Why are USA so **** at ‘soccer'?

[Black Cat Gypsy]

A sleeping giant in some ways just like how we’ve been mentioned in the past.

Is it because as a nation and culture that they have no to little interest in ‘soccer’?

You look at the absolute specimens that play their national sports. They’re monster athletes!

From American Football, Basketball or even running.

But you look at their ‘soccer’ team and it’s far from it.

In a modern game were the mavericks are fading and its more about tactics and athleticism, they should be far, far better.

It Was What It Was did a great podcast series on American Soccer. MLF Jonathan Wilson is on it so you know it's good.

There's so much to it, it's crazy. In a nutshell, the game is viewed as foreign. The majority of teams were set up by migrants. The game was popular among Catholics, Jews and Protestants migrants. American sport is entertainment, were as we view it as the opposite. They tried to follow the European model of leagues which doesn't appeal to the Yanks and the nation is too big. The best players tended to by imports. Grassroots wasn't a thing. They preferred to get the adult audience. They prefer franchises to clubs. American sports had a better appeal because Americans were good at them and they are their sports, it is entertainment and they are the best.

That's just a tiny example.

With such huge Hispanic and Latino populations in Amirca it is quite surprising. I believe Spanish has overtaken English as the dominantly used language in the USA now

That's another example. When you migrant to a new country, you want to fit in. A lot of immigrants probably would preferred to integrate into American culture than be outside it. I know when I move anywhere, I like to integrate and football is the best way as it's popular. But if you moved to American in the 40's, baseball would be easier, especially if you're from Cuba or Puerto Rico were baseball is popular.

They are obsessed with physicality. I remember speaking to a yank and he couldn't understand how Maradona was the best player in the world when he was only 5ft 5. I told him that his height actually made him better because of hos low centre of gravity and he looked at me like id shat in his shoes. They will always prioritise physicality because its so ingrained in their psyche that if they did have a Messi or an Iniesta they would probably dismiss them for a bigger less talented player

And another good example. Americans love brute force in contact sports. Men should be men and all that. The fact a shortarse like Messi could out wit a 6'6 180lb bloke is crazy to them.

 

[jcrossan]

Wouldn't say they are shit, but when the major sports are football, basketball, baseball hockey and a host of others such as boxing, track and field golf tennis Nascar plus wrestling,, then soccer is fighting for a much smaller piece of the big pie.
The US is also an affluent society so many parents can afford the cost of some of these sports. The equipment for football and hockey for example, plus the field, court and ice and tee times needed to be paid for. Why soccer is so popular is that, literally, it can be played with a tin can on the street. makes it easily the most accessible sport on the planet....

biggest complaint in N. America about soccer from those who aren't fans is the amount of play acting, rolling about after a minor collision etc that goes on. makes the players look like soft cry babies to sports fans used with platers not acknowleding the most nasty of injuries because that is the culture. Mind, getting rid of that would be welcome to even the biggest supporter

 

[gatopreto]

They produce some canny players but they are all quite similar. Athletic, workmanlike, decent fundamentals. They play boring, bland football and lack individual invention and flair.

 

[Zweiguys]

Tbf the crowds at NFL are pretty crap really there's only 32 teams across the whole of the US. It's like England bragging it got 70k fans at it's only football club.

Phillies play 81 home games and last season average attendance was 41,672.
NFL season isn’t that long due to the physical nature of the game.
College football is huge in both following and attendance. They make a weekend out of it.
Believe it or not, we like different things here.

 

[stan the man]

We all know that (or should), but in ‘English’ it is “football” ….SIMPLE AS THAT REALLY.

It was 'soccer' in Australia for more than 50 years, then someone saw how odd it was, particularly since they started to play in the AFC and already were in FIFA, so now they are FFA (Football Federation of Australia) *but still retained the moniker of 'Socceroos'

 

[Steesafc]

All too busy jumping about shouting FIGHT AND WINNN outside the ground.

 

[Hendonbeach]

They're just not that into it, and it isn't culturally ingrained into their very being like it is in Europe and South America. I disagree it's about money.

Mexico has population of over 130 million,are Into it ,and football is culturally ingrained but their record in international football is very poor .

