Soccer may be the most popular sport in the world

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
SlyPokerDog

SlyPokerDog

Woof!
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Oct 5, 2008
Messages
127,350
Likes
147,875
Points
115
But it's dying here in the USA.

MLS Sees Game Viewership Decline On ESPN2; FSC Audience Flat

ESPN2 averaged 249,000 viewers for its 25 MLS game telecasts this season, down 12.3% from the net's 284,000 average viewers for 24 telecasts last season. It is also down 1.6% from 253,000 viewers for 25 telecasts in '08.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/143221

Can a major sports league survive if no one watches them on TV?

We're about to find out.
 
Soccer in the us is a bunch of hipsters and liberals watching who think following the world cup is European.
 
If you look at the things Americans like now a days -cough- violence -cough- soccer doesn't fit in with that.
 
it will go up when people start seeing how fun it is here in the Northwest with Portland, Vancouver, and Seattle. Cascadia is Soccer's biggest hope here in the US! :)
 
first off, the mls is NOT a major sports league. and soccer has been "growing" here in the US since before i was born but that doesn't mean it will ever be a major professional sport here. the reason it's always growing is the fact that it's easy for a 5 year old to play. i played it when i was that age, did so for a few years but got bored of it and moved on to football. it's not a fun sport to watch on tv, with so few timeouts tv/radio can't sell spots without getting creative (which they hate to do) and those factors will continue to bog it down. It might be exciting to watch in person but the mls cannot survive without ratings and that will mean ANOTHER dead soccer league here in america. SHOCKER!
 
World Cup soccer is definitely up there with any sport, to me. That is probably about it.
 
It is hard to watch on TV, especially if your not a big fan. But if you are, you thoroughly enjoy the limited commercials and advertising. It's one of the best things about Soccer IMO. That being said, it's all about people going out to games to become fans first. I have no doubt the new stadium and rivalries in the N.W. will produce a feverish fan base and a television following. As far as advertising dollars are concerned, if they really need it, why can't they just have pop-up ads in the corner of the screen?
 
It's a nice, safe game for little girls to play.

It's silly to expect anything more of it.
 
Soccer is a fun game to play. Not so interesting to watch on TV. That's the big problem with Soccer and the US - we have tons of faster, more explosive and interesting sports to watch on TV.

As far as "action on the field" soccer is slow. It is not uninteresting if you play it (especially) or watch in person - but it just does not translate to great visuals on TV.

In a way, Formula 1 is the same kind of "slow action" on the field sport compared to say, NASCAR, but F1 is very photogenic on TV, especially with the in-car cameras and the track-mounted cameras - so it does not have this problem that Soccer has.
 
Last edited:
bigbailes said:
first off, the mls is NOT a major sports league. and soccer has been "growing" here in the US since before i was born but that doesn't mean it will ever be a major professional sport here. the reason it's always growing is the fact that it's easy for a 5 year old to play. i played it when i was that age, did so for a few years but got bored of it and moved on to football. it's not a fun sport to watch on tv, with so few timeouts tv/radio can't sell spots without getting creative (which they hate to do) and those factors will continue to bog it down. It might be exciting to watch in person but the mls cannot survive without ratings and that will mean ANOTHER dead soccer league here in america. SHOCKER!
Click to expand...

I'd argue that "the soccer that is so easy to play as a 5 year old" is no easier than the tee ball I played at 5, or the football I played in the street at 5 or the basketball I played at the Y at age 8. Soccer, in that state, is about as far removed from the real thing as playing 2 hand touch football in the street with 3 total players or playing horse on the hoop nailed to your garage. I'm curious as to why you got bored with the sport. Obviously everyone has their own opinion and likes/dislikes, but I'm curious. What made football, where you only play in 10 second spurts, more exciting to play than soccer?

And about watching on TV. I agree that the lack of timeouts/breaks makes it hard to air, but how the hell does that make it hard to watch? I know it can be difficult to watch if you're not a fan, but that has nothing to do with the lack of breaks. If anything, that's a selling point. The TV ratings suck because people don't want to watch bad soccer. I have no rooting interest in MLS (not for a few months anyways) so I don't watch. But if there is a La Liga game, or EPL game on I'll watch, even if it is not a team I follow. Its all about name recognition and quality and people don't think, rightfully so or not, that the MLS has enough of either. That said, I don't think it'll ever become more than the 4th sport here. Without some major eff up by the NBA, MLB or NFL, I don't see any of those falling out of the top three.
 
