why soccer is not so popular in USA?

Answer 1

Orion.. its not contact.. basketball and basketball have less contact than soccer yet are widely popular.. and the reason rugby isnt popular is the same reason "soccer" isnt popular.. its not a game that the americans didnt invent or are good in
Jeffrey: your assertion that wembley stadium will be sold out is similar to the assertion that US LOVES SOCCER since Barcelona and Real Madrid sold out with 90k in the stands at each game. Yes the game will likely sell out but no one will watch it on tv. And its not only Europeans. Its Asians, Africans, South Americans, etc.
But I love American sports too. Just not a big fan of hockey(although I used to be). I think the lockout did it for me.

Answer 2

It's considered to be a slow game, and it is also consistently very low-scoring.

The lack of scoring means that soccer lacks one of the most important things a sport can have, and something that Americans love...statistics.

A lot of Americans watch the World Cup and appreciate soccer when played at its highest levels. A lot of kids are forced into playing soccer at a young age, mostly by parents who think there's a future in it, and they figure there's no way their kid will ever play baseball, basketball or football.

We've been hearing for at least 30 years how soccer is going to take over the USA, but it will never happen. There's no room on the calendar for any other major sports.

Americans will gladly watch the World Cup every four years, but that's as far as soccer will ever get in the USA... and that's not a bad thing.

Answer 3

The biggest reason Americans fail to appreciate the beautiful game? Relatively few have had the pleasure of witnessing meaningful top class soccer matches in the kind of situation (great rivalry, sold out stadium, exciting action, knowledgeable, raucous, crowd) & environment that changes your life and makes you a fan forever.
Anyone who has been part of the crowd for a live game like the dramatic US win over Costa Rica in Portland to qualify for the '98 W.C., their glorious W.C. win over Portugal, a World Cup match or a top league match in Europe or S. America, or even watched in the right environment a game like ManU's miracle over Munich or Liverpool's miracle over Milan in the Chamipions League final while surrounded by other people who "get it" knows what I am talking about.
Those kind of games are a rarity here. Even when there is a terrific game like one I mentioned above it's either not well attended, or widely viewed by anyone other than the diehard fans.
Aside from Mexico no real rivalries exist, we can't come close to the intensity of say Brazil vs Argentina or England vs Germany. Maybe in time...
I love the US National Team but let's face it, the team lacks an electrifying playmaker. Someone capable of making the kind of breathtaking plays you see on display in the EPL, Spain or Italy on a regular basis.
Non-fans are programmed to hate soccer. Too boring, slow, low scoring they're told. They can't believe a 0-0 match could possibly have been an intense encounter. Too soft (I know most soccer players are tough but guys like Ronaldo who dive at the slightest, if any contact during the W.C. add to this myth), too communist, etc.
Many have never played the game and flat out can't appreciate the great skill or strategy even when they do see it.
Most Americans are all about instant gratification and I believe lack the patience to appreciate the buildup, the flow and subtle nuances of the game.
Strange since so many put up with the ceaseless timeouts and lulls in football, basketball and baseball. That's another problem though too many choices.
MLS while improving isn't helping the cause too much. They can't even get rid of all the football lines, let alone establish a consistently entertaining level of play. If more talented foreign players follow Beckham and more big clubs play international and club matches here that will help.
The bottom line. Until more American's are properly baptized to the sport and witness the level of talent, passion and excitement inherent in the game overseas, until our league matures, teams develop some tradition and rivalries, players refine their skills and the sport becomes more a part of our culture it will be something of a struggle to increase popularity.

Answer 4

As an American who only recently discovered the beautiful game, I have to assume that in general we don't like it because we've never tried to. I used to repeat all the same tired excuses people have listed above, but I had never actually watched a game. Honestly, I never had the opportunity to see a quality game since we don't have the same level professional teams as found in Europe.

But over the summer, I found a World Cup game broadcast on one of our "big four" TV channels (ABC). I said to myself, "I might as well watch for a couple of minutes. I'll probably get bored and change the channel at the first commercial break. But it IS the biggest thing going on in the whole world right now." Little did I know that the first commercial break would not be until over 45 minutes later. I never changed the channel (despite low scoring) and found it so interesting that I watched the second half. I recorded every following World Cup match and have been following the EPL this season. It only took me 10 minutes to become addicted.

I remember that when I was in high school, there was a perception that only wealthy kids played soccer. I explained that to one of my Russian friends and she laughed. In her mind, it was one of the cheapest games to play. All you need is a ball; any old garbage can serve to mark out the goal area. But in the States, basketball is the game that can be easily played by people of all income levels. There are basketball courts in almost all urban areas, so kids grow up playing "street ball."

On the other end of the spectrum, Mexican immigrants have brought soccer to the States as part of their culture. So I think there is a big factor of prejudice against both wealthy, private-school soccer players and Spanish-speaking immigrant players.

