Hartford Athletic

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Just like any minor league team in any sport....The first year or two are OK due to the newness and then attendance dries up. No TV or media following leads to fans losing interest due to not knowing any of the players. Youth programs cant be convinced to attend anymore etc....

There are champion level USL teams folding. Minor league baseball teams have to move every so often to try and survive That is part of the model. The last thing they would do is pay for a kids club. All they would need to do is start their own and put their name on an existing club. Paying for a club would be beyond stupid. There is nothing to buy.

I can't even remember the name of the team, wasn't that long ago, that played at Yale and did great initially with pretty filled seats, yet folded shortly after they won a championship.

Totally agree buying a youth club is dumb financially unless, as someone said, they saw it as a way to support the first team. Even then it takes time, money and cash outlays to run it and do it decently well. If you have no experience with it then you have to hire someone who does.

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I can't even remember the name of the team, wasn't that long ago, that played at Yale and did great initially with pretty filled seats, yet folded shortly after they won a championship.

Totally agree buying a youth club is dumb financially unless, as someone said, they saw it as a way to support the first team. Even then it takes time, money and cash outlays to run it and do it decently well. If you have no experience with it then you have to hire someone who does.

The Express or the Ravens? The Hellions? The Blue Fish? The Navigators, Bees ..... the list is endless.

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The Express or the Ravens? The Hellions? The Blue Fish? The Navigators, Bees ..... the list is endless.

the poster is likely referring to Elm City. Lasted one year or two and even though they did well it didn't last.

The other poster is also right - we initially attending Bluefish games quite a bit, then our interest tailed off. I think there were other factors in its demise but it's not a big state and there's only so much interest to go around, let alone on a regular basis to keep places going.

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There are champion level USL teams folding.

Not disagreeing with your full post but isn't a big part of USL's problem MLS essentially shutting them down market by market?

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Not disagreeing with your full post but isn't a big part of USL's problem MLS essentially shutting them down market by market?

no one cares about adult soccer, only kiddie magnet on car soccer in CT. So, unless you have a program that is stuffed with itty bittys then you have no program

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the poster is likely referring to Elm City. Lasted one year or two and even though they did well it didn't last.

The other poster is also right - we initially attending Bluefish games quite a bit, then our interest tailed off. I think there were other factors in its demise but it's not a big state and there's only so much interest to go around, let alone on a regular basis to keep places going.

ECX fielded a paid team in a mostly amateur league. The won their championship when the opposition had to send all of their players back to college and they barely had a roster. I dont know what the idea was there, maybe a poorly timed attempt to catch on with NASL or something?

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no one cares about adult soccer, only kiddie magnet on car soccer in CT. So, unless you have a program that is stuffed with itty bittys then you have no program

You obviously don’t work in TV. ESPN released a set of ratings info in conjunction with their announcement of La Liga next season. “Adult soccer” does well in the 12-40 year old male demographic (a key advertising market). It was striking of course how the US market numbers drop off above 45. My guess is that it has to do with the rise of youth club soccer in the late 80’s into the ‘94 World Cup. Those in that demographic now have kids, who are likely u-littles and are not just playing but watching with dad and mom.

Think the past is the past. The product is decent and most importantly accessible (ESPN+) and they do a decent job on social media. I’d like to see a bit more coaching stability, but we cannot have it all. I’m taking the family this coming Saturday so will share what the crowd looks like now that it’s open to full capacity.

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You obviously don’t work in TV. ESPN released a set of ratings info in conjunction with their announcement of La Liga next season. “Adult soccer” does well in the 12-40 year old male demographic (a key advertising market). It was striking of course how the US market numbers drop off above 45. My guess is that it has to do with the rise of youth club soccer in the late 80’s into the ‘94 World Cup. Those in that demographic now have kids, who are likely u-littles and are not just playing but watching with dad and mom.

Think the past is the past. The product is decent and most importantly accessible (ESPN+) and they do a decent job on social media. I’d like to see a bit more coaching stability, but we cannot have it all. I’m taking the family this coming Saturday so will share what the crowd looks like now that it’s open to full capacity.

