Mesi a top 10 most popular athlete in US, soccer #2 popularity in US

[ajzepp]

"One key demographic -- children ages 6 to 17 -- is conspicuously losing interest in the sport. According to the Wall Street Journal, kids accounted for 4.3 percent of the average audience for the ALCS and NLCS this year, down from 7.4 percent one decade ago. Kids made up about 4.6 percent of the World Series audience. That figure is lower than the number of kids in the 6-17 range who watch the NFL, NBA, NHL and the English Premier League.

 

Making the situation more troublesome for MLB is that fewer kids are playing Little League. Matthew Futterman of the Wall Street Journal notes that 2.1 million children played Little League baseball last year, down from 2.6 million in 1997."

 

From the thepostgame.com.

 

I was extremely athletic all the way from age 3 up through to college, and I had an opportunity to continue on at a division I level had a chose to do so...so sports have been an absolutely HUGE part of my life. When I moved to Atlanta for the first time as a kid back in 1980, it was the first time I fell completely in love with a sports team - the Atlanta Braves. To this day I can tell you details long forgotten about those Braves teams. I still remember being in a hotel room with my parents - a Knight's Inn - when the news came on and showed the Braves had beaten the Dodgers, putting them one step closer to the pennant in the NL West (Braves used to play in that division). I jumped out of my bed and yelled, and my Dad just SCOLDED the hell out of me, lol. (My Dad has passion for zippo.) Anyway, the point is that I LOVED the Braves and enjoyed watching the Cubs on the Chicago channel on cable and the Mets on the NYC channel.

 

Baseball had me locked in from an early age, but they have repeatedly driven me from the sport over the last 15 years or so. Uneven competitive landscape, steroid scandal, tainted record breaking performances, etc, etc. They Failed with a capital "F" to transition me from my childhood love into my adulthood, and I think it all started with the McGwire/Sosa/Griffey thing that took me (and everyone else) on a huge high, only to watch it fizzle out like a stuck balloon. If the younger generation is starting to turn away from MLB, as well, that bodes poorly for the sports future.

 

The interesting thing about soccer, for me, is that the more integrated we become with cultures abroad, and the more access we have to international broadcasts and events, the more aware people will become that there is an entire world of soccer out there to enjoy. And the difference between soccer and other sports is that with soccer that undiscovered world contains the BEST the sport has to offer, which for many will pique their interest. Next thing you know, you have a Lionel Messi breaking into the top ten of popular sports figures among American fans. Pretty cool!

[bbb]

Yeah, soccer sure is scandal free. Only one beheading this week, right?

 

Where is this espn poll? I've googled the crap out of this and can't find it anywhere - only mentioned on all kinds of self-congratulatory soccer sites.

[John Adams]

How many decades now have we been hearing that because of all the youth soccer players (who weren't good enough to play baseball where the light is on you - and instead blend in on a soccer field) that soccer was going to become sooooo popular in coming years and decades.

 

Why has it never happened?.

 

It has happened. You are just not paying attention. NBC now shows EPL games. MLS average attendance is higher than the NHL and NBA. You can't walk around a city anymore and not see kids in soccer jerseys.

 

It's not the NFL but it's also no longer just a sport kids play.

 

No commercials. One break at halftime. World wide appeal.

 

For boys, it's not the number one sport to play yet, but for girls, it is, so it appeals to both sexes.

 

Yeah, soccer sure is scandal free. Only one beheading this week, right?

 

When a sport is payed everywhere, including on every mean street in every developing country in the world, and the fervor is that huge for the sport, what do you expect? It's not like some Colombian local town rivalry has some tie in to the New York Red Bulls.

 

 

[bbb]

The only reason this phantom ESPN poll is being mentioned and only on soccer sites (Michael Jordan is the most popular among these teens - what kind of BS is that?!?) is that ESPN has been trying to shove soccer down our throats for a number of years now. All of a sudden Bill Simmons is a soccer fan. It's all across the company and is so easy to see.

 

I'm only talking about the soccer scandals because AJ seems to have thrown the baby out with the bathwater on baseball because of steroids. I'm guessing there are PEDs in soccer. Somehow football gets a pass, as well, even though we know there is so much juicing going on.

 

Turns out MLS' attendance is DOWN this year:

 

The news doesn't get much better when it comes to MLS attendance. Overall league attendance is, following the weekend of September 14-15, down roughly 2.5 percent from last year's average.

 

Take away that hipster thing going on in Seattle, and it wouldn't even be close, I bet.

 

As for TV numbers, you don't even want to look, in terms of both viewership and how much money the networks pay the NHL and NBA

 

Besides, it's usually a soccer vs. baseball debate - since they are outdoor games. That isn't close on any level.

