US Club games in Indiana this weekend

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Pay to play will do that. A lot kids stay in the sport long after they don't enjoy playing and for some it was never really there.

Seems a lot of people these days confuse increased participation with increased passion.

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I think soccer is close to moving in on the top four sports. the sheer numbers of kids, soon to be parents, that were involved in soccer is exponentially greater than when we were kids.i came from a big town and I didn't know anyone that played soccer. That's not the case anymore. Still, I think they are one rule change away from making a big leap in market share. 0-0 ties won't cut it in the US. Something that can open up the offense and even create a fantasy buzz is all it takes. I really think a tweek of the offside rule would do it. Get to a are where 4-3 games are common and you have a product people will watch. 7 goals, and at least that many good scoring opportunities, will definitely find a market in America

The biggest problem with regard to this issue is that in this country soccer is a women's game and the women don't consume sports the same way men do and as a result don't spend money to watch games or buy products hawked by female athletes in the same magnitude that men do.

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I think soccer is close to moving in on the top four sports. the sheer numbers of kids, soon to be parents, that were involved in soccer is exponentially greater than when we were kids.i came from a big town and I didn't know anyone that played soccer. That's not the case anymore. Still, I think they are one rule change away from making a big leap in market share. 0-0 ties won't cut it in the US. Something that can open up the offense and even create a fantasy buzz is all it takes. I really think a tweek of the offside rule would do it. Get to a are where 4-3 games are common and you have a product people will watch. 7 goals, and at least that many good scoring opportunities, will definitely find a market in America

The other sports have been deep part of our culture for like, oh, a century. You want it to catch up in the the time it takes to put a kid through college. Relax.

No, tennis and golf are not more popular...where did you make that up from? Worthwhile? Golf is the most useless "sport" going. yay...let's drop a $100 to walk around.

Needs more stats? Same stats you can get in hockey you can get in soccer.

Isn't there a NASCAR page you are supposed to be on?

1. With regard to youth participation then I might agree that Soccer is moving up. However, with regard to the professional leagues then it has a long way to go to get into the 'top four'. The money isn't there yet. The exposure isn't there either. Tennis and Golf get more TV time per event than soccer ever will.
2. Stats? Soccer has fewer stats than hockey....or at least the hockey leagues put up more stats than soccer: https://www.hockey-reference.com/lea...7_leaders.html
Hockey way faster and more entertaining than soccer (and I don't even like the game). Subs are on the fly, players go out on penalties and then come back and the NHL does whatever they can to not have ties or low scores.
3. A typical American would say "so if one team scores in the first half, I probably don't have to watch the rest of the game to know the final outcome".

As for NASCAR....hahaha....never been. However, I hear that folks (perhaps like yourself) get a great vibrating feeling on their seat when the cars come around.....

[Unregistered]

Yes, golf has big ratings...because the old guys like yourself know it and play it and are familiar with it. Is that a question? Ratings are also declining...

So, you don't even know what soccer stats are out there?

Look 'em up. Knowledge is king.

[Unregistered]

I think soccer is close to moving in on the top four sports. the sheer numbers of kids, soon to be parents, that were involved in soccer is exponentially greater than when we were kids.i came from a big town and I didn't know anyone that played soccer. That's not the case anymore. Still, I think they are one rule change away from making a big leap in market share. 0-0 ties won't cut it in the US. Something that can open up the offense and even create a fantasy buzz is all it takes. I really think a tweek of the offside rule would do it. Get to a are where 4-3 games are common and you have a product people will watch. 7 goals, and at least that many good scoring opportunities, will definitely find a market in America






1. With regard to youth participation then I might agree that Soccer is moving up. However, with regard to the professional leagues then it has a long way to go to get into the 'top four'. The money isn't there yet. The exposure isn't there either. Tennis and Golf get more TV time per event than soccer ever will.
2. Stats? Soccer has fewer stats than hockey....or at least the hockey leagues put up more stats than soccer: https://www.hockey-reference.com/lea...7_leaders.html
Hockey way faster and more entertaining than soccer (and I don't even like the game). Subs are on the fly, players go out on penalties and then come back and the NHL does whatever they can to not have ties or low scores.
3. A typical American would say "so if one team scores in the first half, I probably don't have to watch the rest of the game to know the final outcome".

As for NASCAR....hahaha....never been. However, I hear that folks (perhaps like yourself) get a great vibrating feeling on their seat when the cars come around.....

If you put out a product people want to watch, the TV time will be there, so will the money. NFL wasnt always that big, Hockey was a fringe sport. They continually made changes to draw in fans. Look at baseball, they arent changing enough and are losing viewers not to mention kids dont play like they used to. It will be tough for soccer as europe is perfectly fine with the game how it is, but America will want more offense.