MARIS61 said:
It's a nice, safe game for little girls to play.

It's silly to expect anything more of it.
Click to expand...

Always busting out the quality posts. Here is your "safe" game

[video=youtube;2cF4-rI_LjU]

Is it American football, no, but its no baseball either.
 
MLS has had terible TV ratings for its entire existence.

btw MLS will stay on TV as long as ESPN wants to own the rights to the World Cup, it's part of the deal.
 
Baracuda said:
MLS has had terible TV ratings for its entire existence.

btw MLS will stay on TV as long as ESPN wants to own the rights to the World Cup, it's part of the deal.
Click to expand...

But will be broadcast "On the Ocho!"
 
The TV numbes are troubling, but MLS is doing fine in the stands:

1.Bundesliga (GER): 42,790
2.English Premier League (ENG): 34,088
3.La Liga (ESP): 28,971
4.Serie A (ITA): 23,899
5.Ligue 1 (FRA): 20,119
6.Eredivisie (NED): 19,319
7.MLS (USA): 18,452
8.Championship (ENG): 18,113
9.Scottish Premier League (SCO): 15,128
10.Bundesliga 2 (GER): 15,056


1.NFL – 67,508 (2009 season)
2.MLB – 30,213 (2009 season)
3.MLS – 18,452 (2010 season, as of 04/11/2010)
4.NBA – 17,110 (2009/10 season)
5.NHL – 17,004 (2009/10 season)
 
Baracuda said:
The TV numbes are troubling, but MLS is doing fine in the stands:

1.Bundesliga (GER): 42,790
2.English Premier League (ENG): 34,088
3.La Liga (ESP): 28,971
4.Serie A (ITA): 23,899
5.Ligue 1 (FRA): 20,119
6.Eredivisie (NED): 19,319
7.MLS (USA): 18,452
8.Championship (ENG): 18,113
9.Scottish Premier League (SCO): 15,128
10.Bundesliga 2 (GER): 15,056


1.NFL – 67,508 (2009 season)
2.MLB – 30,213 (2009 season)
3.MLS – 18,452 (2010 season, as of 04/11/2010)
4.NBA – 17,110 (2009/10 season)
5.NHL – 17,004 (2009/10 season)
Click to expand...

If you take Barcelona and Real out of La Liga, the average drops to 22k. I found a list of the top European clubs, by average attendance. nearly 50% of the top 20 are in the Bundesliga. Only 4 in the top 20 are English, and one of those was Newcastle who wasn't in EPL last year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Average_attendances_of_European_football_clubs
 
Baracuda said:
The TV numbes are troubling, but MLS is doing fine in the stands:


1.NFL – 67,508 (2009 season)
2.MLB – 30,213 (2009 season)
3.MLS – 18,452 (2010 season, as of 04/11/2010)
4.NBA – 17,110 (2009/10 season)
5.NHL – 17,004 (2009/10 season)
Click to expand...

Aren't you overlooking the total number of games played in a season? If you add up total tickets sold MLS would be dead last in attendance.

Which isn't a surprise.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
Aren't you overlooking the total number of games played in a season? If you add up total tickets sold MLS would be dead last in attendance.

Which isn't a surprise.
Click to expand...

Yes,

1.NFL – 67,508 (2009 season)
2.MLB – 30,213 (2009 season)
3.MLS – 18,452 (2010 season, as of 04/11/2010)
4.NBA – 17,110 (2009/10 season)
5.NHL – 17,004 (2009/10 season)

and no.

1.Bundesliga (GER): 42,790
2.English Premier League (ENG): 34,088
3.La Liga (ESP): 28,971
4.Serie A (ITA): 23,899
5.Ligue 1 (FRA): 20,119
6.Eredivisie (NED): 19,319
7.MLS (USA): 18,452
8.Championship (ENG): 18,113
9.Scottish Premier League (SCO): 15,128
10.Bundesliga 2 (GER): 15,056
 
porkchopexpress said:
I'd argue that "the soccer that is so easy to play as a 5 year old" is no easier than the tee ball I played at 5, or the football I played in the street at 5 or the basketball I played at the Y at age 8. Soccer, in that state, is about as far removed from the real thing as playing 2 hand touch football in the street with 3 total players or playing horse on the hoop nailed to your garage. I'm curious as to why you got bored with the sport. Obviously everyone has their own opinion and likes/dislikes, but I'm curious. What made football, where you only play in 10 second spurts, more exciting to play than soccer?

