Soccer is the 2nd most popular sport in the United States for the age group 12-24

[bobbyake]

You should enjoy this time and stop searching the internet for anything that reaffirms you opinion that soccer is becoming more popular. I love hockey and have never felt the need to look up the ratings of the sport. Enjoy something for what it is, not what you want it to be.

The TV ratings are considered a big deal for this sport and all sports as this is a major change from the past. Every news outlet mentioned the TV ratings, including the Beacon Journal. I wasn't searching for it as it was right in my face from every different areas, including facebook. All i did was share it here, which I think is appropriate givin our outstanding soccer program in Akron and the amazing support it has had in the past.

It wasn't long after posting the TV ratings that the soccer nay sayers came to poo poo this newsworthy information.

[K92]

The best thing soccer fans can do is enjoy the sport you care so much about.

The best thing soccer hater can do is ignore all things soccer and enjoy whatever it is that you love.

Problem is that each group wants the other to "see the light".

Kinda like craft beer drinkers vs. macro drinkers.

[GP1]

The best thing soccer fans can do is enjoy the sport you care so much about.

The best thing soccer hater can do is ignore all things soccer and enjoy whatever it is that you love.

Problem is that each group wants the other to "see the light".

Kinda like craft beer drinkers vs. macro drinkers.

What if you like both craft AND macro and the only reason you don't drink more craft beer is because you drink to get drunk and you can't drink 15 craft beers on a late Saturday afternoon through the evening? Can't I like both Coors Light (CL) and Old Mecklenberg Brewery (OMB) Copper, but like CL the most because it give me more of what I really enjoy?

Beer and sports go well together and it is good for this discussion. Can't someone like NFL, MLS and MLB? Let's use me for example because I'm so interesting. I'd watch an NFL game between the two worst teams in the NFL because I love the league. I'll never turn down a Coors Light. Basically, I feel the same way about D-1A football. I like MLB and will watch MLS if the entertainment value is good, but I won't watch a game between two bad teams, just like I won't drink a bad craft beer and by bad I mean anything you feel you have to chew when you take a drink. My current options for sports entertainment today are:

1. Good vs. Good MLB

2. Good vs. Bad MLB

3. Bad vs. Bad MLV

4. Good vs. Good soccer

5. Good vs. Bad soccer

5. Bad vs. Bad soccer

6. Wild Card, which is good non sports entertainment

I pick 1 and 4 and I can win coming and going unless there is something about 6 I really want. For me, this is a choice between Dortmunder Gold and OMB Copper. I can't lose, but it isn't really what I want. It is also all they have at the party and on some level I enjoy it. Most of the World Cup is not being played at night like baseball is so I could watch both. Tonight, there will be better programming on than Dr. Phil reruns so I might actually choose between sports and non-sports entertainment. I like baseball, but there is a Zac Brown cover band tonight playing at Alive After Five at the Epicenter in downtown Charlotte so my wife and I will go to that. I can watch baseball on more than 170 days a year so if I miss a day, it is no big deal. In a world of greater options, someone is going to lose market share.

This is a compliment for FIFA. If they were looking to expand ratings in the US, they did a great job of it by having afternoon games right after school let out when a lot of people take vacation. Great marketing strategy and even haters should take their hats off to that. They made it available to a wide audience who was somewhat receptive to the game and looking for something good on TV. The challenge will be for them to move the mark from 1% of Americans claiming soccer to be their favorite sport to a higher number. More good soccer is going to do that, not video games. The problem in the US is we are so bad at soccer compared to other places, the entertainment falls off when we have to play against ourselves when there are more than 20 players to select from.

This question isn't about soccer vs NFL, MLB, NBA, etc. It is about what happens when people have more options and want better quality entertainment than what they are given when the options are limited. The current soccer option is providing an outlet for those who don't have very good options. World Cup presents the best teams in the world, for the most part. As such, a game against two good teams is going to be more entertaining than two bad teams, or one bad team and one good team. The first words in ESPN is Entertainment. It comes first for a reason. The entertainment comes before the sports. The World Cup is entertaining because the quality is good so people watch the sport.

