Good turnout for a good US soccer game last night

[j to the jeremy]

Here is the problem with your pro-NHL potential. TV contracts. The NHL just re-upped their deal with Versus. 75% of the people in this country couldn't find Versus on their cable/satellite without consulting their guide. Most people just don't watch a network that, when not showing hockey, is mainly showing rodeo, hunting and fishing. If the NBA and the NFL aren't on they will just watch reality tv or something before hockey.

MLS, on the other hand has deals with ESPN and Fox. If those two networks don't have NFL and NBA programming to fill their time slots then they are going to turn to promoting the other products they have signed on for. College sports would get the biggest boost, but right behind them would be MLS front and center.

The other thing that aids MLS is demographics. We are quickly becoming a Latin country. Between NHL and MLS, latinos watch more MLS running away. Over time, soccer will join the pantheon with the other major sports simply because of the increased popularity among white Americans and the increased Latino population. Soccer is simply trending up.

Take all that, add that many current parents were fans for the NASL boom, and most college kids nowadays grew up playing, and you have favorable conditions for a futbol renaissance

[EL Jimbo]

Take all that, add that many current parents were fans for the NASL boom, and most college kids nowadays grew up playing, and you have favorable conditions for a futbol renaissance

Actually very few of the current players grew up as fans of NASL because they weren't born yet. I'm 30 and I was 3 years old when NASL folded in 1984. I don't recall anything in my life earlier than age 4 or 5. 30 is old by soccer standards at the elite level. So the majority of the current generation have no recollection of NASL. In fact, I remember during the 1994 World Cup that they called THAT US team "The Children of Pele" because they were kids when Pele, Klinsman, and the rest of the Cosmos were rocking it in the 70s.

As far as your overall point, you are absolutely correct. Soccer is building with each generation. The "Children of Pele" generation grew up playing soccer with dads for coaches who might not have ever seen a soccer ball before. They grew up and started coaching their kids. This time around they grew up playing the game so they will be much better coaches than their dads were.

The same is true for guys my age. I played as a kid. My dad was my coach. His only experience with soccer was from the 60s when he was stationed in Turkey with the Air Force. His buddies told him they were going to see a football game. It ended up being the Turkish National Team versus the Greek National Team. They left before kickoff because of the rioting in the stands. Needless to say, he was coaching our team out of a "coaching soccer for dummys" book. However, when I have kids, if they play the game, I will have some knowledge to pass on to them if I coach.

That is how the sport, and MLS along with it, will grow in the future.

[mikeg19]

Here is the problem with your pro-NHL potential. TV contracts. The NHL just re-upped their deal with Versus. 75% of the people in this country couldn't find Versus on their cable/satellite without consulting their guide. Most people just don't watch a network that, when not showing hockey, is mainly showing rodeo, hunting and fishing. If the NBA and the NFL aren't on they will just watch reality tv or something before hockey.

MLS, on the other hand has deals with ESPN and Fox. If those two networks don't have NFL and NBA programming to fill their time slots then they are going to turn to promoting the other products they have signed on for. College sports would get the biggest boost, but right behind them would be MLS front and center.

The other thing that aids MLS is demographics. We are quickly becoming a Latin country. Between NHL and MLS, latinos watch more MLS running away. Over time, soccer will join the pantheon with the other major sports simply because of the increased popularity among white Americans and the increased Latino population. Soccer is simply trending up.

That is true. If the NHL had gone with ESPN as its carrier, there probably would have been more coverage for casual fans to access. Lets say that the NFL and NBA come to terms and solve their disputes and start their seasons on time. Now you have soccer trying to compete [[and I'm speaking locally) with the Lions, Tigers, Wings, Pistons, U of M, and the Spartans. Will soccer be able to hold its own with these already established local sports that are already competing for our attention?

On another note, because I have no idea, how many games are in the MLS season? When does it start and end?

[Roq]

no, he's not! Check it out:
MLS overtaking NHL in popularity
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/spo...sports-league/

Chicago Fire supporters:
http://www.thesportsbank.net/core/wp...1_1280x960.jpg

Portland:
http://media.oregonlive.com/oregonia...c53c955f19.jpg

Toronto fans in Columbus:
http://dreamlandapparel.com/wp-conte...10/10/tfc1.jpg

DC United Fans
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1094/...84d8a02807.jpg

All those links to convince yourself that soccer will surpass NFL in the U.S....yeah, ok. That's going to happen.

[mjb3]

IMO, Soccer is being promoted in US because TV, Nike, Gatorade all want to spread their reach into the 3rd world and europe. Noone really thinks it will catch on in US.

[EL Jimbo]

That is true. If the NHL had gone with ESPN as its carrier, there probably would have been more coverage for casual fans to access. Lets say that the NFL and NBA come to terms and solve their disputes and start their seasons on time. Now you have soccer trying to compete [[and I'm speaking locally) with the Lions, Tigers, Wings, Pistons, U of M, and the Spartans. Will soccer be able to hold its own with these already established local sports that are already competing for our attention?

On another note, because I have no idea, how many games are in the MLS season? When does it start and end?

