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We'll see. Changing demographics favor soccer.His point about hearing for 40 years now that soccer is going to take off in America was spot on.
People are still spouting this drivel today. Not gonna happen.
And again, I have heard this ridiculous argument repeated over and over by soccer haters. It doesn't have to be the number one sport or "take off." Sports are all about niche marketing and it's doing just fine. There's plenty of interest in the sport, but it doesn't have to supplant football or baseball to be successful. You can make the argument that there is more interest now than ever since Americans have easy access to view the best soccer in the world every week. Just an assinine argument repeated again by a blowhard like Francesa. Hockey has always been a distant third, does the NHL still exist?His point about hearing for 40 years now that soccer is going to take off in America was spot on.
People are still spouting this drivel today. Not gonna happen.
His point about hearing for 40 years now that soccer is going to take off in America was spot on.
People are still spouting this drivel today. Not gonna happen.
I would argue soccer has taken off and anyone with kids would probably agree.His point about hearing for 40 years now that soccer is going to take off in America was spot on.
People are still spouting this drivel today. Not gonna happen.
That's probably where this is coming from. He has complained on-air about that in the past. Grandstanding fool...It's more than a little amusing that he finds soccer so irrelevant, but yet Fox Sports felt the need to preempt his tv broadcast with ----- soccer.
We all know he's fat.Mike delivered hear like only Mike can. Say what you want a out him but we all know he is right.
Um, no...Mike delivered here like only Mike can. Say what you want about him but we all know he is right.
And once again, despite everyone on the board saying they hate him he once again has a thread. The guy knows what he is doing to get da ratings.
His point about hearing for 40 years now that soccer is going to take off in America was spot on.
People are still spouting this drivel today. Not gonna happen.
Soccer is a long, long, long, long, long, long way from knocking off hockey as the #4 sport in the US. As per Wiki, the NHL made 10 times the revenue as MLS in 2014. This may not be a perfect comparison, but we don't need one when the difference is so massive:From a team sport perspective, football will always be king in this country, at least for the foreseeable future.
Baseball is not what it once was, but it's still solidly #2.
Basketball is pretty firmly entrenched as #3.
Soccer may be able to knock off hockey to move into the #4 slot. It already has in certain pockets around the country, and hockey already exists more in pockets than broad, nation-wide interest.
Outside of team sports, not sure how tennis, golf, and auto racing fit into the picture.
Soccer is a long, long, long, long, long, long way from knocking off hockey as the #4 sport in the US. As per Wiki, the NHL made 10 times the revenue as MLS in 2014. This may not be a perfect comparison, but we don't need one when the difference is so massive:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_sports_leagues_by_revenue
Soccer is a long, long, long, long, long, long way from knocking off hockey as the #4 sport in the US. As per Wiki, the NHL made 10 times the revenue as MLS in 2014. This may not be a perfect comparison, but we don't need one when the difference is so massive:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_sports_leagues_by_revenue
It's still a total demand issue. The NHL has enough demand to cover a 82-game season and 30 teams. Obviously, the NFL is restricted in total games just like soccer, so if the overall demand is there, the individual events would grow to accommodate.Not really. The NHL has 30 teams and plays 82 games. The MLS has 19 teams and plays 34 games. So of course the NHL has larger revenue overall.
Revenue per game, however, is another matter and a better apples to apples comparison. NHL=$1.3M. MLS=$713K. A big difference? Yes. But a lot closer than the total revenue numbers would have you believe, and the MLS is only continuing to grow in popularity. The NHL not so much. Indeed, as I noted above, the MLS already outdraws the NBA and the NHL on a per-game basis.
Soccer is a long, long, long, long, long, long way from knocking off hockey as the #4 sport in the US. As per Wiki, the NHL made 10 times the revenue as MLS in 2014. This may not be a perfect comparison, but we don't need one when the difference is so massive:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_sports_leagues_by_revenue
Well said. At the risk of drawing @e5fdny's ire, lol, I think my personal perspective is illustrative of how far soccer has come in the US. Never played soccer, other than in gym, in HS in the late 70s, although I did enjoy the game (it was football season, not soccer season). Was a very casual fan for the next 20 years or so (would maybe watch some World Cup matches near the end or if the US was involved).I swear this guy's entire assumption is the fact that the men don't win the World Cup each time.
Youth soccer levels are at all time highs, I'm sure. MLS is as strong as ever, and yes, I know it's not the EPL, Bundesliga, or La Liga, but compared to when it started, it's on a lot sturdier ground. I live 10 minutes from the Philadelphia Union stadium, and I promise you that it's a legit major sport in this area with all of the fan support.
There's still a LONG way to go for soccer in the USA. But it has grown tremendously since the Alexi Lalas days.
Average per game attendance:
NFL: 68,216
MLB: 30,517
MLS: 21,574
NBA: 17,809
NHL: 17,503
But please, keep pretending soccer in the US is irrelevant.
Bigger capacity stadiums than NHL & NBA plus way fewer games played.
MLS is irrelevant in the country and especially in the NJ/NY area.
Soccer is a long, long, long, long, long, long way from knocking off hockey as the #4 sport in the US. As per Wiki, the NHL made 10 times the revenue as MLS in 2014. This may not be a perfect comparison, but we don't need one when the difference is so massive:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_sports_leagues_by_revenue
Not really. The NHL has 30 teams and plays 82 games. The MLS has 19 teams and plays 34 games. So of course the NHL has larger revenue overall.
Revenue per game, however, is another matter and a better apples to apples comparison. NHL=$1.3M. MLS=$713K. A big difference? Yes. But a lot closer than the total revenue numbers would have you believe, and the MLS is only continuing to grow in popularity. The NHL not so much. Indeed, as I noted above, the MLS already outdraws the NBA and the NHL on a per-game basis.