are constantly forced to be in constant motion for long periods of time.

No doubt you've been brought up to think the game is God but I think you need to get some perspective here.

Have you ever played the game you say doesn't take stamina?

Sprinting full speed, getting hit harder than any other sport and doing it over again 40-50 times takes plenty of stamina. What I see and experienced when I played soccer is that the majority of the time you are jogging or standing around. The fact that they don't take breaks doesn't make soccer more labor intensive than football. Let's see you take a shot from Ray lewis and get up and do it again and again.

Basketball is the real stamina sport if we're having a contest.

 

[SteveMeister]

No doubt you've been brought up to think the game is God but I think you need to get some perspective here.

You need some perspective, too -- just because you don't like NFL football doesn't mean that nobody else should. I think your opinions about football are 100% wrong, but they're your opinions and you're entitled to them. Don't call NFL fans to task because they see things in the game you choose not to. I think soccer's boring -- but I don't think that soccer fans are fools for liking it.

 

[jamesinclair]

My big problem is with the world series. Its not a world series, its only US teams.

They could have international baseball tournaments.

National teams, like the olympics is one form, and then clubs.

Yankees vs Havana
Chicago vs Tokyo
Boston vs Caracas


It would work. Soccer has international club tournaments, and theyre very popular.


It makes sense that not every sport is popular world wide, but soccer SHOULD be popular:

Observe the following. When one sport isnt popular, a similar one is

NFL = Rugby
Baseball = Cricket
NASCAR = F1
NHL = Beach Volleyball (ie: you need a certain terrain/weather condition to play. You CANT play this everywhere)
Arena Football = Futsal

Tennis is popular worldwide
Golf as well. Not profesional, but old men everywhere play golf
Same with basketball

Meanwhile, Soccer = Soccer.


Incidently, MLS games do get aired on the WB. I saw a New England game the other day while chanel surfing.

The problem with the MLS is the format. Seperating teams by East and West is retarded. There are 10 teams, so the same 5 teams play themseleves over and over again? Boring.

Imagine if Chelsea never played Man U because they were in different sections (North, South)

Also, MLS doesnt have divisions.

Im keeping up with Brasilian soccer. 1st place isnt exciting because Corinthias is so far ahead. However, the yop 4 teams get into Libertadores (South America + Mexico club tournament). That means, theres a huge competition between teams in 7-2 place to get in.

And at the bottom, the last 4 teams get pushed into 2nd division. So the bottom 8 are competitng to suck the least.

 

[Shouta]

But NFL football. Every game's crucial. So much strategy. So large a breadth of skills and talents involved at every level, from the players at all positions to the coaches. God what a great game, I love it. Nothing else comes close. Fuck the haters, they know not of what they speak.

Bingo. There's so much to American Football that people don't realize just by watching. You really don't appreciate the game as much until you've played it or have spent time delving in to the specifics of the game. It may seem like a bunch of guys on the field smacking each other and running/passing a ball but when you get into it and getting hit but there's so much more.

Personally, I think American Football is a bit misunderstood since it's not something you can always casually watch like Basketball, Soccer, or Baseball. It's something you get the most out of if you understand the intricacies of the game.

Another thing I don't like about NFL is the non-existent concern for stamina. It plays little part in the game, run a play...break, run a play...break etc. The concept of being rat shit tired is not applicable to American Football like it is to Rugby, Soccer, Basketball etc, and it has no bearing on the final result like it does in those games. Yet another issue is the commercialisation that I can't stand, everything is big business, big commercials, big bucks...just get on with the bloody game.

Stamina is a BIG part of the game. When you're on the field, you're expected to go full power for every play and give everything you've got. As a player, you have to put so much energy for even 10-30 seconds of play and it adds up. Even with the small breaks, you're going at it with full strength for ever snap of the ball Then there's the fact almost everyone on the field gets hit during a play. All this stuff really adds up even with short 60 second breathers between plays.

I use to think that American Football didn't involve as much stamina as other sports like you when I was in Elementary school and Middle school. I then got to play in High School and boy was I wrong.

 

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

The '94 World Cup and the somewhat surprising sucsess of the American team led many to believe that the tide had changed in the US and that we were ready to embrace soccer like the rest of the world. They were wrong. It did lead to the formation of the MLS but no one really fucking cares about that outside of the people playing in it.

For younger kids though, Soccer is very popular in the US and it has been for decades. I myself played on several different teams and city and state leagues throughout my teenage years but as I got older I lost almost all interest I had in it. It's fun to play but really not all that enjoyable to watch.....kinda like Golf and Tennis.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Yet another issue is the commercialisation that I can't stand, everything is big business, big commercials, big bucks...just get on with the bloody game.

Yep... no commercialism in soccer, as the Brits coined.

 

[slayn]

I hate watching all sports, but this conversation has come up amaongst my friends:

they hate soccer because its 45 minutes of nothing. Hey, they got to kick the ball once and then it was stolen. Now they are holding the ball... holding... holding... pass, whoops stolen. In some games it is rare for either team to even get a good shot on goal for like half an hour.

football, on the other hand, has the chance to provide an amazing play at every instance. They don't care about *constnt* action, but they want at least one huge play that could get everyone on their feet every ~15minutes. And the opportunity basically presents itself every 3rd/4th down.

