Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And yet your contributions seem to consist of posting the same tedious crap over and over again. I think you should maybe just knock it on the head and concede that the sport you keep banging on about, despite the "deafening crowds" will never come anywhere near the popularity of football. Deal with it and move on.
That is not the purpose of this thread. Several posters have explained to you, why soccer is popular outside the USA, but not in it. The answer has always been, America has better spectators sports to watch. IMO the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA, are all simply better sports leagues, and more entertaining to watch, than the EPL or MLS. If they were not, than soccer would be more popular in the USA. It is simply to much better competition for soccer in America, end of story.
That is not the purpose of this thread. Several posters have explained to you, why soccer is popular outside the USA, but not in it. The answer has always been, America has better spectators sports to watch. IMO the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA, are all simply better sports leagues, and more entertaining to watch, than the EPL or MLS. If they were not, than soccer would be more popular in the USA. It is simply to much better competition for soccer in America, end of story.
The problem is you have nothing to back up that claim! At the end of the day if the NFL was a 'better, more entertaining' sport it would be more popular than football! Not only is it less popular than football its MILES behind it! Then one minute you say that you've never heard of any footballer and the next you're telling us you somehow miraculously got a ticket for Manchester United and paid an absolute fortune for the privilege! . Of course I don't believe you!
At the end of the day you simply haven't got a valid argument, the simple answer to the question 'why is soccer so popular outside of America' is that its the sport the world enjoys the most - its the sport the world WANTS to watch because its the sport the world finds most exciting. Its the greatest sport in the world and the proof is in the fact that it is BY FAR the worlds most popular sport.
I also like other sports but I couldn't find a valid argument that ANY of them are 'better' or 'more exciting' than football because none of them are as popular.
As has been said, like it or lump it but either way I'm afraid you are just going to have to get over it.
The problem is you have nothing to back up that claim! At the end of the day if the NFL was a 'better, more entertaining' sport it would be more popular than football! Not only is it less popular than football its MILES behind it! Then one minute you say that you've never heard of any footballer and the next you're telling us you somehow miraculously got a ticket for Manchester United and paid an absolute fortune for the privilege! . Of course I don't believe you!
At the end of the day you simply haven't got a valid argument, the simple answer to the question 'why is soccer so popular outside of America' is that its the sport the world enjoys the most - its the sport the world WANTS to watch because its the sport the world finds most exciting. Its the greatest sport in the world and the proof is in the fact that it is BY FAR the worlds most popular sport.
I also like other sports but I couldn't find a valid argument that ANY of them are 'better' or 'more exciting' than football because none of them are as popular.
As has been said, like it or lump it but either way I'm afraid you are just going to have to get over it.
This post is absolute nonsense, garbage, lies, trash, and it doesn't even really deserve a response. Myself, and several other posters have made a rational thoughtful case, why soccer is so popular outside America, but not in America. The case has been made overwhelmingly, there is no need to add anything else.
This post is absolute nonsense, garbage, lies, trash, and it doesn't even really deserve a response. Myself, and several other posters have made a rational thoughtful case, why soccer is so popular outside America, but not in America. The case has been made overwhelmingly, there is no need to add anything else.
I'm sorry Vindag but you haven't. You've just come across as somebody who has a huge chip on your shoulder. The fact is football (soccer) is BY FAR the worlds most popular sport, it therefore is the sport of choice, people obviously find it the best sport - doesn't mean that everybody has to like it, it also doesn't mean that people can't like 'other' sports as well, there's room for plenty but it does mean you are going to have to accept that fact I'm afraid.
Mumbling on about 'soccer is boring, I hate it, people only play it because they're forced to, they only prefer football because they can't afford a baseball bat! etc etc' just sounds what it is.........ridiculous rubbish and it just comes across as 'sour grapes' (again what it is).
That is not the purpose of this thread. Several posters have explained to you, why soccer is popular outside the USA, but not in it. The answer has always been, America has better spectators sports to watch. IMO the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA, are all simply better sports leagues, and more entertaining to watch, than the EPL or MLS. If they were not, than soccer would be more popular in the USA. It is simply to much better competition for soccer in America, end of story.
I'm gonna keep it simple, but I think the original premise of the thread is somewhat flawed as it's really quite obvious why football is popular around the world:
- It's pretty easy to understand the basic rules and anyone can play.
