[Hencredible Casanova]

Arsenal v. ManU match just started on my local Fox channel. This would have never happened just a few years ago. What do you think it says about where the US is heading culturally? Interesting, to say the least.

http://www.newsleader.com/article/201201...oadcast-TV

[Donald Duck]

Really good. Should make more Americans interested in "soccer." USA can be a great team.

[jmoney29]

It's about time, hopefully they'll move some more games over to local Fox later in the season if this one goes well. Fox Soccer has great production and it's interesting that they were able to get Piers Morgan for the studio team. Fox has also bought the English language broadcast rights to the 2018/2022 World Cup's. The US can be a powerhouse if we can get the quality of the MLS up to par.

[rudebwoy]

Well being born in Brit land I am very happy about this. America is a place that knows where the money is and will get behind it if need be, I recall years ago watching a "soccer" game on TV in NY in 3 different languages.

[MiXX]

(01-22-2012 12:27 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

Well being born in Brit land I am very happy about this. America is a place that knows where the money is and will get behind it if need be, I recall years ago watching a "soccer" game on TV in NY in 3 different languages.

Budweiser sponsored the Copa America 2011 in Argentina. So, companies in North America are definitely starting to see $$$.


Mixx

[raliv]

I have mixed feeling about soccer. I like the traditions, popularity, and rivalries of the sports. I also love the international aspect of the World Cups. On the other hand, any sport that could end in a 0-0 draw has a huge problem. A tie is like kissing your sister.

I would rather see Rugby here in the US than soccer to be honest. Rugby is incredibly entertaining.

But Mixx is right- all of this is about the money.

[Giovonny]

This article is inaccurate or misleading. I have been watching English league soccer on American TV for years now. ESPN, FOX Soccer, GOLTV, etc have been showing European matches for quite a while. I have been watching Champions League for years on my basic cable. Many EPL games are live on ESPN2 very early in the morning. I don't think much will change.

Americans don't care about soccer. We have enough sports already. If America cares more about soccer its because of our growing hispanic population.

I love soccer but I know my country doesn't.

[dk902]

Football or Soccer will never take off in the US with the popularity it has in Europe or South America.

As Giovonny says, the interest just isn't there and you guys already have your own sports already, namely baseball, basketball, NFL and ice hockey.

I think it's seen as more of a game played in adolescence or by girls in the US - I know it's being taken more seriously, but that seems to be the prevailing opinion.

Moreover, I think many Americans struggle with the concept of soccer. Whereas your games are always played with a definitive winner or loser and in quarters. Soccer is often played to a draw, many don't appreciate 'a hard fought draw.' Whereas a European may appreciate a team that has held on to the 90th minute for a hard earned point.

[Hencredible Casanova]

(01-22-2012 01:28 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

This article is inaccurate or misleading. I have been watching English league soccer on American TV for years now. ESPN, FOX Soccer, GOLTV, etc have been showing European matches for quite a while. I have been watching Champions League for years on my basic cable. Many EPL games are live on ESPN2 very early in the morning. I don't think much will change.

Americans don't care about soccer. We have enough sports already. If America cares more about soccer its because of our growing hispanic population.

I love soccer but I know my country doesn't.

The article is not inaccurate. You can get access to EPL games if you have a subscription to a sports channel, such as the ones you've named. However, it hasn't been available to non-subscription viewers (on regular TV channel like the NFL and NBA has been), until now. Hence the appearance of Piers Morgan. That's what the debut signifies.

[Giovonny]

Well, its a little misleading. The article and the title of this thread makes it sound like English soccer is appearing for the first time on American TV. English soccer is nothing new to us. We have been watching the EPL for years on ESPN2. Yes, you have to pay for that channel.

Most NBA games are on ESPN or TNT, which are also paid channels.

So, I guess the only thing that's new is that we can know watch EPL games for free.

But, I know this is not your point. Your point is to address the question of how this will effect
Americas sports culture and culture in general.

My answer: Not very much. David Beckham was supposed to bring soccer to America a few years ago and not much changed.

If you're ever in SF and want to play some soccer, let me know, we play every Friday at 6pm at city college.

[Hencredible Casanova]

(01-22-2012 02:15 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

Well, its a little misleading. The article makes it sound like English soccer is appearing for the first time on American TV. English soccer is nothing new to us. We have been watching the EPL for years on ESPN2. Yes, you have to pay for that channel.

Most NBA games are on ESPN or TNT, which are also paid channels.

So, I guess the only thing that's new is that we can know watch EPL games for free.

But, I know this is not your point. Your point is to address the question of how this will effect
Americas sports culture and culture in general.

My answer: Not very much. David Beckham was supposed to bring soccer to America a few years ago and not much happened.

If you're ever in SF and want to play some soccer, let me know, we play every Friday at 6pm at city college.

I actually played in a league when I lived in SF called sports4good. You heard of it? It's pretty popular. Leslie was my point of contact. I'm actually still on the e-mail listserv.

