soccer more popular than baseball among 12-24 age

[Class of 72]

God help our future.  

 

At least this generation knows how boring baseball is.

 
Agree baseball can be boring but soccer makes baseball feel like having sex with jessica alba.

 

You need to watch a soccer game some time.
They are all actually required to run, never sit, and not scratch their nuts for 40 seconds between touches of the ball.
Oh, they are all athletic, in case you hadn't noticed that either.
Baseball is like watching farming.

 
don't care how athletic the players are. Would you watch the greatest athletes in the world sleep, eat, dust-I think not. And for the post about saying soccer not so popular in US because we haven't had sucess-think it is more that we have so many other major sports to choose from-football is our most popular sport and it basically is not played anywhere else in the world.

 

Nah I'd still say it has to do with our limited success in world cups. Whenever the day comes that the US is in a World Cup quarterfinal, you will see how rapidly the sport becomes popularized. Like I said before there's a reason why the World Cup is the most popular sporting event in the world. The name speaks for itself. The rest of the world is absolutely fanatical about soccer (and I'm not talking fanatical in the sense that morbidly obese people place cheese on their heads or wave yellow towels for 5 minutes). Looking at it big picture it's easy to see soccer surpassing baseball among all age groups in the next 10 years and maybe giving football a run for its money (which coincidentally is all the NFL cares about) down the line.

 

As for "watching" soccer on TV, it will never overtake American football, or even ice hockey, for that matter. The American psyche in sports is rooted to contact sports ---- the more the better. It is part of the aggressive nature of Americans that endears us to the rest of the world---NOT! That is why millions watch and attend "brain-dead" quasi-sporting events life WWF Wresting in America.
As for "playing" sports, soccer has overtaken all sports in America and is the most widely played sport among young women.

 

[guinness77]

This is hardly surprising. What should be said though, is that it's overseas football and not domestic football that's so popular. Baseball has evolved into a boring sport that takes too long to play and with too many long breaks between all the "action." The playoffs and the pennant chases are fun, but, frankly, sometimes watching baseball can be like putting a grocery bag over your head.
That said, give me a 0-0 soccer game, and it can be as exciting (to me) as a NFL, NCAA basketball or hockey game. Then again, I watch soccer all the time. My wife even prefers soccer to most other stuff on TV.

A buddy of mine moved out to Portland years back, and when he came back he was telling me he's a member of the "Timbers Army," so I started watching their matches (I will not support the Red Bulls as long as that cheating French bastard is on their squad) and I have to say....soldout stadium every time, chanting throughout the game, fervent supporters...very impressed and have become a fan of theirs somewhat. so....maybe the MLS can prosper, too. The European Leagues are so popular and considered the elite, though, so I can never see the best players in the world come to the states. Just at the tail end of their careers, which, is better than never.

As far as the poster who mentioned sports like hockey getting better ratings...that's complete bull. Champion's League and the Premier League already get better ratings in this country than most of the sports outside of the "big 3." I'm not googling ratings, but it's a fact. Soccer isn't a contact sport? You're kidding me, right?

 

[Class of 72]

This is hardly surprising. What should be said though, is that it's overseas football and not domestic football that's so popular. Baseball has evolved into a boring sport that takes too long to play and with too many long breaks between all the "action." The playoffs and the pennant chases are fun, but, frankly, sometimes watching baseball can be like putting a grocery bag over your head.
That said, give me a 0-0 soccer game, and it can be as exciting (to me) as a NFL, NCAA basketball or hockey game. Then again, I watch soccer all the time. My wife even prefers soccer to most other stuff on TV.

A buddy of mine moved out to Portland years back, and when he came back he was telling me he's a member of the "Timbers Army," so I started watching their matches (I will not support the Red Bulls as long as that cheating French bastard is on their squad) and I have to say....soldout stadium every time, chanting throughout the game, fervent supporters...very impressed and have become a fan of theirs somewhat. so....maybe the MLS can prosper, too. The European Leagues are so popular and considered the elite, though, so I can never see the best players in the world come to the states. Just at the tail end of their careers, which, is better than never.

As far as the poster who mentioned sports like hockey getting better ratings...that's complete bull. Champion's League and the Premier League already get better ratings in this country than most of the sports outside of the "big 3." I'm not googling ratings, but it's a fact. Soccer isn't a contact sport? You're kidding me, right?

 

As you know Guiness, contact in soccer is "incidental" to play on the pitch. Extreme contact (pushing, etc.) is called a foul. OTOH, extreme contact is actually part of the game and strategy of both football and ice hockey. As for TV ratings they are only important for the pricing of advertising and if your sport is golf, so be it.
The Red Bulls stadium is beautiful and is a mini-version of biggerl Euro stadiums with just as much fan involvement. I can't wait for the next World Cup as I intend to be there with family and friends.

 

[mjmaherjr]

I cant see soccer ever coming close to ratings here like football. Just my opinion

They are certainly fanatical about it in South America. The fans are nuts there at games. My girlfriend and I were going to go to a game in Santiago Chile when we were down there a few months ago and they had actually banned fans from the game ( actually they were banned for a few games ) because of people shooting fireworks in the stands and onto the field.

When we showed up to the game to buy tickets the military was actually there because they were worried about riots.

Sucked because I was really looking forward to that game and be the 1 6ft4 gringo amongst 50 thousand sub 5 ft 5 south americans  

 

[SJU87]

 soccer is more popular because it's easier to play then baseball. It takes a long time to become a good baseball player, soccer, anybody can learn playing good soccer in less then a day. Kids today with computers won't make the effort to learn baseball .
Remember in high school when you played softball during gym and all the boys who played softball like girls play , well today it must be worse.
Same with football , football is more popular because anybody can learn to play the game good.

The 3 hardest sports to play is baseball, basketball and hockey.

 

[Class of 72]

 soccer is more popular because it's easier to play then baseball. It takes a long time to become a good baseball player, soccer, anybody can learn playing good soccer in less then a day. Kids today with computers won't make the effort to learn baseball .
Remember in high school when you played softball during gym and all the boys who played softball like girls play , well today it must be worse.
Same with football , football is more popular because anybody can learn to play the game good.

The 3 hardest sports to play is baseball, basketball and hockey.

 

You've been spending too much time with Pocahontas!
Baseball is hard to play? LMAO! Hit, throw, Run.......and take a lot of breaks over 3 hours of snoring.
Football? Brut strenght.........I pick things up and put them down....I pick things up and put them down.
Hockey......takes great skating ability, stamina and skill. Not an easy game to master.
I would argue golf is harder to learn and play than baseball ........ LOL!

 

[guinness77]

 soccer is more popular because it's easier to play then baseball. It takes a long time to become a good baseball player, soccer, anybody can learn playing good soccer in less then a day. Kids today with computers won't make the effort to learn baseball .
Remember in high school when you played softball during gym and all the boys who played softball like girls play , well today it must be worse.
Same with football , football is more popular because anybody can learn to play the game good.

The 3 hardest sports to play is baseball, basketball and hockey.

 

Is this a serious post?