Beckham, MLS, & the fate of football/soccer in the US

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Utoo

Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Joined
Jan 31, 2005
Messages
8,343
Location
Lovetown
Does anyone thihk that Beckham will have an impressive impact on soccer in the States? Are we Americans just too dumb to appreciate professional soccer?


I know there are better players, but I'm excited for the chance to finally see him play in person..........yet I feel like no one else here is. There's a huge media push for him, but it doesn't feel like it's really swept anyone here. :huh:
 
Problem is Beckham is not a spectacle to watch when he plays...one of the best passers, crossers and free kick takers ever, but in ability to go past men and do mesmerising footwork tricks like Kaka or Zidane could do, he has never been that exciting...on pure celebrity and profile though he is possibly the biggest name in the sport ever.
 
america has never taken to football like the rest of the world has before and i don't really think it will do now that beckham is there. He'll raise the profile of the sport but i don't think it'll become any more popular.

He's probably the most famous sportsman on the planet but i don't think it'll change popularity of the sport much, regardless of the media push.
 
interesting that the us can't get into soccer, whereas it seems as though canada has finally jumped on board. we suck horrible as a nation at it (we didn't even score a bloody goal in the u20 world cup for shit sakes), but the interest is definitely there. ratings on tv are high whether it's for this world cup or last years WC, EPL, etc.

but like LJT said, i think people will initially be disappointed by what they see in beckham as he's not someone to ever dazzle. he's dynamite on set pieces and creating fantastic opportunities for others through his crosses, but will americans care?

we'll find out, but i'm guessing not.
 
its funny, ESPN is covering his first game, and is bringing in 19 freaking cameras to follow him, but apparently he is hurt and probably won't play. so now ESPN has 19 cameras to watch him on the sideline, not a great start.
 
Initially there will be a spike in ratings to see what the deal is.

Then I think the public will go back to it's usual ways of "it's too boring, we want more scores!!!!, They cry too much when they get tackled" Well, I guess the last one is more geared towards watching the Italians play :wink:

I never reall cared too much about the game, but a english buddy of mine threw a World Cup party every time the U.S and Englad played last year, and I kind of discovered the little nuances of the game with him and others.

I'm hoping Soccer does pick up here in the U.S. Our national teams are getting better, but you'd think with 20-60 million guys playing the game, we could find 11 that would be good enough for the rest of the world.
 
If I want to watch interesting footy, which is a rarity, I'll watch the Premiership. Honestly Beckham isn't enough to get me to watch MLS.

As far as Beckham helping the sport out in the US, I doubt he'll do much for it. There's the NFL, NASCAR, MLB, and the NBA at least ahead of soccer, maybe the NHL too. The US is an over-saturated sports market as it is.
 
Canadiens1160 said:
If I want to watch interesting footy, which is a rarity, I'll watch the Premiership. Honestly Beckham isn't enough to get me to watch MLS.

As far as Beckham helping the sport out in the US, I doubt he'll do much for it. There's the NFL, NASCAR, MLB, and the NBA at least ahead of soccer, maybe the NHL too. The US is an over-saturated sports market as it is.

Exactly, I don't see him doing much to boost soccer/football in the US. Golf is probably ahead of it at this point, too.

It doesn't help that the NFL and NCAA have a strangle-hold on sports in the US either.
 
It didn't work when they tried to "bring soccer to the US" with Pele in the 70s, and it's not gonna work now.

As for Beckham, well, he'll sell Galaxy merchandise and they'll give Hollywood a go as planned. All I know is, it's gonna be a very very awkward locker room, payroll and all.
 
C'mon USA, lift your game. Football is the greatest sport in the world and no country has the right to claim international sporting superiority (like we pathetically do) if your people aren't interested in the beautiful game.

Or is it a case of soccer not necessarily being unpopular, but having it's potential deliberatly undermined by major domestic sport (basketball, baseball, gridiron) and the media who fear that soccer will eventually eclipse these sports to take a stranglehold in the popularity stakes? The marginaisation of the "ethnic" game, the game of Mexican "border-jumpers." An idea perpetuated by racist scum.