[Zip_ME87]

Soccer haters can continue to hate, but USA Soccer and fans are gaining respect (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BrOIOmECQAAkdNB.jpg)

[K92]

Soccer haters can continue to hate, but USA Soccer and fans are gaining respect (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BrOIOmECQAAkdNB.jpg)

Cue Lee Greenwood!

[Spin]

So, when you rant about the sport

What if you like both craft AND macro and the only reason you don't drink more craft beer is because you drink to get drunk and you can't drink 15 craft beers on a late Saturday afternoon through the evening? Can't I like both Coors Light (CL) and Old Mecklenberg Brewery (OMB) Copper, but like CL the most because it give me more of what I really enjoy?

Beer and sports go well together and it is good for this discussion. Can't someone like NFL, MLS and MLB? Let's use me for example because I'm so interesting. I'd watch an NFL game between the two worst teams in the NFL because I love the league. I'll never turn down a Coors Light. Basically, I feel the same way about D-1A football. I like MLB and will watch MLS if the entertainment value is good, but I won't watch a game between two bad teams, just like I won't drink a bad craft beer and by bad I mean anything you feel you have to chew when you take a drink. My current options for sports entertainment today are:

1. Good vs. Good MLB

2. Good vs. Bad MLB

3. Bad vs. Bad MLV

4. Good vs. Good soccer

5. Good vs. Bad soccer

5. Bad vs. Bad soccer

6. Wild Card, which is good non sports entertainment

I pick 1 and 4 and I can win coming and going unless there is something about 6 I really want. For me, this is a choice between Dortmunder Gold and OMB Copper. I can't lose, but it isn't really what I want. It is also all they have at the party and on some level I enjoy it. Most of the World Cup is not being played at night like baseball is so I could watch both. Tonight, there will be better programming on than Dr. Phil reruns so I might actually choose between sports and non-sports entertainment. I like baseball, but there is a Zac Brown cover band tonight playing at Alive After Five at the Epicenter in downtown Charlotte so my wife and I will go to that. I can watch baseball on more than 170 days a year so if I miss a day, it is no big deal. In a world of greater options, someone is going to lose market share.

This is a compliment for FIFA. If they were looking to expand ratings in the US, they did a great job of it by having afternoon games right after school let out when a lot of people take vacation. Great marketing strategy and even haters should take their hats off to that. They made it available to a wide audience who was somewhat receptive to the game and looking for something good on TV. The challenge will be for them to move the mark from 1% of Americans claiming soccer to be their favorite sport to a higher number. More good soccer is going to do that, not video games. The problem in the US is we are so bad at soccer compared to other places, the entertainment falls off when we have to play against ourselves when there are more than 20 players to select from.

This question isn't about soccer vs NFL, MLB, NBA, etc. It is about what happens when people have more options and want better quality entertainment than what they are given when the options are limited. The current soccer option is providing an outlet for those who don't have very good options. World Cup presents the best teams in the world, for the most part. As such, a game against two good teams is going to be more entertaining than two bad teams, or one bad team and one good team. The first words in ESPN is Entertainment. It comes first for a reason. The entertainment comes before the sports. The World Cup is entertaining because the quality is good so people watch the sport.

How are we suppose to enjoy it for what (you think) it is, when you're constantly ranting all your excuses about why you think people are watching?

After telling us we shouldn't be researching ratings that prove your first rant is full of shit.

Did you learn those debate "strategies" in college?

[Dave in Green]

Pontificators don't debate.

[Zips Win!]

I'll never turn down a Coors Light.

Now, I lost all respect.

[Dr Z]

I went from watching no futbol, to watching more futbol this year than NBA and MLB combined!?!? Predicting outcomes of the World Cup is as easy as Zips basketball with Dambrot.

[GP1]

Keith Olbermann gets it.

[GP1]

Now, I lost all respect.

I just can't drink 20 Edmund Fitzgeral beers on a South Carolina afternoon on the lake. I drink to get drunk. Coors Light does it for me.