 

The one thing I do agree with you on footy - the no commercials thing is very cool. Especially compared to American football - which is disgusting with commercials.

[ajzepp]

The only reason this phantom ESPN poll is being mentioned and only on soccer sites (Michael Jordan is the most popular among these teens - what kind of BS is that?!?) is that ESPN has been trying to shove soccer down our throats for a number of years now. All of a sudden Bill Simmons is a soccer fan. It's all across the company and is so easy to see.

 

I'm only talking about the soccer scandals because AJ seems to have thrown the baby out with the bathwater on baseball because of steroids. I'm guessing there are PEDs in soccer. Somehow football gets a pass, as well, even though we know there is so much juicing going on.

 

Turns out MLS' attendance is DOWN this year:

 

The news doesn't get much better when it comes to MLS attendance. Overall league attendance is, following the weekend of September 14-15, down roughly 2.5 percent from last year's average.

 

Take away that hipster thing going on in Seattle, and it wouldn't even be close, I bet.

 

As for TV numbers, you don't even want to look, in terms of both viewership and how much money the networks pay the NHL and NBA

 

Besides, it's usually a soccer vs. baseball debate - since they are outdoor games. That isn't close on any level.

 

The one thing I do agree with you on footy - the no commercials thing is very cool. Especially compared to American football - which is disgusting with commercials.

 

I just used the baseball example to compare and contrast...I still follow the Braves very closely, but my overall interest in the sport has not recovered since the McGwire/Griffey/Sosa thing. And it's not like I made a conscious choice to turn away from baseball...this is just the natural effect that it had on me as a fan. I am a sports fan in general and don't really look at it like sport X vs sport Y...I love it all and I don't want to see any of them suffer or fade away. I don't watch much NBA, but I'm glad it's there. It's part of our sports landscape in this country and even though I don't watch many regular season games, I love the NBA playoffs. And I still get excited come October when the MLB playoffs crank up. It doesn't compare to my love of the NFL or soccer, but I want every league to succeed and I don't see that the success of one has to be at the detriment of another.

[bbb]

I just used the baseball example to compare and contrast...I still follow the Braves very closely, but my overall interest in the sport has not recovered since the McGwire/Griffey/Sosa thing. And it's not like I made a conscious choice to turn away from baseball...this is just the natural effect that it had on me as a fan. I am a sports fan in general and don't really look at it like sport X vs sport Y...I love it all and I don't want to see any of them suffer or fade away. I don't watch much NBA, but I'm glad it's there. It's part of our sports landscape in this country and even though I don't watch many regular season games, I love the NBA playoffs. And I still get excited come October when the MLB playoffs crank up. It doesn't compare to my love of the NFL or soccer, but I want every league to succeed and I don't see that the success of one has to be at the detriment of another.

 

Hey, keep Junior's name out of it! It's never been hinted that he juiced, and if he did, he got a bad supply!

 

I wonder how many people are going to subconcsiously drift away from football due to that nagging thought of how much destruction these guys are doing to themselves.

[meazza]

Hey, keep Junior's name out of it! It's never been hinted that he juiced, and if he did, he got a bad supply!

 

I wonder how many people are going to subconcsiously drift away from football due to that nagging thought of how much destruction these guys are doing to themselves.

 

That's one thing that bothers me about the NFL. I have a feeling that many Bills players that I grew up to appreciate and respect will have big problems once they approach their 50's.

[ajzepp]

Hey, keep Junior's name out of it! It's never been hinted that he juiced, and if he did, he got a bad supply!

 

I wonder how many people are going to subconcsiously drift away from football due to that nagging thought of how much destruction these guys are doing to themselves.

 

I didnt' mean to refer to him as a juicer...I was referring to the 3-way race for the HR record that year. Early on it was the three of them, then Griff started to fade away a bit...prob cause he wasn't juicing

[section122]

How many decades now have we been hearing that because of all the youth soccer players (who weren't good enough to play baseball where the light is on you - and instead blend in on a soccer field) that soccer was going to become sooooo popular in coming years and decades.

 

Why has it never happened?

 

There is a wide age range here, and yet there are about 5 guys who can give a rat's ass about professional soccer here.

What does playing baseball have to do with playing soccer? Many many kids played both growing up. That said, I have no idea what your point is here? Baseball players are tougher than soccer players or maybe better athletes? Please explain this comment better I would love to hear it.

 

Yeah, soccer sure is scandal free. Only one beheading this week, right?