They still have a Friday night pickup that anyone can attend at Crocker-Amazon playground at 7pm. Just e-mail [email protected] if you want to attend. That's a great field.

As far as EPL, I think ESPN2 "occasionally" broadcast a few games, but you still needed a subscription to have access to the entire season, meaning that only those who were already aware and interested would go through those steps to get access. Latinos obviously have a cultural interest in soccer, so many of them would be aware. If you are a latino, Giovanny, then you can't expect your opinion to apply to the vast majority of Americans who are not. You also live in San Francisco, where soccer is very popular. In fact, they had the third-highest World Cup viewership rate in 2010, after Washington, DC and San Diego.

Now, EPL is available for everyone (even non-sports fans, let alone non-EPL fans or non-cable subscribers). We can bet that many Americans happened upon that match today just from channel-surfing, which is unprecedented for this type of soccer.

The NBA switched over to TNT and ESPN after losing popularity on non-cable channels. Those are still "basic cable" channels, not special sports channels.

If interest in soccer increases here in the US, then more money will pour in. Until you see the kind of money being offered in the NBA and NFL, American athletes won't be lured into playing soccer, and we won't have a world class team that can compete with South American and European teams. Just imagine if we had the soccer equivalent of a Lebron James....

I think the same argument could be made for MMA. As it becomes more lucrative, you'll start to see some sicker guys join in. The type of guys who would otherwise play basketball or football, yet know how to fight.

[Giovonny]

(01-22-2012 02:26 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

They still have a Friday night pickup that anyone can attend at Crocker-Amazon playground at 7pm. Just e-mail [email protected] if you want to attend. That's a great field.

I have played there many times. Maybe we played together?

I need to start wearing a Roosh t-shirt around SF. I meet guys all the time and I'm sure some of them read this forum.

[Hencredible Casanova]

(01-22-2012 02:33 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

(01-22-2012 02:26 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

They still have a Friday night pickup that anyone can attend at Crocker-Amazon playground at 7pm. Just e-mail [email protected] if you want to attend. That's a great field.

I have played there many times. Maybe we played together?

I need to start wearing a Roosh t-shirt around SF. I meet guys all the time and I'm sure some of them read this forum.

Very well could have. I remember a few of the guys. I stopped playing in July 2011. You played Friday nights?

[Giovonny]

I played many friday nights. I was with the group that was organized by the Arab/Morrocan guys. It was actually very mixed with whites, blacks, latinos, asians, young and old.

They would make us pay 3 bucks sometimes.

I also play alot at "World Cup Indoor" in South San Francisco. Great futsal!

[Timoteo]

I'm only a casual futbol viewer (I watch the big events), but I actually watched this morning on Fox. Satellite and cable stations, and also ESPN carry Premier League matches. If they pick their spots, these matches on Fox would draw a lot of viewers. American sports is all about highlighting star players, so EVERY match won't draw. I was actually BBMing the daughter of a chick I smashed in London, updating her on the match.

[Hencredible Casanova]

(01-22-2012 02:39 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

I played many friday nights. I was with the group that was organized by the Arab/Morrocan guys. It was actually very mixed with whites, blacks, latinos, asians, young and old.

They would make us pay 3 bucks sometimes.

I also play alot at "World Cup Indoor" in South San Francisco. Great futsal!

Damn. It's a small world...I think you ran with a different crew because Leslie was the organizer for the games I played there, but she never showed up, and we never had to pay. It was supposed to be open for coeds but only men played, and they were competitive level. It was like 12 x 12, usually on fields 1 or 4. There's mad fields at Crocker and they were always full. Ours was a mixed group as well. Aussies, Brits, Spaniards, Italians, Brazlians, Argentinians and other Latin Americans. It was a lot of fun seeing the different styles at play.

I did play on Sundays sometimes at Silver Terrace, and for my league team we played a lot of games at Sunset Playground. For Silver Terrace, I usually paid like $5. For my league team, the costs were prepaid at the start of the season online. That's the only way you could join a league team.

Futsal is fun and intense! I played at a school in a black neighborhood in the Fillmore District.

[Hencredible Casanova]

(01-22-2012 02:33 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

(01-22-2012 02:26 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

They still have a Friday night pickup that anyone can attend at Crocker-Amazon playground at 7pm. Just e-mail [email protected] if you want to attend. That's a great field.

I have played there many times. Maybe we played together?

I need to start wearing a Roosh t-shirt around SF. I meet guys all the time and I'm sure some of them read this forum.

I agree about the Roosh shirts. Great minds think alike. Only those in the know will know what's up. That said, I think it's better to just rock a shirt with Roosh's avatar if you want to remain incognito.

[Mr.GM]

I could be wrong ,but I think that soccer will never be as big in the US as it is in the rest of the world.
I love soccer (And I like NFL also) but looking from the outside i just don't see how soccer will reach outside the latin/european community in the US.

All American Sports are made for High scores, while in soccer the goal is not a quick occurence most of the times.Its very different culturally from other American sports.