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NFL ratings took a huge hit in the past year.

Women's WC Final drew great ratings two years ago.

Golf down.

Baseball down a lot.

Hockey up.

Basketball up.

EPL soccer down for first time since NBC took it over; but streams were up. Overall soccer viewerships are up. Hard to compare one league in soccer as Spanish and German leagues are now broadcast.

[Unregistered]

are you the same guy?

The other sports have been deep part of our culture for like, oh, a century. You want it to catch up in the the time it takes to put a kid through college. Relax.

No, tennis and golf are not more popular...where did you make that up from? Worthwhile? Golf is the most useless "sport" going. yay...let's drop a $100 to walk around.

Needs more stats? Same stats you can get in hockey you can get in soccer.

Isn't there a NASCAR page you are supposed to be on?

Yes, golf has big ratings...because the old guys like yourself know it and play it and are familiar with it. Is that a question? Ratings are also declining...

So, you don't even know what soccer stats are out there?

Look 'em up. Knowledge is king.

Are you the same guy for both of these quotes?
If so, then drop the anger and stop drinking yourself stupid.....well maybe the alcohol isn't wants make you stupid.

If you need to know. I don't play golf at all.

I can certainly find many soccer stats, however, they are publicized very well neither in this country or elsewhere. Even those that are, are not very 'exciting'. As another poster said, there needs to be more offense and more for folk in this country to talk about in order for soccer to be one of the top four.

Baseball is changing their rules regarding the pitcher and coaches visits to the mound.
Soccer isn't making any changes

[Unregistered]

It's one thing to get good ratings for say WC or the Olympics. What is needed is continual improvement in viewership numbers for regular games (be it MLS or international games). That has been creeping up at a snail's pace. Until advertisers and broadcasters see numbers build they won't put more behind it. We may never get there with the women's game - fans don't even watch WNBA which is a far more popular sport with lots of money behind it.

[Unregistered]

Guy comes on soccer site, trashes soccer, and then complains about others being angry.

Got it.

[Unregistered]

Seems a lot of people these days confuse increased participation with increased passion.

Excellent point. No soccer culture here. Playing is one thing. But when your friends and family watch other sports together guess who you're going to root for? It won't be the Revs lol

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Excellent point. No soccer culture here. Playing is one thing. But when your friends and family watch other sports together guess who you're going to root for? It won't be the Revs lol

Huge party to watch the WC finals, WWC finals, Champions League finals, Euros. Smaller one for MLS cup, but we watch it.

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Huge party to watch the WC finals, WWC finals, Champions League finals, Euros. Smaller one for MLS cup, but we watch it.

The numbers show you are in the minority. This is a soccer forum with soccer fans. It is not representative of the broader population. Also those are events not regularly watching matches. Building a culture of fans isn't just about occasional events and having a party.

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Guy comes on soccer site, trashes soccer, and then complains about others being angry.

Got it.

Well....if the 'angry guy' had something to say that was constructive then I don't think anyone would complain. However, 'anger' just for the sake of being angry has very little constructive or contributing value. It is just a waste of time, space, and energy.

As for soccer being a top ten sport, I doubt that more than 5% of the USA knew that the US beat Jamaica in the CONCACAF final......and with a goal in the 86th minute.

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The biggest problem with regard to this issue is that in this country soccer is a women's game and the women don't consume sports the same way men do and as a result don't spend money to watch games or buy products hawked by female athletes in the same magnitude that men do.

Soccer is only a woman's game to those with just daughters playing soccer, or to those that do not follow soccer at all and want to put it down, to prop up the other, traditionally American sports. Outside of the Patriots, I have more conversations about professional soccer than about any other sport. That is already a huge culture change from just 20 years ago.

[Unregistered]

The numbers show you are in the minority. This is a soccer forum with soccer fans. It is not representative of the broader population. Also those are events not regularly watching matches. Building a culture of fans isn't just about occasional events and having a party.

Well, you didn't say that. You said "no soccer culture here" not "not much soccer culture here". As America becomes more and more diverse, the culture increases. More coming from all over, where it IS a big thing, and they are bringing it with them.

Using the Revs is also a poor example. I don't have parties for each Bruins, Red Sox, Celtics games. Football - different story. Every Sunday lots do, even if their ratings are tumbling like everyone else.

Reality is big events, big games, will draw a crowd. I turned an entire bar around to soccer a few years back when PSG came back in the Champion's League v Chelsea. What started as grumblings about the guy who wanted it put on one TV ended with two dozen people googling when the next game was.