 

Where is this espn poll? I've googled the crap out of this and can't find it anywhere - only mentioned on all kinds of self-congratulatory soccer sites.

Soccer can be incredibly corrupt. Name me a sport that isn't.

 

The only reason this phantom ESPN poll is being mentioned and only on soccer sites (Michael Jordan is the most popular among these teens - what kind of BS is that?!?) is that ESPN has been trying to shove soccer down our throats for a number of years now. All of a sudden Bill Simmons is a soccer fan. It's all across the company and is so easy to see.

 

I'm only talking about the soccer scandals because AJ seems to have thrown the baby out with the bathwater on baseball because of steroids. I'm guessing there are PEDs in soccer. Somehow football gets a pass, as well, even though we know there is so much juicing going on.

 

Turns out MLS' attendance is DOWN this year:

 

The news doesn't get much better when it comes to MLS attendance. Overall league attendance is, following the weekend of September 14-15, down roughly 2.5 percent from last year's average.

 

Take away that hipster thing going on in Seattle, and it wouldn't even be close, I bet.

 

As for TV numbers, you don't even want to look, in terms of both viewership and how much money the networks pay the NHL and NBA

 

Besides, it's usually a soccer vs. baseball debate - since they are outdoor games. That isn't close on any level.

 

The one thing I do agree with you on footy - the no commercials thing is very cool. Especially compared to American football - which is disgusting with commercials.

Dang it's like soccer banged your wife!

 

You verge on being upset that people are starting to come around on soccer. It is THE game everywhere in the world. As the hispanic polpulation rises in America doesn't it make sense that interest levels would rise? Maybe soccer isn't recruiting new fans as much as the demographic is changing and now includes people who were fans.

 

I did happen to catch an Arsenal Liverpool game this weekend (Saturday afternoon) on NBC. NBC has nothing to do with ESPN who "has been trying to shove soccer down our throats for years." How can you even say that? Is soccer ever covered on Sportscenter save for a few top plays? Is there Soccer Tonight?

 

Soccer is starting to creep into mainstream sports. Why is that upsetting to you? I get not giving a crap but to get upset about it?

[bbb]

Am I really supposed to answer all those questions?

 

PS From what I read, what you said here is the real story:

 

As the hispanic polpulation rises in America doesn't it make sense that interest levels would rise? Maybe soccer isn't recruiting new fans as much as the demographic is changing and now includes people who were fans.

 

Probably explains why kids I know are no more interested in soccer than when I was a kid.

[bbb]

I guess I'm answering in reverse order - for the 2nd time, the corruption thing is in regards to AJ's loss of love for baseball due to steroids.

 

What I'm saying about youth soccer is that this idea has been put forth for what - 30 years or so? Look at all these youth soccer players - when they grow up, they're going to be huge soccer fans and it's going to be one of the most popular sports.

 

Well, I'm not the first to contend that a lot of youths playing soccer are not very good athletes. They'd rather not play baseball - because there is no hiding when you're at the plate or the ball is hit to you..........But, in soccer who is going to notice if a 10 year old stinks?

 

Obviously there are a lot of great athletes playing soccer as kids. But, I'm talking about these "huge numbers" that in coming decades are going to turn soccer into a juggernaut in this country.

 

Let me ask you a question - why has that never happened after hearing for decades how it will?

[section122]

I guess I'm answering in reverse order - for the 2nd time, the corruption thing is in regards to AJ's loss of love for baseball due to steroids.

 

What I'm saying about youth soccer is that this idea has been put forth for what - 30 years or so? Look at all these youth soccer players - when they grow up, they're going to be huge soccer fans and it's going to be one of the most popular sports.

 

Well, I'm not the first to contend that a lot of youths playing soccer are not very good athletes. They'd rather not play baseball - because there is no hiding when you're at the plate or the ball is hit to you..........But, in soccer who is going to notice if a 10 year old stinks?

 

Obviously there are a lot of great athletes playing soccer as kids. But, I'm talking about these "huge numbers" that in coming decades are going to turn soccer into a juggernaut in this country.

 

Let me ask you a question - why has that never happened after hearing for decades how it will?

Everyone will notice. There is no hiding on a soccer field either. (my tone for the following question is friendly and please read it as such) Have you ever played soccer? Yes some fat kids play soccer, some bad athletes play soccer - they play defense until their parents stop forcing them to participate. On a baseball field there IS hiding. Don't all poor players go to right field?

 

Athletic ability is needed much more for soccer than baseball. This phrase has never been uttered by a soccer player but it has by a baseball player.

“I ain’t an athlete, lady. I’m a baseball player.”