That's what it's been like in Australia. The media controlling what Aussies follow, through attacking soccer to preserve the sporting status quo. It's one of the great myths that all Aussies adore cricket. Few really give a toss about the dying sport of cricket, and soccer is by far more of an appealing sport to most Australians, even if has it's association with " sheilas, wogs and poofters" That said, we still get shitehouse media coverage, while for some reason cricket and rugby league dominate when few really give a shit.

Beckham's presence at LA Galaxy won't mean much on the field. He was never a "great" player, just a handy player with a mint missus. But MLS seems to be going places in recent years, and the US has it's fair share of quality players, such as Landon Donovan, Brad Friedel, Reyna and the cooly-named Jeff Agoos.

New England Revolution are my team....
 
I think it's great for the MLS that they've managed to get him and guys like Angel who, while above 30, can't be considered pensioners yet (a la Djorkaeff, for example). Great too for guys like Carl Robinson and Andy Welsh at Toronto FC, who've had some degree of Premier League experience.

By all accounts interest in the Galaxy and in David Beckham is sky high at the moment but I doubt it'll last; what's going to happen, for example, if the Galaxy don't start winning, if Beckham gets injured, and what of the other teams?
 
the problem with beckham is that he went to play for LA GAlaXY , which i don't think is a decent team ( new england Revolution for example ), all hype , hollywood
for real football , there are chanels , 17 , 21 , all spanish speaking ones , and those folks really care about the game
 
He's increasing interest at least in the Boston area, though we have always been among the most supportive for MLS and women's soccer league attempts. I couldn't get tickets to the Galaxy-Revs game, the Revs are using this sellout to sell 4 game packs that include that game.

For me, it would have been the first time at an American pro soccer game in maybe 4 years. But I've been to European football games in the interim and it's just such a better game and so much more exciting. Beckham might be a start but the level of play has to go way up for me to want to watch on TV or go to games instead of watching European games. It's a catch 22, the interest in the sport is partially there, but for it to be harnessed into interest and income in the American league the league needs to get way better first, but they can't without that interest and income...
 
intedomine said:

That's what it's been like in Australia. The media controlling what Aussies follow, through attacking soccer to preserve the sporting status quo. It's one of the great myths that all Aussies adore cricket. Few really give a toss about the dying sport of cricket, and soccer is by far more of an appealing sport to most Australians, even if has it's association with " sheilas, wogs and poofters" That said, we still get shitehouse media coverage, while for some reason cricket and rugby league dominate when few really give a shit.


is this actually somewhere near the truth? Surely one of the reasons that australia are so good at cricket is because lots of people play it and enjoy it?

Having said that the socceroos have produced some good good players over the last 5-10 years so perhaps you're right...
 
It's not necessarily a conscious conspiracy that is undermining soccer in the US. It's just that the nation has such an ingrained sporting history in baseball and American football; Baseball being the national pastime, and football being the most popular spectator sport.

I think this comes from an Aaron Sorkin TV script, but it rings true for me... The most popular sports in America are situational in nature. In other words, baseball and football are games that revolve around situations, not running clocks and constant play. People love to savour a 3-2 count in the bottom of the 9th inning, or 1st and 10 in the red zone during the closing minute of a football game.

There's just a simple beauty to sitting in a ballpark with the sun going down, savouring a great pitcher/batter duel with a scorecard in hand. That's my idea of it, anyway.
 
Last edited:
It's true that the US is a saturated market when it comes to sports. It's also true that there really is minimal media coverage of soccer, and I really don't think that's because of a lack of demand. EVERY kid plays soccer nowadays. I would've given anything to watch pro soccer on tv as a kid in the late 80s/early 90s, but it was practically impossible. As a result, I had no soccer heroes to look up to, model myself after, and increase my soccer fervor. The only way to watch pro soccer guys on tv was to buy a VHS. Even now, there's minimal coverage. You get ABC or ESPN to cover the big games, and it's left to local cable stations to occasionally cover MLS and international league games.