I just don't know that Americans will ever accept soccer until we can get quality professional teams with major media coverage. If that ever happens, then kids of all income levels and social standings will get interested in watching and playing soccer. And while I think the Beckham deal is exciting, it's going to take more than one superstar to raise the level of awareness.

Answer 5

"Soccer" is actually the most played games by youths in the USA up to a certain age but has struggled after due to the lack of glamour. Whilst americans also call it a slow paced game it is actually faster than most due to the flowing nature and not being disrupted every 20 seconds like in most american favourites such as American "football" , basketball and baseball. There is also not enough point scoring and games can finish in a draw which is not withing the USA's culture of sports.

Answer 6

My belief is because there is really little 'action' to the game. You're not allowed to make contact, there is very little scoring, and a lot of apparently pointless maneuvering.

So, to most Americans, the game seems quite boring and slow.

Please realize that this is the impressions I've gotten from other Yanks I've talked with - I don't care much for watching soccer, but love watching rugby - another sport that's not as popular in the US, which surprises me.

Orion

Answer 7

It's not popular because Americans are used to games with breaks like football and basketball where they can watch commercials and get up and get their food and drinks at this time. They can't concentrate on soccer matches for the two 45 minute halves. Short mind span I guess.

Answer 8

I agree with horsenbug. The sport needs more media coverage, it's so noticeable in the sports news, one minute is a lot when national team plays only. Also youth players are discouraged by coaches favoritism for relatives and friends when assigning play time. Parents as well as children are discouraged! Top League Association Leaders are not paying attention to this, there is little care. I've heard of this once to many times! Sad but true...related topic.

Answer 9

It lacks the strategic element, at least in the same respect that football and baseball have one. I know, there is strategy but it's a matter of passing technique, like in hockey or basketball - it's not set plays and matchups. ....But there's no reason it can't be.

I coach my daughter's U-12 team, and I've introduced a lot of strategy. Set plays off stoppages (goal kicks, corner kicks, kick-offs, throw-ins and defenses of same), moving people around between sweep and midfielder on our throw-ins rather than subbing, so that I can get someone reasonably fresh yet in a rhythm to the middle of the field, while the other coach cannot sub because I haven't (Bill Belichick strategy picked up by Mangini and Dungy), etc... The result this Fall was that in a league where the teams are picked with one goal being evenly-matched teams, we went 9-1, most of our games were blow-outs and we got better as the season went on and the girls learned the system.

The kick-off plays are best. One middie taps it to another, who claws it back to a defender, who then boots the ball toward the opponents' left goalpost - I line three forwards up on the left side like wide receivers and they start sprinting down the field on the tap. The play works like a flea-flicker in football, and before the other team knows who our forwards are, they're in front of the other team's net with the ball. Why left post? Our fastest kid is a lefty. This usually produces a goal.

On the other team's kick-off we double-cover the potential recipients of the opening pass, and forget about the girl tapping the ball. The two double-cover teams run forward and smother each potential recipient of the pass - they get there in time because they don't wait the split second to see which way the pass goes. We usually steal the ball and then whichever side gets it has a built-in give-and-go while the other pair can "go long."

We also play as physically as the ref will allow. Lot of shoulder-checking.

And we take a battlefield approach to the game - beneath the diagrams in my playbook are quotes from Sun-Tzu that relate the same strategy, such as massing your troops and penetrating deep into enemy territory, under the diagram of my kick-off play.

Our games are very fun to watch - even though they're usually over by half-time, you never know what we're going to do.

Some of the other coaches don't think this is "real soccer" but I think that's a stubborn perspective - when the final score is 7-2, the team with 7 is the one that played "real soccer." The Austrians didn't think Frederick II's cavalry charges were "real war."

I think if Americans took a more creative approach like this we'd like the sport more. My kids respond to my program because it is very American. We use team strategies in a more coordinated, football sense, rather than just a loose, open-field type sense like hockey. This also takes more advantage of the bigger kids' speed and strength - I don't force American kids, especially those not built for a European style of play, to play European-style.

It's like anything else. If it's OK for the Japanese to play their style of baseball and succeed with it, it should be OK for Americans to Americanize soccer and I think if we did this at higher levels, we would succeed with it. I think in some ways this is what the US women's world cup champion team did.

"Thanks, beautiful."

Answer 10

It's because Americans like helmets, padding and time-outs.

Soccer has none of that.

Also, Americans are prone to infantile instincts such as using your hands. Using only your feet seems unnatural to them (ie. too difficult)

Low scoring games also don't interest them (too difficult to score)

Americans like easy, so they like games where everyone easily scores lots and lots of times.

People say soccer is slow. What can be slower than 5 second plays that take a minute to set up? What can be slower than complete inaction during the frequent time outs?

The fact that a large percentage of Americans watch the Super Bowl in order to watch the new commercials should tell you something. The idea of looking forward to watching commercials is unheard of in Europe. It's not just utterly ridiculous, it's pathetic. Commercials are something you hate, not something you look forward to. Commercials are your enemy!.... LOL