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Because we suck. Bottom line. We're just not that good at soccer. Our national interests run more towards football, baseball, NASCAR, and other stuff that you can take bathroom breaks, beer breaks, food brakes, and (most importantly) commercial breaks for.
Forgive me, I usually watch World Cups but the thing is that I am not a football expert in any way. Just I have wondered so many times why USA never goes to semifinals and finals in World Cups. So, as far as I know, USA is a great country in several sports, why you are not so good in football as well? Sorry if I offend someone or I am asking trivial things, I am not from the USA but that is a question I've had so many times...
So this looks to be an old revived thread and maybe someone has brought up this point already, but...
... professional soccer has a hard time competing here with other, more established sports for professional talent. Soccer is well-established at the youth and secondary-school level, but after that the best athletes who would make the best soccer players get scooped up by other sports with better prospects for a big paycheck.
To best illustrate the gulf between our well-established youth soccer development and the results at the professional level, simply check out women's soccer where the best players aren't so often enticed into other sports. The result? USA women's soccer is a dominant force on the world stage while men's soccer is a speed bump for other teams on their way to the finals.
... professional soccer has a hard time competing here with other, more established sports for professional talent. Soccer is well-established at the youth and secondary-school level, but after that the best athletes who would make the best soccer players get scooped up by other sports with better prospects for a big paycheck.
In my mind it can work in the U.S. because the sports are competing for different types of athletes. The closest competing player profile is probably ice hockey, and soccer in the U.S. is already competitive with that sport. Sure soccer is a niche pro sport for most, but it's at a sustainable level. Average attendance for an MLS game last year was 21K; the EPL was 38K. We're not that far off.
In my mind it can work in the U.S. because the sports are competing for different types of athletes. The closest competing player profile is probably ice hockey, and soccer in the U.S. is already competitive with that sport. Sure soccer is a niche pro sport for most, but it's at a sustainable level. Average attendance for an MLS game last year was 21K; the EPL was 38K. We're not that far off.
To some degree, athletes can adapt their physique for the relevant sport. The speed position players in football for instance could make good soccer players and they wouldn't have to spend so much time in the gym bulking up. Baseball players on the shorter end of the spectrum can make good soccer players too.
Also, the question isn't necessarily one of attendance as television viewership. That's where the big money comes from that can pay competitively for top talent.
Average attendance for an MLS game last year was 21K; the EPL was 38K. We're not that far off.
The problem being - most of the MLS soccer-specific stadiums built in recent years have smaller capacities (doubling attendance at matches is literally impossible) so we are ‘far off’. And attendance for the USMNT is dismal - down about 22% last year after several years of decline in attendance and, of course, not even qualifying for the WC.
To best illustrate the gulf between our well-established youth soccer development and the results at the professional level, simply check out women's soccer where the best players aren't so often enticed into other sports. The result? USA women's soccer is a dominant force on the world stage while men's soccer is a speed bump for other teams on their way to the finals.
I dunno, I think you need to look at investment across the world for that. While the US doesn't invest a whole lot into womens football it is a huge difference compared to the rest of the world. Id say a vast majority of the FA's around the world couldn't care less about the women game which is why there are only really 3 or 4 good teams ... period.
Youth football in America isnt really as good as many thing. Its just a big pay to play system. You dont get world class players out of pay to play as I imagine a majority of Americas best players in the youth never get to kick a ball for a team. MLS is crap for youth development, there is no incentive for an MLS team to have a great youth setup because the gargoyles at MLS come in and take your profit.
The problem being - most of the MLS soccer-specific stadiums built in recent years have smaller capacities (doubling attendance at matches is literally impossible) so we are ‘far off’. And attendance for the USMNT is dismal - down about 22% last year after several years of decline in attendance and, of course, not even qualifying for the WC.
MLS attendance has increased every year since 2002, with average attendance per game increasing from 16K to 22K.
A number of the stadiums artificially cap their seating space below the maximum. But yeah, more larger capacity stadiums are going to be needed. They should be shooting for 30-40K seats at least.
The USMNT doesn't quite have the name recognition now that it had with Demsey and Donovan. Hopefully the attendance will improve as the current group of young players start to peak.
MLS attendance has increased every year since 2002, with about 36% of that due to league growth.
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A number of the stadiums artificially cap their seating space below the maximum. But yeah, more larger capacity stadiums are going to be needed.
I think you missed the point - most of the soccer-specific stadiums have a 18,000 to 24,000 or so maximum capacity, making it impossible to double attendance. We build large NFL stadiums in this country; but our soccer-specific stadiums are intentionally built on a much smaller scale. Incidentally, the reason they artificially cap is because of low attendance - and the need to pull the fans in closer to the pitch (especially when broadcasting the match).
An increase in attendance due to league growth is very different than attendance individually in certain cities - especially as it relates to the very poor attendance for the MNT (and the thread), which has actually declined - and it wasn’t all that robust prior either. Think in terms, by comparison, of attendance at NFL games.
No, I didn't miss the point because I agreed with you to some extent. But there are six stadiums that have reduce from maximum attendance. The total maximum possible attendance is 726,833; each team plays 34 games, so that's a potential of 24.7 million attendance. The MLS in 2018 reached 8.6 million, so there's still room for growth even if the stadiums are not expanded. My guess is we'll reach half that.
Whoa! In the men's U20 World Cup, the U.S. knocked off the competition favorites France, 3-2. That's a pretty decent accomplishment in its own right.
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