Baseball, to me, is a dying game. The largest number of fans I see anymore are aged 16 and under, then 50 and over. I think there's a huge chunk in the middle that left during the first or second strike. I'm very surprised that people aren't as turned off as they should be with all of the steroid shit. I know that I'll never go back until either Maris' record is restored or glaring asterisks are placed next to Bonds', McGwire's, and Sosa's names. The only things keeping baseball alive, IMO, are Fantasy leagues and the idea of going someplace for three hours to eat hot dogs and drink beer.

With Hispanics now being the largest minority in the US, perhaps things will change. That, however wouldn't necessarily have to bring soccer to the mainstream media, though...instead staying on the Spanish channels. Who knows...

One thing that killed soccer's chance of becoming a permanent fixture in the US was the stupid gamble the women's league made in conjunction with the 2003 Women's World Cup. The US Women's team was expected to take the trophy in the 2003 Cup. The US team were champions in the 1999 World Cup, making the women's players more popular and better recognized than most of the US men's players. It was really around that time that it seemed like every single kid in the US was playing soccer. Mia Hamm, the women's team, and the Brandi Chastain Moment were given a lot of the credit. In a short time, the women's league was failing financially, and announced its closure immediately before the Cup. I believe they decided to close at that time with the idea that a Championship win in the Cup would create such a stir that everyone and their brother would want to pour money into the league. Had they won, I think that would've happened. However, no one likes 3rd place, and no one put money in to revive the league. Now, the whole "emotional swell" that America had invested in its soccer team (no emotions have really been put into the men's team, save for disgust!) had nowhere to go, and the moment was lost.

I don't think the bad gamble of the women's league is solely to blame at all, but I do think it was a hugely lost opportunity.
 
Mexico has a strong league, the US league should try to find an agreement with them. It's stupid to be independant, they need to create a Mexico-American league with 4/5 clubs based in the south (LA, Dallas, etc) and 13/14 Mexicans.
It's the only solution.
 
I really don't know how people in the US haven't picked up on the sport. It's the fastest paced most fun game to watch and it's so full of passion.

For what it's worth in Honduras Real España has just been crowned champion two months ago. :love:
 
intedomine said:


That's what it's been like in Australia. The media controlling what Aussies follow, through attacking soccer to preserve the sporting status quo. It's one of the great myths that all Aussies adore cricket. Few really give a toss about the dying sport of cricket, and soccer is by far more of an appealing sport to most Australians, even if has it's association with " sheilas, wogs and poofters" That said, we still get shitehouse media coverage, while for some reason cricket and rugby league dominate when few really give a shit.


No way. Not a chance man!! Soccer is in no way a "far more appealing" sport to Australians than Cricket. Yes there has been a bit of a lapse but in no way has soccer eclipsed cricket. For mine the top three will ALWAYS be AFL, Rugby and Cricket. Soccer I doubt will ever figure. The World Cup did huge things for Australian soccer, as did A-League, but it is still behind those three, and by quite a way.
 
BrownEyedBoy said:
I really don't know how people in the US haven't picked up on the sport. It's the fastest paced most fun game to watch and it's so full of passion.

For what it's worth in Honduras Real España has just been crowned champion two months ago. :love:

Depends what part of the country. Where I live its huge, and basketball is the dying sport currently here. I love it. I play it every day almost.
 
They are trying to build the game from the top down...what about the grass roots level?

One man is never going to change the sport in the US...you would need to get a few big names playing over there in order to maintain the buzz for at least a season.

Just a wonder but with Hispanics being the largest minority in the US...do good Hispanic players go to Mexico to play or is there a large number who play in the MLS?
 
COBL_04 said:


No way. Not a chance man!! Soccer is in no way a "far more appealing" sport to Australians than Cricket. Yes there has been a bit of a lapse but in no way has soccer eclipsed cricket. For mine the top three will ALWAYS be AFL, Rugby and Cricket.