 

[Thatheaderman]

Yes it is

 

[poolie]

A lot of great comments in here

 

[Spartan]

Because the money domestically is so huge for NFL and basketball, that’s where their best athletes focus

And MLB and NHL and probably track.....

Soccer gets the bottom of the barrel of people who want to be professional athletes.

 

[J Doughnut]

They don’t have the structure. The MLS is it…grass roots are pretty much non existent. It probably needs to grow big in the college system before they ever get any kind of sustained success

I think the collegiate system holds them back as well. At the age where top players around the world are integrating into the mens game, the vast majority of US 'soccer' players will be competing at college level, if they haven't been picked up by a European team.

 

[FatDrummer]

Yet baseball is the 3rd biggest sport takes 6 hours and is slower than cricket. Sell out crowds of 60000 every game. Ok then.

There are plenty of British football fans that don’t like cricket….and no doubt plenty of U.S. football fans won’t like baseball.
I’ve been to three MLB games (Mets v Marlins x 2) & (Yankees v Athletics) and I loved them.
Basketball, on the other hand, I can take or leave.

Horses for courses.

 

[BlackHoleSun]

Will be a surprise in store this summer

Best buddies Donald J and Infantino surely have it rigged

 

[FatDrummer]

It was 'soccer' in Australia for more than 50 years, then someone saw how odd it was, particularly since they started to play in the AFC and already were in FIFA, so now they are FFA (Football Federation of Australia) *but still retained the moniker of 'Socceroos'

Bliddy Forrinaz is all can say!

 

[smixsell]

Yet baseball is the 3rd biggest sport takes 6 hours and is slower than cricket. Sell out crowds of 60000 every game. Ok then.

Average MLB game last year was 2 hours, 38 minutes.

 

[oddbod]

Because their national sport is NFL so they don't care about it.

The same way Western Europe mostly doesn't care about NFL, Baseball or Basketball.

Thats not the whole story me thinks ..millions play soccer in the states..if you watch any tv drama if it shows a park there will be footy goals and someone playing soccer!More folk play soccer in the usa than folk play baseball and basketball in europe !

 

[Lionel Hutzz]

Cultural thing that they have insular media and are programmed to think the mega profitable NFL is peak sport also because the USA with no effort is a closely the best at it imo

 

[Whey]

Always thought The World Series' name needed to be looked at

 

[Black Cat Gypsy]

I think the collegiate system holds them back as well. At the age where top players around the world are integrating into the mens game, the vast majority of US 'soccer' players will be competing at college level, if they haven't been picked up by a European team.

Another great example. It suits football, hockey, basketball but not soccer. You look at our squad. Players like Sadiki and Talbi have Champions League experience and international caps under their belt before they joined us. They are still 21. American players don't really move to Europe until they reach that age.

Wouldn't say they are shit, but when the major sports are football, basketball, baseball hockey and a host of others such as boxing, track and field golf tennis Nascar plus wrestling,, then soccer is fighting for a much smaller piece of the big pie.
The US is also an affluent society so many parents can afford the cost of some of these sports. The equipment for football and hockey for example, plus the field, court and ice and tee times needed to be paid for. Why soccer is so popular is that, literally, it can be played with a tin can on the street. makes it easily the most accessible sport on the planet....

biggest complaint in N. America about soccer from those who aren't fans is the amount of play acting, rolling about after a minor collision etc that goes on. makes the players look like soft cry babies to sports fans used with platers not acknowleding the most nasty of injuries because that is the culture. Mind, getting rid of that would be welcome to even the biggest supporter

I remember why I was in Canada, I got into hockey. It must be weird for North Americans to go from players willing to fight it out to watch players roll around to get a free kick.

 

[Smiler]

Gary Lineker talked about it the other day - the culture there is that you go to college at 18 and play amateur sports alongside a scholarship then progress into the professional draft system whereas in Europe you join an academy aged 8 and turn professional at 17.

It's seen as a girls sport compared to NFL and NBA - the US Women's team are dominant and generate more revenue than the USMNT whereas in Europe women's football is growing but relatively tiny.

They absolutely do not, the men's game over there creates far far more money than the womens. Women sell as many if not more tickets but international exposure for the men means they generate far more overall.

At the domestic level it's not even close with the MLS generating 1 to 2 billion which absolutely dwarfs the women's game.