[rudebwoy]

(01-22-2012 03:22 PM)Mr.GM Wrote:  

I could be wrong ,but I think that soccer will never be as big in the US as it is in the rest of the world.
I love soccer (And I like NFL also) but looking from the outside i just don't see how soccer will reach outside the latin/european community in the US.

All American Sports are made for High scores, while in soccer the goal is not a quick occurence most of the times.Its very different culturally from other American sports.

The problem is that in North America we have too many other sports unlike the rest of the world that has Football and one other sport.

NFL is such a great sport to watch, it is not as predictable as alot of the Football leagues around the world. I mean in Spain we know chances are it is going to be Real Madrid (love mourinho) or Barca that wins the league. In England it is will Man Utd win the league this year or not, although it looks like City might take it this year.

Looks like we have a few soccer heads here, maybe we could have a Roosh international challenge - Team North America vs Team rest of the world to be hosted in Brazil. lol

[Donald Duck]

Man I would not understand why Americans think "Soccer" is boring. The suspense of a 1-1 turning in a 2-1 is just too great for it to be boring

[Mr.GM]

(01-22-2012 06:46 PM)Donald Duck Wrote:  

Man I would not understand why Americans think "Soccer" is boring. The suspense of a 1-1 turning in a 2-1 is just too great for it to be boring

It's a cultural thing , we will never agree with Americans on this.

Baseball for ex, I think its the most boring sport ever....

Even basketball, I watch a game here and there,but I don't feel the same thrill as in a soccer match (Champions League for ex.).

NFL is great , but the excessive pauses and Tv Ads during the game are a problem for me.
The lack of international tournaments( like Copa Libertadores, Champions League, World Cup etc) is also another point where Soccer beats NFL .

anyway, we are never going to agree on this...LOL

[Timoteo]

(01-22-2012 06:58 PM)Mr.GM Wrote:  

(01-22-2012 06:46 PM)Donald Duck Wrote:  

Man I would not understand why Americans think "Soccer" is boring. The suspense of a 1-1 turning in a 2-1 is just too great for it to be boring

It's a cultural thing , we will never agree with Americans on this.

Baseball for ex, I think its the most boring sport ever....

Even basketball, I watch a game here and there,but I don't feel the same thrill as in a soccer match (Champions League for ex.).

NFL is great , but the excessive pauses and Tv Ads during the game are a problem for me.
The lack of international tournaments( like Copa Libertadores, Champions League, World Cup etc) is also another point where Soccer beats NFL .

anyway, we are never going to agree on this...LOL

We Americans are about SCORING. Baseball, Football and Hockey are sports that also can have little scoring, but there is continuous action. The thing with soccer is that you can go a long time between scoring ATTEMPTS, and that's partly why it struggles to take hold as a spectator sport here. The major reason is that it isn't cultural - poor kids don't roll up a sock and kick it around the streets here. That's also why I feel our homegrown players won't reach the level of cats in Brazil and other countries. Those players develop skills playing in the street, or with inferior balls and shoes (if they have them) that our kids can't develop because they start out with decent balls on grass fields. And that's if the kid chooses to play soccer at all.

[Hencredible Casanova]

Well-said.

[Mr.GM]

(01-22-2012 09:52 PM)Timoteo Wrote:  

(01-22-2012 06:58 PM)Mr.GM Wrote:  

(01-22-2012 06:46 PM)Donald Duck Wrote:  

Man I would not understand why Americans think "Soccer" is boring. The suspense of a 1-1 turning in a 2-1 is just too great for it to be boring

It's a cultural thing , we will never agree with Americans on this.

Baseball for ex, I think its the most boring sport ever....

Even basketball, I watch a game here and there,but I don't feel the same thrill as in a soccer match (Champions League for ex.).

NFL is great , but the excessive pauses and Tv Ads during the game are a problem for me.
The lack of international tournaments( like Copa Libertadores, Champions League, World Cup etc) is also another point where Soccer beats NFL .

anyway, we are never going to agree on this...LOL

We Americans are about SCORING. Baseball, Football and Hockey are sports that also can have little scoring, but there is continuous action. The thing with soccer is that you can go a long time between scoring ATTEMPTS, and that's partly why it struggles to take hold as a spectator sport here. The major reason is that it isn't cultural - poor kids don't roll up a sock and kick it around the streets here. That's also why I feel our homegrown players won't reach the level of cats in Brazil and other countries. Those players develop skills playing in the street, or with inferior balls and shoes (if they have them) that our kids can't develop because they start out with decent balls on grass fields. And that's if the kid chooses to play soccer at all.

I agree with you with the scoring part(I said it in my 1st post above), but if only poor countries created good players, you wouldn't have huge soccer centers as England,Germany (I'm sure German kids don't play with sock balls either)France,Spain, Netherlands etc....just to name a few rich countries where soccer is super popular.
So its more cultural than anything.

[sine wave killer]

Timoteo, I agree with what you said on the cultural part of kids playing football in the states. It reminded me a lot of what Klinnsmann had said here during the last world cup.

we also need announcers who aren't boring.