Ah, soccer has already eclipsed cricket.

Attendances in Melbourne reveal a lot:

Melbourne Victory - Average of 27,728 for 06/07 season
Victoria Bushrangers - 500 to 600 people for 06/07 season

Soccer: Australia vs Greece @ MCG 2006: 95,103

But, cricket:
Australia vs England ODI @ MCG 06/07: 78,000
Australia vs New Zealand ODI @ MCG 06/07: 48,000
Australia vs England Day One of the Boxing Day Test 2006: 89,155 (so much for eagerley awaited!)

Participation rates:

Children playing soccer: 19.6% of boys, 2.9% of girls
Children playing cricket: 9.9% of boys, 1.2% of girls

Adult participation rate:

Men playing soccer = 4.4%
Men playing cricket = 4.7%

but...

Women playing soccer = 1.8%
Women playing cricket = 0.8%


SBS' National TV audience for 2006 FIFA World Cup:

Australia vs:

Japan - 2.16 million (11pm)
Brazil - 1.53 million (2am!)
Croatia - 2.02 million (5am)
Italy - 2.28 million (1am)

These figures fail to take into account all the people who flocked to pubs and clubs and the big screens across the nation, a spectating culture that is alien to the stale culture of following cricket.

2003 Cricket World Cup Final:
* Australia vs India (mostly shown in prime time on a Sunday night):2.46 million

2007 Cricket World Cup Final:
* Australia vs Sri Lanka: I read somewhere that it never peaked over 1 million.

Cricket, in both a participatory and spectatorship sense, lags behind soccer in terms of appeal. Channel Nine have begun to recognise this, with their decision to no longer screen One Day Domestic matches and their increasing hesitancy to screen matches in the tri-series that don't involve Australia, and the impending scrapping of tri-series ODI cricket after the 07/08 summer.

Cricket is dying, while soccer is finally being recognised for what it always has been, as one of Australia's favourite sports.
 
BrownEyedBoy said:
I really don't know how people in the US haven't picked up on the sport. It's the fastest paced most fun game to watch and it's so full of passion.

See now speaking as an American sports fan, I find it slow and boring.
And many here agree with that assessment.

We have always favored football (the kind where you hold the ball with your hands :wink: ), baseball and basketball.

Soccer lacks scoring, and lacks scoring chances. Watching the ball dribbled around midfield for 86 out of 90 minutes just doesn't do it for me nor a large portion of U.S. sports fans.

Thats why they make chocolate and vanilla, but be sure David Beckham won't help the MLS sell any more vanilla in the U.S.
If Pele couldn't do it, now way "Becks" will.

His wife will get more publicity here.
 
Plus, the camera position during soccer/football games make the game seem inpersonal and distant, at least compared to football, basketball, and baseball.
 
Yeah we need more rail cams right next to the pitch, and maybe Fox can come up with some movable superimposed line to aid TV viewers.

They can call it the "Boredom Box" or the "Leisure Line" or something, and they can flash it at the ball's location when something interesting might actually happen during a soccer match so people can pay more attention.

I know these guys are giving their all for most of 90 minutes, and watching a game in person you can appreciate the speed and grace of the game, but on TV a lot f ti time it's akin to watching ants push a piece of food around for 1.5 hours.
 
I'm probably right where someone surveying American soccer would want to survey right now. I'm 16, typical American kid from the suburbs of Philly.

And I can't stand soccer.

I respect the players. They have to be physically in shape, absolutely. They work tremendously hard, I'm certain.

But it's terrible to watch. In baseball, there is a direct result in every at bat. In soccer, the ball just seems to go back and forth. For a similar reason, I can't stand hockey. Basketball, baseball, and football (American), for me, thanks.
 
I have a solution.

Gus Johnson calls every MLS game.

It'll be a sure-fire success.
 
Back
Top Bottom