And about watching on TV. I agree that the lack of timeouts/breaks makes it hard to air, but how the hell does that make it hard to watch? I know it can be difficult to watch if you're not a fan, but that has nothing to do with the lack of breaks. If anything, that's a selling point. The TV ratings suck because people don't want to watch bad soccer. I have no rooting interest in MLS (not for a few months anyways) so I don't watch. But if there is a La Liga game, or EPL game on I'll watch, even if it is not a team I follow. Its all about name recognition and quality and people don't think, rightfully so or not, that the MLS has enough of either. That said, I don't think it'll ever become more than the 4th sport here. Without some major eff up by the NBA, MLB or NFL, I don't see any of those falling out of the top three.
Click to expand...

More stuff happens in those 10 seconds than 10 minutes in a soccer game.
 
If they truly want to make soccer exciting they'd have Chip Kelly coach it!

BAM!
 
was talking to some people on a Timbers forum... and they were mentioning that the 12% drop didnt worry them too much. last years jump probably had to do more with Beckham than anything and was kind of an anomoly. still to become a bigger league viewership would have to grow. But the league is still stable with its small salary cap etc.


reposted from my fail earlier lol.
 
VanillaGorilla said:
More stuff happens in those 10 seconds than 10 minutes in a soccer game.
Click to expand...

You're either watching the wrong soccer or you're not watching right. Its like watching the Blazers offense for one game and making the statement that basketball is boring because everyone just stands around. If you watch the best teams, they are constantly moving, making runs, passing, giving support. As the ball moves up/down or across the field the players need to move in order to keep their shape.
 
porkchopexpress said:
You're either watching the wrong soccer or you're not watching right. Its like watching the Blazers offense for one game and making the statement that basketball is boring because everyone just stands around. If you watch the best teams, they are constantly moving, making runs, passing, giving support. As the ball moves up/down or across the field the players need to move in order to keep their shape.
Click to expand...

Players moving as the ball goes from one end to the other over and over again without anything of note happening isn't exciting to me. I know soccer has good passes and good 1 on 1 plays just like basketball does, but they rarely score. It's just boring to me. Maybe basketball has ruined soccer for me. :dunno:
 
VanillaGorilla said:
Players moving as the ball goes from one end to the other over and over again without anything of note happening isn't exciting to me. I know soccer has good passes and good 1 on 1 plays just like basketball does, but they rarely score. It's just boring to me. Maybe basketball has ruined soccer for me. :dunno:
Click to expand...

I understand that it can be boring to some people. I don't like watching baseball on TV (or in person either really), but some people find it fascinating. My point was more your "more happens in that 10 seconds" comment. Regardless of whether you, or anyone else finds soccer boring, saying that nothing happens is like a British person saying the NFL is nothing but people running into each other (which I'm sure they do say). Just as you don't appreciate the build up to a highlight pass or shot (your nothing of note), I'm sure plenty of soccer fans don't appreciate a good block or defensive scheme. Both are VERY important, and if you know what you're looking for, very entertaining, but to someone not in tune with the game, seem pointless and boring as some of you have put it.
 
Honestly I was having this problem the other night. All summer all I did was watch and play soccer. Now that NBA has started back up, I honestly feel a bit bored. I hate that every single time a player is touched their is a foul. Its ridiculous when a player is in the air and you lightly touch his back with one finger and it's a foul. Their was a foul the other night when Baron was just driving and whoever was guarding him was just driving next to him, with their bodies touching. I understand that in basketball that is a foul, but its crazy that their is so many fouls called for just touching, not even effecting the play. That, and I absolutely hate timeouts, and all other types of game stoppers.
 
porkchopexpress said:
Regardless of whether you, or anyone else finds soccer boring, saying that nothing happens is like a British person saying the NFL is nothing but people running into each other (which I'm sure they do say).
Click to expand...

The brits play rugby. I doubt, very much, that they say that as rugby is something that can be pretty popular in some areas in the UK.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top