Why most Americans don't like soccer.

[Rhoadhoused]

Same reason why basketball is gaining all over the world. All you need is a ball and a hoop.

Also it was mentioned that soccer isn't liked is the fact it does have ties. Well, college football up until about 15 years ago had ties and we all LOVE college football. Ivan Maisel had a pretty good column about ties in college football today

Biggest tie games in college football history - ESPN

I think that soccer fits that a lot better. Basketball needs a flat hard cement, asphalt, or wood surface and the hoops need to be a certain way and height.

Soccer just needs an open field of dirt or grass and two sticks to kick between, especially when it is kids playing by themselves.

 

[Kyle]

Personally, I find it very difficult to watch a sport for hours where a combined score of more than 4 is a high scoring game and where a tie is common occurance. It is an incredibly unsatisfying be invested in the outcome of a game and then have it end in a tie.

Soccer is also of such a nature that a players often do something really well, but get nothing out of in the end. In basketball, when a player makes an amazing play, points are often scored. In football, points are scored, a first down is made, or possession changes. These things have often have a significant impact on the game. In soccer, possession changes constantly, and great play is often awarded with absolutely nothing. It often makes great play very insignificant to the game.

If it were up to me, I would change the rules a bit to open things up. Get rid of off-sides, and perhaps take two players off the field. Break ties by continuing play and taking players off the field until someone scores.

 

[Angie]

Kids would rather run around than stand in right field....yes. When soccer wasn't around, there was no choice...if you wanted to play a sport, you played little league baseball. Typically, it is hard to appreciate playing baseball until you are 9 or 10yrs old. Because of soccer, alot of kids don't get the chance because they recall it being "boring" when they tried it at 5 or 6.

Soccer has ruined little league baseball in a big way and that is just sad.

I'm not really a soccer fan at all (nor am I really a baseball fan, despite having played softball through middle school), but getting little kids to run around is actually a good thing, in my opinion. There's a ton of childhood obesity that is directly related to lack of activity, and getting kids to move is a way to combat that. I have a lot of personal reasons that I don't particularly care for soccer, but this is one of its biggest redeeming qualities to me.

 

[nickwc]

I think this is the main thing. One thing we like here in America is that in our sports you are ALWAYS trying to score. Thats why we developed play clocks and shot clocks, to prevent teams from stalling and milking the clock. In soccer you will see teams get a small lead and stall for as many as 70-80 minutes. That's not entertaining to us...

and some football teams don't just run the ball, punt, and play defense when they are up 3 tds? please. There is just as much stalling and what not in popular sports in America.

the one and only reason why soccer isn't popular here is because it hasn't been ingrained into our culture like in Europe. One thing that I question is why didn't it catch on in American, after all the English founed us. Was it because we hated the brits and didn't want to have anything to do with their sport? i think it could be a reason.

Too bad soccer didn't just decide to give teams 7 points when you score a goal instead of just one.

 

[ajk4st8]

Soccer Flops - Video



It takes a real man to play this game

 

[RhoadsRage]

That's not what I'm saying at all. I think you missed the point of both my post and the post I was replying to. I'm saying that soccer in it's nature lends itself more to the "everyone gets a trophy" mentality than some other sports. I didn't say I agreed with that mentality.

Sorry.....I get a little passionate about the "everyone gets a trophy" crap. It's rediculous IMO.

 

[nickwc]

Encroaches on traditional American sports...specifically Baseball (my favorite sport to play).

Takes kids away from baseball/little league.

As an example, I grew up in a town of 750 people. That little town used to be able to put together 4 little league teams. That same town now can barely scrap together a single team due to soccer. Makes me rage.

I for one am glad to hear that. Maybe kids would like to be more active than half the game sitting in the dug out waiting for their turn to get 5 or 6 pitches thrown to them then proceed to go out on defense and stand in 1 spot for the majority of the game.

I played both baseball and soccer to give perspective I quit my baseball team so I could play on two soccer teams. My parents always wished I would have stuck with Baseball, but it kind of got old, not to mention baseball takes up so much of your summer time.

 

[nickwc]

Soccer Flops - Video



It takes a real man to play this game

must hate basketball too.

 

[cyclonez7]

Another reason soccer isn't popular here is because we don't have the "best" players. Look at the NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB. Those leagues have all the best players in the world in terms of their sports. What soccer league do we have here? The MLS. This league is composed of washed up players from the Americas and are rarely even on their countries national team. We like to see the best, but all we got is Major League Soccer which in reality is actually minor league soccer.

 

[cyclones18]

That's not what I'm saying at all. I think you missed the point of both my post and the post I was replying to. I'm saying that soccer in it's nature lends itself more to the "everyone gets a trophy" mentality than some other sports. I didn't say I agreed with that mentality.

explain this please. doesn't make sense at all.

