Belated thoughts on the World Cup
Read and heard quite a few articles and comments about folks bemoaning the lack of popularity of soccer in the US. I persoanlly think it is ok if soccer is not popular in the US. Sure, it could use the huge market that US provides but its popularity or lack thereof is not detrimental to the game of soccer or is it?
In fact, in a way I am glad that soccer is not popular in the US because imagine a scenario where MLS really takes off...then the powers-that-be in the TV will take hold of it, break into 4 quarters, insert a whole bunch time outs to play commercials in between the games...by the time they are done with it, I won't recognize it as soccer...so I am one of those few people hoping that soccer will not take off too much here.
Am I imagining this? Maybe but remember 1994 World Cup held in the US where I saw stats like "Shots taken from the red zone" and stuff like that? I grew up playing soccer and it left me wondering what was that?
I enjoyed World Cup partly because it was one those rare opportunities to watch a complete show on TV without any interruption, without having to subscribe to HBO or showtime...so I hope World Cup stays out of the radar of TV execs.
k'dude
K'dude,
Soccer is not popular in USA because it is not broadcoasted in the leading Television networks. Most of the US Televisions are reluctant to broadcast Soccer compared to other sports because of the less time it allows them to play some ADs. If Soccer had these timeouts, quarters etc, it would surely be broadcasted in USA and hence would be popular.
But as you say, It's good that it is not popular here.
He he he!!! nice one.
I am still suffering from the aftermath depression of the finals.
I am with Katmandude on this one. I would not like to see American hegemony on this sport. If MLS takes over, the name will officially be Soccer and will no longer be Football. They will bring in cheerleaders, mascot, and we will see bunch of play offs. So I hope and am glad that Football is not that popular here in U.S.
On a different note, few days after the end of World Cup, Dateline MSNBC, did a short report about the tournament and the sport itself. The documentary was filled with ridiculous comments about Football. Their main intention was to mock Football. They said, it was too boring, and showed pictures of people sleeping, and that it was for ladies, and that the world cup was and would only get as popular as WWE.
Sadly, that seems to be the attitude of American on everything. If there is something that is not theirs and they do not understand it and is more popular than what they have, they try to ridicule it. I wonder if they would ever care of the sentiments of so many people that live outside of America.
CaMo,
I think it the otherway round. TVs don't broadcast it because soccer is not popular enough for them to take their valuable network time. However, with immigration, as the US demographic changes with immigrants from soccer playing world move to the US, that could change. ABC did broadcast weekend games on their main channel. Rest were in the ESPN or ESPN2. I wonder what the ratings were for World Cup games.
I also have post-WC blues....
k'dude
Soccer is a slow game for American taste. You can't really take a good grasp of the ball, possesion changes way too many times, there are very few attempts to goal and when someone does score, all they get is one point. Worse, there are no challenges, re-plays and one dude has power to make any call based on his/her discretion. When it comes to refereeing a game, no game is fair, but soccer is far off from American Football, basketball or baseball. To make soccer popular in america, they have to change the rules.
1. Scrap offsites. It will break down the offense/defense and there will be more scores.
2. 4 point for goal from outside the box
3. 3 point for goal from inside the box
4. 2 point for penalty kick goal
5. No corner kicks for goalee initiated out ball, instead a penalty kick for 1 point.
6. Double the subtituion allowed
That should do it.
badmash
Dont bring basketball rule in football. If US dont have ineterst then who cares!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rest of the world is with football.
Why should game's rules be changed to suit their taste? Who are they???
On a separate note, how would you change Cricket to suit your fellow american's taste?
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