 

Calories burned doing the folowing activities:

Competitive Soccer - 1 hr - 953

Casual Soccer 1 hr - 667

Baseball - 1 hr - 476

 

Why has this never happened after decades of hearing it will?

It is actually the fourth most attended professional sport (Nascar, NFL, and MLB). It is growing in this country. It HAS happened. Over 6 million people attended a MLS game last year. That number doesn't include the international friendlies or other professional leagues (USL - Rochester Rhinos league among others). It is shown on major networks on the weekends. With as many kids playing, and demographics changing, I don't think it is a leap to think that this growth will continue.

[ajzepp]

bbb, you really wouldn't say that soccer is bigger now than it has ever been during our lifetimes? Back in the 80s and 90s I can't imagine a major network seeking out a contract with the English Premiership, and I'm guessing here, but I find it hard to believe that we were selling out our international friendlies in stadiums all over the country like we do currently. When the USMNT is in town, tens of thousands of people show up and it's a crazy scene. I don't know many people who ever seriously believed it would be anything like the NFL in this country, but it's pretty clear to me that it's never been as popular as it is now. There was a period of time in the 70s when the NASL was hot, but that fizzled out when the inmates took over the asylum. MLS has learned from those lessons and been very smart in the way they've grown the league.

 

But to echo 122s point, why is it that people get so up in arms about this sport? I don't get it. I can see getting annoyed by fans, and there are certain aspects of the game that it's easy to be critical of, but it's almost like there's this venom toward the sport in general...I'm not sure I get that.

[bbb]

Because the OP claims, with his usual air of superiority (and usually that superiority is pointed at my beloved baseball) that it is the 2nd most popular sport for 12-24 year olds. There is no freaking way. None. Zero.

 

I don't have kids, but my niece and nephew are in that age range, as are almost all my friend's kids. My niece is a soccer fanatic, and plays at the college level (I sat on a wet bleacher in 40 degree driving rain last week to watch her, so I'm not that opposed to the sport. I think it's the best sport for girls/women).............But, the boys in that range - I don't know one of them who could care less about soccer. And, most of them mock it out.

 

And, all these stats being thrown out are so misleading.

 

122 brings up the attendence, so I looked it up. Soccer had 6M, NBA and NHL around 17M, and baseball was 81M!

 

Of course, that is because the number of played games. But, that is also the only reason for the rise in attendance for soccer.

 

In 1996, here is the MLS attendance:

 

1996

160

2,785,001

17,406

 

15,093

 

That's games played, total attendance, average and median attenance.

 

So, now they've added a bunch of teams, and for 2012, the games played would be 323 and average attendance is 18,807. Not exactly a meteoric rise in pretty a whole generation later.

 

Edit - Sorry about that formatting change - Jeez!

[MDH]

 

No commercials. One break at halftime. World wide appeal.

 

This is key. I've talked to a lot of people in London (where we moved 10 months ago) and when American football is brought up they almost all universally say, "how can you watch that with all the commercials?" and I can't say I disagree with them.

 

But to echo 122s point, why is it that people get so up in arms about this sport? I don't get it. I can see getting annoyed by fans, and there are certain aspects of the game that it's easy to be critical of, but it's almost like there's this venom toward the sport in general...I'm not sure I get that.

 

I'm leaning towards believing it's arrogance, plain and simple. We like to believe we're better than the rest of the world and that includes ridiculing the sport the rest of the world loves. Granted, it goes both ways.

[ajzepp]

bbb: One thing to consider is that over the past decade or so, MLS has transitioned from renting out larger venues to building soccer-only stadiums for the majority of their teams. Most of them have about a 12-18k capacity, I believe. So you're not going to see MLS games having an average attendance much higher than that, simply because they can't pack anyone else in there once a game sells out.

 

I can't really speak to the polls since I haven't seen one either.

 

 

 

MDH: Seems like it's been forever since I've seen you, man! You been playing poker anywhere? I hadn't been, but then I saw that a site I used to play on for years was open to US customers, so I've been playing some small stakes the past few weeks.

Edited November 5, 2013 by ajzepp

[bbb]

But, the size of the "arenas" are exactly why anybody can even claim that MLS draws better than the NBA or NHL. Their stadiums are more about 22K or so average, and they seem to draw about 80% capacity...........NBA arenas are probably 19K average capacity.............And, there are still a few American football stadiums that MLS uses. If it wasn't for Seattle's outlier - where it's part of their hipster culture - we wouldn't even be having this part of the discussion. They draw 44K at the Seashawks stadium with a capacity of 67K. More than double the average of the rest of the league.