- It's entertaining to watch as well as take part.
- It's a great workout for all ages.
- It brings people of all cultures together.
- and yet, it ignites passions of a tribalistic or nationalistic nature.
The question should really be: Why is football not popular in the US, at least relative to other sports?
And the answer is basically down to American isolationism and exceptionalism. As a developing nation in the late 19th century, it sought to forge its own cultural identity, and the creation of their own sports (albeit mostly adapted from others) was one way of doing so. It resisted importing from other nations as a way of distinguishing itself and asserting its own power. This is evident in the way the US appears to masculinise its homegrown sports while denigrating the likes of football as a game for girls. It really has nothing to do with being "better spectator sports to watch" as, if this were true, they would surely have taken hold in more than a handful of other countries. I'd go into more detail about all this, but I said I'd keep it simple.
Also, I see you only mention the EPL, but football is a worldwide phenomenon as I'm sure you're aware. You can't play it down by just mentioning one league!
I'm gonna keep it simple, but I think the original premise of the thread is somewhat flawed as it's really quite obvious why football is popular around the world:
- It's pretty easy to understand the basic rules and anyone can play.
- It's entertaining to watch as well as take part.
- It's a great workout for all ages.
- It brings people of all cultures together.
- and yet, it ignites passions of a tribalistic or nationalistic nature.
The question should really be: Why is football not popular in the US, at least relative to other sports?
And the answer is basically down to American isolationism and exceptionalism. As a developing nation in the late 19th century, it sought to forge its own cultural identity, and the creation of their own sports (albeit mostly adapted from others) was one way of doing so. It resisted importing from other nations as a way of distinguishing itself and asserting its own power. This is evident in the way the US appears to masculinise its homegrown sports while denigrating the likes of football as a game for girls. It really has nothing to do with being "better spectator sports to watch" as, if this were true, they would surely have taken hold in more than a handful of other countries. I'd go into more detail about all this, but I said I'd keep it simple.
Also, I see you only mention the EPL, but football is a worldwide phenomenon as I'm sure you're aware. You can't play it down by just mentioning one league!
Soccer has been available in the USA for a long time. Princeton vs Rutgers in New Jersey was played in 1876, Rutgers won 6-4. Soccer is played by more youths in America than just about any other sport. The reasons for that is some of the things you listed. Great workout, easy to understand, and anyone can play. But as a spectator sport, it is behind several sports leagues, in popularity, in the USA. America has the 7th largest supported association football league in the world by attendance, the MLS, which by the way I did mention. We also have the EPL games on NBC every week. Soccer has had plenty of chances, to become the major spectator sport in America, and it has failed miserably each time. Most of the world will never have gridiron football, because of the immense expense of setting up the infrastructure, of this extremely complicated game. If you look at the 2 countries, Canada & USA, that gridiron has competed for the spectator with soccer, gridiron has won. The gridiron game has always been more popular, as a spectator sport, than soccer in the USA, and Canada. So now I guess your going to blame it on Canadian isolationism, as basically Canada, and the USA created the game of gridiron football.
I'm gonna keep it simple, but I think the original premise of the thread is somewhat flawed as it's really quite obvious why football is popular around the world:
- It's pretty easy to understand the basic rules and anyone can play.
- It's entertaining to watch as well as take part.
- It's a great workout for all ages.
- It brings people of all cultures together.
- and yet, it ignites passions of a tribalistic or nationalistic nature.
The question should really be: Why is football not popular in the US, at least relative to other sports?
And the answer is basically down to American isolationism and exceptionalism. As a developing nation in the late 19th century, it sought to forge its own cultural identity, and the creation of their own sports (albeit mostly adapted from others) was one way of doing so. It resisted importing from other nations as a way of distinguishing itself and asserting its own power. This is evident in the way the US appears to masculinise its homegrown sports while denigrating the likes of football as a game for girls. It really has nothing to do with being "better spectator sports to watch" as, if this were true, they would surely have taken hold in more than a handful of other countries. I'd go into more detail about all this, but I said I'd keep it simple.
Also, I see you only mention the EPL, but football is a worldwide phenomenon as I'm sure you're aware. You can't play it down by just mentioning one league!