Not to mention that on every play of any game there is the possibility of a huge touchdown scoring pass. Its that intensity of all the possibilities of all the amazing shit that could possibly go down in the next 20 seconds.

My friends don't like basketball either, mostly for the same reasons they don't like soccer. All of them have no interest in racing whatsoever. Its pretty much just football though I do have one friend that really likes Baseball. Mostly because I think he likes cheering for the White Sox.

*note that these statements are not mine, and I have no intention of defending them. So arguing with me is pointless, I'm merely adding what I know to the random evidence of this thread.

 

[Joe]

i dont have any facts to back it up but to me it seems like baseball and basketball are spreading to other parts of the world like wildfire (basketball especially).

 

[jamesinclair]

I hate watching all sports, but this conversation has come up amaongst my friends:

they hate soccer because its 45 minutes of nothing. Hey, they got to kick the ball once and then it was stolen. Now they are holding the ball... holding... holding... pass, whoops stolen. In some games it is rare for either team to even get a good shot on goal for like half an hour.

football, on the other hand, has the chance to provide an amazing play at every instance. They don't care about *constnt* action, but they want at least one huge play that could get everyone on their feet every ~15minutes. And the opportunity basically presents itself every 3rd/4th down.

Not to mention that on every play of any game there is the possibility of a huge touchdown scoring pass. Its that intensity of all the possibilities of all the amazing shit that could possibly go down in the next 20 seconds.

My friends don't like basketball either, mostly for the same reasons they don't like soccer. All of them have no interest in racing whatsoever. Its pretty much just football though I do have one friend that really likes Baseball. Mostly because I think he likes cheering for the White Sox.

*note that these statements are not mine, and I have no intention of defending them. So arguing with me is pointless, I'm merely adding what I know to the random evidence of this thread.

What game did they watch though?

Yesterday, in the Brasileirao, 5 games were played, 2 games had a goal scored in the first 3 minutes.

And while many games do end at 2-3, 1-0, 1-1 and so on, there are many more shots on goal.

If a team doesnt get a shot on goal in 30 minutes, theres a crap team.

 

[Boogie]

"Ruuugh! Me am no like Soccer. Me am prefer football! Ruuugh!"

I sure as hell hope you're not the one who labelled that map.


oh, and NASCAR rocks, btw.

 

[Ryck]

Yeah it makes no sense to me....I've loved Football since I was a kid (and still do), but a few years ago my cousin turned me onto the EPL ( english premier league) and I was hooked...

thanks mostly in part to digital cable Im able to see all kinds of Soccer games I couldn't before and I've become a huge fan over the last few years. I love Soccer and I hope we start getting better coverage for it soon...

 

[jamesinclair]

Damnit, speaking about scoring in the first few minutes....

Yesterdays game of Parana Club vs Sao Caetano was cancelled because the power went out after 5 minutes. Sao Caetano was winning 0-1 after scoring in the first minute.

Today, they started again, 0-0 and SC scored at the 4th minute.

Damnit.

 

[Ristamar]

oh, and NASCAR rocks, btw.

See, that's why you're interminably single.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Personally, I think American Football is a bit misunderstood since it's not something you can always casually watch like Basketball, Soccer, or Baseball. It's something you get the most out of if you understand the intricacies of the game.

that's silly. I could switch the sports around in this statement and it would be equally meaningful.

See, that's why you're interminably single.

I guarantee that on any given weekend in the US, more NASCAR fans are getting laid than video game forum users, by ratio. That's not an endorsement of NASCAR, but let's not blame them for Boogie's issues.

 

[Guileless]

One positive we do have on you internationals is more variety. Every sport has a season, and you get to watch and enjoy all of them during certain times. I love going to a baseball game on a perfect spring day after a long winter; I love going to football games on crisp fall days after a long hot summer; and I love staying inside and watching NCAA basketball in February and March when the weather's awful.

I know y'all follow other sports to some degree, but mostly it's just soccer 10 months a year, and more than than during World Cup or Euro tourney cup years. We do miss out on the all-consuming nationalistic fervor associated with national soccer teams, but I would rather have the variety and choice.

And as for NASCAR: I'm not a fan, but I have a Swedish buddy whose family moved here in the mid 80s and his dad now loves NASCAR. Maybe they should tap into the Scandanavian market more heavily.

 

[Dilbert]

If I had more time, I'd have more comments...but I will say that it's difficult to impossible for there to be truly global interest in a particular sports league due to time zone issues. European football (see, I'm even using your word for it rather than "soccer!") is extraordinarly entertaining to watch...but no way in hell would I stay up all night to watch a live game, and watching recorded games (when you already know the outcome) is plain stupid.

(If it's any consolation, we have the same problem WITHIN our country with sports. It's called "East Coast Bias," and it rears its ugly head every damn year.)



EDIT: As for NASCAR, I don't care how popular it is -- it's a poor excuse for a "sport." THEY DRIVE AROUND IN FUCKING CIRCLES FOR HOURS.

 

[Ristamar]

I guarantee that on any given weekend in the US, more NASCAR fans are getting laid than video game forum users, by ratio.

Oh yeah? Well,er... hm...... *quietly walks away*

 

[Boogie]

See, that's why you're interminably single.

Have you seen some of the wives of NASCAR drivers?