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World Soccer XXVI: Fun for MLS Fans and Eurosnobs Alike

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Re: World Soccer XXVI: Fun for MLS Fans and Eurosnobs Alike

LynahFan said:
We're also in the age of the DVR. I watched nearly every game (I mean every - not just the US games) from WWC 2015, but only bothered to schedule time for a precious few games to watch live. I see the popularity continuing to grow, regardless of time zones.
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I think that as long as the men are a “mid-major” internationally, soccer can only get so popular and can only grow so fast, certainly less popular and with slower growth than we adherents would like. I’m kind of feeling about soccer like I do about college hockey. As long as I can, both on TV and in person, see as much as I want, I don’t care how popular it is with other folks.

Another thought occurred to me in the Germany – US game. If I were the parent of a teenage girl now, this WWC would have inspired me, but the Hopp-Brian collision would have terrified me, especially if one or both of them had been concussed. At least they didn’t look concussed; in the men’s WC, there were guys playing when they didn’t look like they could spell their name if asked. As the women’s game gets more competitive and gets wider exposure, you’ll probably see more of that.
 
Spartanforlife4 said:
Part of me wonders if we're in a golden age of soccer popularity, or if it's here to stay.

The 90s had two World Cups in the U.S., and attendance at both showed we care about it when it's here. Heck, the 99 final is the second most watched game of all time. But for the 2000s it seemed fairly dormant. 2010 seemed to jump start things, and ratings have risen, but we've also had the good fortune of Cups in Brazil and Canada, and will have an Olympics in Brazil and the Centenario in the U.S. Now the Olympics aren't the most popular for soccer, but it essentially serves as a smaller WC for the women.

After 2016, we're left with Gold Cups as the only "major" tournament in our time zone for at least a decade. After next year it's Russia, France, Tokyo, Qatar, and Asia/Oceania. At least three of those are not good for American TV. If Boston doesn't get the Olympics in 2024 we will probably be waiting until 2030, as by then it will almost assuredly be going to either the U.S. or Uruguay to celebrate the WC Centennial.
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For the men's side of things, everything should be ok. 2002 and 2006 did relatively ok despite crappy start times for 2002 and a crappy US performance in 2006. 2018 will still have decent start times for the games, 2022 is uncertain. The Olympics is going to be hit and miss, it's a youth tournament and qualifying is a crapshoot.

MLS is on stable footing, attendance is good, finances are ok, MLS is just trying to find a better place in the TV ratings (which with the new TV deal are doing ok).

The women's side, you may have a point. When it comes to the USWNT, I think we're at a "enjoy it while you can" point because I don't think it's gonna last long. The rest of the world is catching up by leaps and bounds and the same problems that people were talking about before the Quarterfinals still exist.

For the pro side, everything is still up in the air. No women's league in the US has gone past year 3. Now, the NWSL is in year 3 and looks to be able to go to year 4 with maybe a little boost from the world cup.

Why only a little boost? It lies in the how the system works on the women's side. Carli Lloyd right? World Cup heroine, plays for the Houston Dash, who get to use her in marketing, great opportunity right? Except Carli Lloyd won't be playing too many games for the Houston Dash because the USWNT will going on a 10 game victory tour in the next few months and Carli Lloyd is contractually obligated to play in all 10 because the USSF contractually guaranteed the promoters that all the women from the World Cup team will play. Why? Because the USSF (and the CSA in Canada) pay the salaries for the majority of NWSL players, gotta pay the bills somehow.

The reason why MLS is still around is because from 2001 to ~2005 all 10 MLS teams were owned 3 people, Phil Anschutz, Lamar Hunt, and Robert Kraft. 3 guys willing to lose a lot of money in the short term for a long term payoff. For the NWSL, I don't think they have that and the way the system is set up, basically losing any opportunity to grow your business because you don't have access to your best assets, I don't know if they ever will.

The women's game still needs a fundamental overhaul if it's going to survive long term.
 
Re: World Soccer XXVI: Fun for MLS Fans and Eurosnobs Alike

The most recent FIFA Men's World Rankings:

1 Argentina
2 Germany
3 Belgium
4 Colombia
5 Netherlands
6 Brazil
7 Portugal
8 Romania
9 England
10 Wales

Wales????????
Romania??????
 
Re: World Soccer XXVI: Fun for MLS Fans and Eurosnobs Alike

And so it has begun...

As it was in 1999, so it is in 2015, the proud US Women get paid a paltry sum while the "mediocre" Men get more. :rolleyes:

Now, does FIFA waste a lot of money on stupid things? Absolutely. Should that money be spent on better things like prize money for the Womens World Cup? Yes. Should the winners of the Womens World Cup get the same amount as the Men? Absolutely *ing not.

The comparisons made in the article are ridiculous.
 
Re: World Soccer XXVI: Fun for MLS Fans and Eurosnobs Alike

And completely understand now how Chicharito broke his collarbone against Honduras.
 
Re: World Soccer XXVI: Fun for MLS Fans and Eurosnobs Alike

Nice to see Klinsmann experimenting even at the Gold Cup.

And Jozy looks off.
 
Re: World Soccer XXVI: Fun for MLS Fans and Eurosnobs Alike

I know it's been covered before, but why does Canada stink so bad at soccer? Yes, I know hockey, hoops and winter sports are king. However, tennis is getting better, but this team can't get out of its own way. It's embarrassing.
 
MountieBoyOz said:
I know it's been covered before, but why does Canada stink so bad at soccer? Yes, I know hockey, hoops and winter sports are king. However, tennis is getting better, but this team can't get out of its own way. It's embarrassing.
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Gross mismanagement at the executive level (like the attempted Canadian League), gross mismanagement at the coaching level (take your pick), lack of serious youth development (though this is getting better), and some terrible luck.
 
Re: World Soccer XXVI: Fun for MLS Fans and Eurosnobs Alike

Tonight's game is essentially meaningless outside of morale and whatever impact there is on FIFA rankings.
 
Re: World Soccer XXVI: Fun for MLS Fans and Eurosnobs Alike

Spartanforlife4 said:
Tonight's game is essentially meaningless outside of morale and whatever impact there is on FIFA rankings.
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I think its important in the way of showing this team is progressing in this tournament. It will be interesting to see what direction Klinsmann chooses to go with this game.
 
Re: World Soccer XXVI: Fun for MLS Fans and Eurosnobs Alike

Apparently not many are excited for Haiti-Honduras. Stands probably 1/4 full.

1-0 Haiti. Not sure on Honduras' situation, but that would be quite the fall to go from World Cup to not making it out of group play in the Gold Cup in a year.
 
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