The 34 game regular season, for now, goes March through October. This could change in the future as MLS is one of the few leagues in the world that operates differently than the FIFA calendar which runs from August to March. Of course that means playing through the winter in northern climates, which could be tricky.

As far as competing with the local teams, MLS teams already do that now before the lockout. Every MLS team but one plays in a market that has at least one team from one of the other major league sports teams in it. LA, in fact, has two teams and there are plans to add a second team in New York as well. MLS is not having problems.

Here is a breakdown of the local sports competition
New York Red Bulls- [[9) Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Giants, Jets
LA Galaxy and Chivas USA- [[6) Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Ducks, Dodgers, Angels
Chicago Fire- [[5) Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks
FC Dallas- [[4) Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks, Stars
DC United- [[4) Capitals, Senators, Wizards, Redskins
New England Revolution- [[4) Patriots, Bruins, Red Sox, Celtics
Philadelphia Union- [[4) Eagles, Flyers, Phillies, Sixers
Colorado Rapid- [[4) Rockies, Avalanche, Broncos, Nuggets
Toronto FC- [[3) Raptors, Maple Leafs, Blue Jays
Houston Dynamo- [[3)Rockets, Texans, Astros
Kansas City Sporting- [[2) Chiefs, Royals
Seattle Sounders- [[2) Seahawks, Mariners
Columbus Crew- [[1) Blue Jackets
Real Salt Lake- [[1) Jazz
San Jose Earthquakes- [[1) Sharks
Vancouver Whitecaps- [[1) Canucks
Portland Timbers- [[0)

Once again, MLS is already competing and already doing fine. They have a solid business model and a growing fan base.

[Whitehouse]

Actually very few of the current players grew up as fans of NASL because they weren't born yet. I'm 30 and I was 3 years old when NASL folded in 1984. I don't recall anything in my life earlier than age 4 or 5. 30 is old by soccer standards at the elite level. So the majority of the current generation have no recollection of NASL. In fact, I remember during the 1994 World Cup that they called THAT US team "The Children of Pele" because they were kids when Pele, Klinsman, and the rest of the Cosmos were rocking it in the 70s.

Er... Klinsmann was of the same generation as the 1994 US team. But you can count Johan Cruijff as one of the inspirators.


Speaking of the 1994 Worldcup...

I still have this novelty article which you could attach to your car bumper in support of the Dutch National Football team. It's the statue of Liberty as the Dutch lion with a ball in hand.





I remember that long after the worldcup tournament ended, I still saw some of those figures on bumpers driving around. By then most of them were faded to white. This one is still in the original colour.

[j to the jeremy]

All those links to convince yourself that soccer will surpass NFL in the U.S....yeah, ok. That's going to happen.

no, those are just examples of actual supporter culture taking root in a country with nothing like it yet.

[Roq]

no, those are just examples of actual supporter culture taking root in a country with nothing like it yet.

Yeah, it's so relevant as a sport that even Lowell knows it doesn't belong in the Sports forum.

[j to the jeremy]

Yeah, it's so relevant as a sport that even Lowell knows it doesn't belong in the Sports forum.

as if anyone uses the sports forum

[Whitehouse]

Well, the US lost their second match in the Gold cup tournament....


....but this happened in the MLS 2011 kick off game of Seattle Sounders agains Vancouver Whitecaps.


Match report.

And get this: 36.502 spectators!

I really think Detroit should have it's own franchise.

Here we go. What name do you think a Detroit team should have?

My suggestion:
Detroit Lafayettes.

[Zozo]

Here we go. What name do you think a Detroit team should have?

My suggestion:
Detroit Lafayettes.

My name for the Detroit MLS club would be "Arsenal Detroit". It plays off the history of Detroit being known as the Arsenal of Democracy during WWII. I have written a letter to the current owners of the Silverdome suggesting as much.

[Orthophonic]

Here we go. What name do you think a Detroit team should have?

My suggestion:
Detroit Lafayettes.[/QUOTE]

American Coney Island would have a conniption fit if this happened.

[detmsp]

The argument that the MLS is about to overtake the NHL is amusing to me. Yes, they have roughly the same average attendance per game.. but the NHL gets that average attendance 1,230 nights a year [[not including playoffs)! The MLS only gets that attendance 210 times a year. The NHL sells about 20 million tickets a season and the MLS sells 3 million. That's a big difference.

That said, I think it would be cool to see the MLS in Detroit, but I don't think it will work to well out at the Silverdome. I think the team would need to rely heavily on the local immigrant population, and most of them live in/near the city [[ie, SW Detroit, Dearborn)

[Bham1982]

Soccer is far more popular than hockey in the U.S. They're not even close. Hockey is a regional sport.

Even the MLS, which isn't close to top-flight soccer, has much higher TV viewership and attendance than the NHL.

And most soccer fans follow European and Latin American leagues. The Mexican league on Univision outdraws the Versus hockey ratings. The Champions league and major European leagues also beat the Versus hockey ratings.

[Whitehouse]

This is a discussion, not a pissing contest....

[p1acebo]

This is a discussion, not a pissing contest....

This.

Honestly who cares what is more "popular" in the USA, what matters should be what you like to watch. Besides, neither of you are going to convince the other they are correct.