[bbb]

I'm leaning towards believing it's arrogance, plain and simple. We like to believe we're better than the rest of the world and that includes ridiculing the sport the rest of the world loves. Granted, it goes both ways.

 

Actually, it's the opposite as far as my argument goes..........I find soccer people to be very pretentious (not the 2-3 guys I'm currently discussing this with).

 

I mentioned earlier the d-bag factor. My college roommate freshman year was a soccer player. I pretty much couldn't stand him then...........I'm now good friends with him and he laughs about what a dbag he was.........Another guy on the soccer team I didn't konw well then, but have got to know a little better since, but he's always seemed like a good guy. At the last reunion he told me he couldn't stand the rest of the players because they were all dbags.............And, they were - these two are still the only ones I'd want to be friends with.

 

I was standing in line at PNC Park for a Pirates game a few summers ago. I struck up a conversation with a guy who played soccer for Oklahoma. I never even mentioned my feelings. I told him how cool that he played at such a high level. He was a star in high school in a few sports but soccer was his best.............He says he wished he chose another one because the players are such aholes..............I couldn't believe he said it without me even coming close to bringing that up.

 

Here's the aforementioned Bill Simmons email bag from 4 years ago:

 

Q: Look I enjoy the soccer commentary and I really want to jump on the bandwagon but I just can't. The reason, every soccer player I've ever met is a total d-bag. How can I like a sport where every person who plays it drinks flavored vodka and attempts to screw every girl who walks by?

-- Ryan, Atlanta

 

SG: See, I think that's what took me so long to gravitate towards soccer. I haven't been in college since the early-'90s. I haven't been single since the early-'00s. I haven't seen soccer players disgracing themselves socially for such a long time that I now operate under the premise that they're like everyone else. Maybe that should be the new MLS PR strategy: targeting married guys over 35 with a slogan like "Professional Soccer: Because it's been so long that you forgot they were d-bags."

[ExiledInIllinois]

I think the ridicule has to do w/American affluence. Soccer, all it takes is a ball, a foot, and an open field. For most of the world that is fine, but as Americans, most are past that KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) approach. Just saying, not that agree w/it... Just saying. You see how complicated other games have become... All the safety equipment needed what not. Football and hockey are a joke! Maybe soccer has it right. Run, foot, kick ball.

 

There is no money for the sports equipment in soccer. My son plays lacrosse and I just shelled out 200 bucks for another stick. Are you kidding me? 130 bucks for a composite attack stick and then 70 bucks for the head. Another 30 bucks for a string kit. Figure, gloves 100-200 bucks. Helmet another 200+... Etc... Figure, it has to be close to a grand just to get up and running. LoL... The saving grace is that they (@ Big Box Dick's Sporting Goods) had a pair of 200 gloves mismarked for 20 bucks... They scanned them and rang up for 20 bucks! LoL My wife was saying: "Why do we need another pair of gloves, he already has a pair." Side note, he just blew outta his other gloves. Good thing Daddy does his homework and knows how much this stuff/crap goes for! ;-)

Edited November 5, 2013 by ExiledInIllinois

[bbb]

Everyone will notice. There is no hiding on a soccer field either. (my tone for the following question is friendly and please read it as such) Have you ever played soccer? Yes some fat kids play soccer, some bad athletes play soccer - they play defense until their parents stop forcing them to participate. On a baseball field there IS hiding. Don't all poor players go to right field?

 

Athletic ability is needed much more for soccer than baseball. This phrase has never been uttered by a soccer player but it has by a baseball player.

“I ain’t an athlete, lady. I’m a baseball player.”

 

Calories burned doing the folowing activities:

Competitive Soccer - 1 hr - 953

Casual Soccer 1 hr - 667

Baseball - 1 hr - 476

 

Why has this never happened after decades of hearing it will?

It is actually the fourth most attended professional sport (Nascar, NFL, and MLB). It is growing in this country. It HAS happened. Over 6 million people attended a MLS game last year. That number doesn't include the international friendlies or other professional leagues (USL - Rochester Rhinos league among others). It is shown on major networks on the weekends. With as many kids playing, and demographics changing, I don't think it is a leap to think that this growth will continue.

 

No, I never played soccer. I only played real sports. I have attended a lot of games, and I have watched enough on TV.

 

There is no doubt that soccer players who progress are great athletes, and it takes way more endurance than baseball. But, I'm saying that a good portion of soccer having so many youth players who never have turned into this great fan base is because there's more than just right field where they can not embarrass themselves.

 

BTW, the guy who made that funny remark is John Kruk, who has a lifetime .300 batting average. He might not look athletic, but that takes super world class hand-eye coordination to do that!