Australia is a very young country, born out of England, and largely adopted English traditions and social norms. When it comes to sport, where the option of all the English sports was available, Soccer has always been the bottom of the football pecking order.
Where there is no tribalism or incumbency associated with Soccer, it found it's rightful place....where it remains today.
But it will likely change of the next 100 years as we continue to become softer and more risk averse. I see it on our local community. All the poor little boys being forced into soccer because their mummy thinks they won't get a bump on the head. And the only sports stars they care about are the Rugby League or AFL players. And at school lunchtime, out comes the real football which isn't round! Poor kids.
Australia is a very young country, born out of England, and largely adopted English traditions and social norms. When it comes to sport, where the option of all the English sports was available, Soccer has always been the bottom of the football pecking order.
Where there is no tribalism or incumbency associated with Soccer, it found it's rightful place....where it remains today.
But it will likely change of the next 100 years as we continue to become softer and more risk averse. I see it on our local community. All the poor little boys being forced into soccer because their mummy thinks they won't get a bump on the head. And the only sports stars they care about are the Rugby League or AFL players. And at school lunchtime, out comes the real football which isn't round! Poor kids.
Yet the Aussie rugby league team chickened out of coming here for the world cup! That's not very 'tough' is it!
The problem is you have nothing to back up that claim! At the end of the day if the NFL was a 'better, more entertaining' sport it would be more popular than football! Not only is it less popular than football its MILES behind it! Then one minute you say that you've never heard of any footballer and the next you're telling us you somehow miraculously got a ticket for Manchester United and paid an absolute fortune for the privilege! . Of course I don't believe you!
At the end of the day you simply haven't got a valid argument, the simple answer to the question 'why is soccer so popular outside of America' is that its the sport the world enjoys the most - its the sport the world WANTS to watch because its the sport the world finds most exciting. Its the greatest sport in the world and the proof is in the fact that it is BY FAR the worlds most popular sport.
I also like other sports but I couldn't find a valid argument that ANY of them are 'better' or 'more exciting' than football because none of them are as popular.
As has been said, like it or lump it but either way I'm afraid you are just going to have to get over it.
easthome, you continue with challenging me, by stating, that I didn't attend a match at Old Trafford, 10 yrs ago. First you came up with this nonsense that it was impossible to get a ticket, because people in Manchester have tried for years, and still can't see a match in person. Then when I proved to you that there are usually tickets available, if you are willing to pay a steep price for the tickets, which Brave New World acknowledges, there are tickets available, if your willing to "overpay" for the tickets. Now you are saying that you don't believe that I would pay an "absolute fortune" to attend a match at the storied Old Trafford. First of all, I didn't pay an absolute fortune to go, but yes it was expensive. I have many times paid above ticket face value in America, to attend a sold out sporting event, which is common in America. I am a big sports fan, so I'm willing to do that. You on the other hand, are either to cheap, or really don't care that much about attending, or you are a total incompetent in getting a ticket.
easthome, you continue with challenging me, by stating, that I didn't attend a match at Old Trafford, 10 yrs ago. First you came up with this nonsense that it was impossible to get a ticket, because people in Manchester have tried for years, and still can't see a match in person. Then when I proved to you that there are usually tickets available, if you are willing to pay a steep price for the tickets, which Brave New World acknowledges, there are tickets available, if your willing to "overpay" for the tickets. Now you are saying that you don't believe that I would pay an "absolute fortune" to attend a match at the storied Old Trafford. First of all, I didn't pay an absolute fortune to go, but yes it was expensive. I have many times paid above ticket face value in America, to attend a sold out sporting event, which is common in America. I am a big sports fan, so I'm willing to do that. You on the other hand, are either to cheap, or really don't care that much about attending, or you are a total incompetent in getting a ticket.
I take it you're now a club member then? Even club members find tickets hard to come by, especially for Premier League games, perhaps you are mistaken when you said you 'rocked' up gameday and decided to take in a match eh?. Or else like you said you must have bought from a tout (which is illegal by the way). And if you DID buy from a tout it must have cost you well over £100!
You must be football mad if you are willing to illegally buy a ticket at astranomical cost I think!
I don't believe for one moment you've been anywhere near Old Traffod.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. Of course I don't believe you! 