Yeah okay!! Snorting a binger off a stripper's keyster doesn't mean your TS post has validation

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Yeah okay!! Snorting a binger off a stripper's keyster doesn't mean your TS post has validation

no need to bring your mom into the conversation

[Unregistered]

soccer

I do agree that more people are watching soccer but it is mostly EPL and other european leagues getting watched. Not minor league soccer in Hartford with no recognizable names. Like has been mentioned before the attendance will do OK for a few years and then will fall off the table. That is minor league sports. Baseball, hockey, lacrosse, Arena Football, XFL etc....All the same. Hockey in Bridgeport is hanging on by a thread and that is a triple A affiliate with some known prospects..... IF MSL continues to grow maybe one day the nect level down can catch on a bit. But even triple a baseball and hockey struggles.

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I do agree that more people are watching soccer but it is mostly EPL and other european leagues getting watched. Not minor league soccer in Hartford with no recognizable names. Like has been mentioned before the attendance will do OK for a few years and then will fall off the table. That is minor league sports. Baseball, hockey, lacrosse, Arena Football, XFL etc....All the same. Hockey in Bridgeport is hanging on by a thread and that is a triple A affiliate with some known prospects..... IF MSL continues to grow maybe one day the nect level down can catch on a bit. But even triple a baseball and hockey struggles.

Without promotion/relegation, you have minor league sports that generate little interest and offer little return on investment for an owner. Your upside is artificially capped, so what's the point?

[Unregistered]

I do agree that more people are watching soccer but it is mostly EPL and other european leagues getting watched. Not minor league soccer in Hartford with no recognizable names. Like has been mentioned before the attendance will do OK for a few years and then will fall off the table. That is minor league sports. Baseball, hockey, lacrosse, Arena Football, XFL etc....All the same. Hockey in Bridgeport is hanging on by a thread and that is a triple A affiliate with some known prospects..... IF MSL continues to grow maybe one day the nect level down can catch on a bit. But even triple a baseball and hockey struggles.

In the US soccer viewership or attendance ranked (with big gaps in between)

World Cup and Olympics
EPL/UEFA etc
MLS
NWSL
College, USL anything else

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In the US soccer viewership or attendance ranked (with big gaps in between)

World Cup and Olympics
EPL/UEFA etc
MLS
NWSL
College, USL anything else

HUGE gaps between levels. I would bet good college games do better than NWSL, but, overall, the last 3 sets of ratings must be dismal and I would bet even big EPL/UEFA games rate decently, other than that mostly not well. WC and Olympics were USNTs are playing probably do pretty well here, but that is it .... just a few games every four years.

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HUGE gaps between levels. I would bet good college games do better than NWSL, but, overall, the last 3 sets of ratings must be dismal and I would bet even big EPL/UEFA games rate decently, other than that mostly not well. WC and Olympics were USNTs are playing probably do pretty well here, but that is it .... just a few games every four years.

Lifetime tried to broadcast NWSL games and dropped it fairly quickly due to poor ratings. Literally no one watches women's soccer except for the World Cup and Olympics.

[Unregistered]

You obviously don’t work in TV. ESPN released a set of ratings info in conjunction with their announcement of La Liga next season. “Adult soccer” does well in the 12-40 year old male demographic (a key advertising market). It was striking of course how the US market numbers drop off above 45. My guess is that it has to do with the rise of youth club soccer in the late 80’s into the ‘94 World Cup. Those in that demographic now have kids, who are likely u-littles and are not just playing but watching with dad and mom.

Think the past is the past. The product is decent and most importantly accessible (ESPN+) and they do a decent job on social media. I’d like to see a bit more coaching stability, but we cannot have it all. I’m taking the family this coming Saturday so will share what the crowd looks like now that it’s open to full capacity.

It is a great atmosphere, and yes, the soccer is decent. It is a good thing to have this available in Hartford despite the naysayers. I am looking forward to also going on Saturday....no masks ! Should be exciting with a good size crowd.