'soccer' in America...? American answerers mainly...?

Question

how well known or popular is MLS in the states really?

do you think the arrival of David Beckham to LA Galaxy will increase the popularity of soccer in the US, or do most people not know who he is anyway?

do you think Soccer will ever be on a par with baseball,american football,basketball etc, or at least a decent fourth place?

Answer 1

It's as much about marketing and propaganda as anything else. While I very much doubt soccer will ever replace NFL football or basketball as a major sport, I feel it has the potential to rival ice hockey (not as popular as thought in the US) and baseball in the American psyche. However, one mark against the world's #1 sport is the fact that it doesn't lend itself to advertising, which is what the US economy is more or less based on. This, along with a general feeling that anything the USA doesn't control (in this case FIFA) can't be good, therefore the media are reluctant to do much to promote the game. I think this will slowly change, as more and more of the 'kids' who are playing soccer now, grow up and become wage-earning adults willing to spend their bucks on their own kids playing the game and.....if the US were ever to reach the World Cup Final or even, miracle of miracles, actually win it, well.......the President, Vice-President (and their spouses), media,retailers, entrepeneurs and bandwagon-jumpers would be all over themselves to be part of this 'new phenomena' that "we are the best in the world at"............!

Answer 2

"do you think Soccer will ever be on a par with baseball,american football,basketball etc, or at least a decent fourth place?"

Soccer is already on par with the fourth place team sport, hockey. There are millions of soccer fans in this country but most of them don't follow MLS. They follow different leagues and national teams on TV and the numbers get divided. World cup is the only event that draws in all fans. As a result, TV ratings for the event blow away hockey numbers (3-4x). All hockey fans on the other hand support the NHL, and the league really doesn't have to compete with another hockey league for fans.


"do you think the arrival of David Beckham to LA Galaxy will increase the popularity of soccer in the US, or do most people not know who he is anyway?"

David Beckham may not convert many of the average sports fans into MLS fans but he will attract a lot of those who are already soccer fans but don't follow the league yet. The Galaxy have sold record amount of season-tickets this year and are projected to sell out most of their games after he arrives.

Edit: Nathan, Beckham has not started playing in MLS yet. His first MLS game is more than 2 months away. And yet LA is averaging 24,000 fans per game, 4,000 more than they did last year.

Answer 3

Soccer in America is very popular with little children. However, once the kids hit highschool age, it's football or basketball.

I don't think soccer will ever be on a level with the "big three" (football, basketball, and baseball). It could take fourth. Considering the condition of the NHL, and the growing popularity of soccer, I can see it taking a decent fourth.

David Beckham moving to the LA Galaxy hasn't increased the popularity of the sport at all. Some know who he is, the majority don't care.

Answer 4

The MLS isnt that popular but it's alot better than it was lasts season. David Beckham already increased the popularity of soccer over here and he didnt even come yet. Even though alot of players from europe are coming over here i dont think soccer will ever be as popular as baseball or American football but it will gain alot more fans. I wish the MLS will gain more popular because despite what people say i think its a great league.

Answer 5

Soccer is a great game but not likely to be on a par with baseball, American football, basketball or hockey.

The reason is basically television. The game doesn't have enough good timeout periods for commercials.

Watch an NBA game on TV sometime and you will see what I mean.

Soccer has its followers, and its best feature is that it is not all that difficult to participate in, but it will not likely compete as a major sport because of the media promotions.

It also has the problem of being a low-scoring game. So is hockey, and so can be baseball, but those games have easy to follow action that makes up for slow scoring.

Soccer will have its niche following, but I don't see it doing much more.

Answer 6

I disagree.....I think soccer is becomming more and more popular in the US. David Beckham is helping increase it but I generally think people are interested in the sport because its exciting and fun to watch and play. I dont know if it will ever top baseball, but it can be right up there, and at least a decent fourth place!!!!

Answer 7

The MLS probably will never be on par with the MLB, NFL, NBA, or even the NCAA big two sports for that matter but it is growing. It should continue to grow over the years as the skill level of the players grow as well. As long as other sports are paying out the bigger salaries the MLS won't get enough of the athletes to really show off the game.

Answer 8

Soccer will never be a major sport in the USA. It is not intense enough as American football or baseball. Beckham has not budged the average sports fan here in USA.

Answer 9

While I am not an American, I am from Canada and love it, I was turned on to it in the 1980's when I worked in Singapore at a Canadian managed hotel and we had an Aussie pastry chef, he had it every morning, with cheese the traditional way, along with a cuppa and the Sydney Times (we had 10 papers from around the world in the Gift shop), I am quite fond of it, and use ti as a flavouring agent or in the traditional way, but for me I prefer aged white cheddar cheese.

Answer 10

Im english but football will never be big in usa but its will alway's be the number 1 sport around the world except usa