 

[cyclones18]

Soccer Flops - Video



It takes a real man to play this game

i.e. see paul pierce :smile:

 

[nickwc]

The thing that gets me is people complain that nothing happens in a soccer game, okay yea there is a lot of possession and it takes a team to progress the ball up the pitch, but as much as I love college and NFL football, I cannot stand the 30 seconds between each play. Or my favorite, touchdown, pat, commercial, kick off, commercial, followed by a timeout sequence that is all too familiar in a football game.

Or what about the time spent between each pitch. Pitcher throws the ball, ball 1, cut camera to manager of Team A then to Team B then to the dug out to see players have monster dips in and spit on the ground then oh the next pitch is ready, but wait the batter wants time and steps out of the box.

 

[nickwc]

If lonocloe really feels that soccer is a everyone gets a trophy sport, you obviously have never actually been around the sport, or know people who even play the sport. I think that some of my biggest accomplishments and let downs have came on the soccer pitch.

 

[nickwc]

people who complain about flops, yes it gets annoying, even to big soccer fans it is annoying, the commentators are always commenting on it how they really need to keep the integrity of the game. But, you also have to realize that it is a 90 min game with no timeouts, players running approx 7-9 miles during a game, depending on the position and they use fouls as a means to regroup, gain composure, and continue playing.

1 thing that soccer did get right above all other sports in America is the Advantage rule. It's awesome that if the defense commits a foul but the offense still has a chance to score, or just advance the ball. I would love to see this adopted in basketball, cut out all the fouls where they just foul to stop a break away, or make a player shoot free throws.

 

[cyko42]

Another reason soccer isn't popular here is because we don't have the "best" players. Look at the NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB. Those leagues have all the best players in the world in terms of their sports. What soccer league do we have here? The MLS. This league is composed of washed up players from the Americas and are rarely even on their countries national team. We like to see the best, but all we got is Major League Soccer which in reality is actually minor league soccer.

I really hate this argument. You want to watch the best. During the season its on espn/FCS every Saturday and Sunday in the Premiership,La Lig and the Italian Serie A. You want to see the best, watch more games. Spend the money going to MLS games, more money in the coffers mean more money to spend on better players. You can't complain that the best players play overseas when they can get millions more dollars playing there. Soccer is a growth sport, (and as much as people here will hate to admit it, it is getting more popular everyday. Through immigration, and a generation of youth who spent their time when they were younger playing the sport). We're just not ready as a country to pay the money for the best players. But not having the best players doesn't stop people from going to see the Iowa Cubs, or the Barnstormers. Why does it stop people from going to MLS games? Enjoying a sport has nothing to do with watching the best play in person. Enjoying a sport has everything to do with having some sort of interest in the sport. If you really like soccer you will find a way to watch it, and a place to play it.

 

[nickwc]

Another reason soccer isn't popular here is because we don't have the "best" players. Look at the NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB. Those leagues have all the best players in the world in terms of their sports. What soccer league do we have here? The MLS. This league is composed of washed up players from the Americas and are rarely even on their countries national team. We like to see the best, but all we got is Major League Soccer which in reality is actually minor league soccer.

this is a huge reason, when top clubs from Europe hop the pond and come over to play, they draw huge numbers, as big as in their own home town.

 

[RhoadsRage]

people who complain about flops, yes it gets annoying, even to big soccer fans it is annoying, the commentators are always commenting on it how they really need to keep the integrity of the game. But, you also have to realize that it is a 90 min game with no timeouts, players running approx 7-9 miles during a game, depending on the position and they use fouls as a means to regroup, gain composure, and continue playing.

1 thing that soccer did get right above all other sports in America is the Advantage rule. It's awesome that if the defense commits a foul but the offense still has a chance to score, or just advance the ball. I would love to see this adopted in basketball, cut out all the fouls where they just foul to stop a break away, or make a player shoot free throws.

Free throws vs. a throw-in or "free" kick????? I'll take the free throws every time since it's actual scoring instead of possibly setting up a scoring chance. :wink:

 

[letsCYber]

I think Americans have been brain washed by the national media to support more profitable television sports such as football, baseball, basketball. Sports like Soccer don't have enough commercial breaks to be as profitable as the "american" sports. Its all mind games... chew on that lil perspectivce

 

[CycloneErik]

I think Americans have been brain washed by the national media to support more profitable television sports such as football, baseball, basketball. Sports like Soccer don't have enough commercial breaks to be as profitable as the "american" sports. Its all mind games... chew on that lil perspectivce

Watching some soccer in Jamaica convinced me that they don't need breaks. ScotiaBank rolled a constant ad across the bottom 15-20% of the screen. It replayed itself every 30 seconds(ish), and sometimes rotated with another ad. They have plenty of ads without the commercial breaks.

 

[nickwc]

Free throws vs. a throw-in or "free" kick????? I'll take the free throws every time since it's actual scoring instead of possibly setting up a scoring chance. :wink:

I'm actually talking like fast breaks, you would rather see free throws than a thunder dunk? The NBA kind of has it right with continuation.