While the USA still has a long way to go before any lucid person would declare it a hotbed of football fans, things are moving in a positive direction:
[ul]
[li]Ratings on ESPN, which has shown the games live (example, Mexico at 2:30 AM EST) continues to set ratings records. US Spanish language channel Univision said it was the highest rated program ever on their channel, with ratings almost equal to ESPN. Lest it be said it was only Spanish-speaking immigrants watching, the ratings for USA v Poland were almost as high. Each USA game has shown an increasing audience share. Ratings for USA v Germany are expected to be even higher.[/li][li]Fans are turning out to watch the games together in person. Several thousand fans watched the game together at Columbus stadium in Ohio, home of the Columbus MLS club. RFK stadium in Washington DC will likewise be open with free entrance and parking for DC area fans to watch the Germany game together.[/li][li]Sports Illustrated magazine ran a picture of Landon Donovan on the cover this week*, not Tiger Woods, even though Tiger is a much larger American icon and just was the first person in 30 years to win the first two Grand Slam events in golf (Masters and US Open). Clint Mathis was just featured prior to the Cup and they mark just the 10th and 11th time that soccer has been featured on the cover in its many decades long existence. This is the first time for US men’s soccer in about a decade.[/li][/ul]
*Note: this is the premier sports magazine in the US and unfortunately appearing on the cover is seen as a jinx to future success and health.
It’s good to see the US media realising the positive interest in soccer, although it’s a shame that some publications and broadcasters are unable to see the best in the World Cup.
US Dopers, do you think the US’ performance in this World Cup will improve soccer’s popularity after the event, or will it fade?
I don’t know Crusoe. Soccer is in the same spot as the Olympics in the US. 4 years apart and little reason to think about it between them. For every 1 soccer championship we have 4 Superbowls, 4 World Series, 4 Rose Bowls, 4 NBA playoffs, 4 March Madnesses and 4 Stanley Cups. 16 Tennis majors and a whole heck of a lot of golf. That’s over 40 champions per year. Granted not all in the US but they are all aired here mostly live.
But you never know. Watch MLS attendence in the coming month. If people begin to come out to see the Metrostars or any other team play consistantly then it’s possible. And it’s the perfect time too. Only baseball remains for the rest of summer till the NFL kicks off. What the MLS needs to do is get their games on TV.
But then all I keep hearing about is how so many of our 20 and under set have played in soccer leagues. Certainly volume helps create great players and great players bring crowds. But if they all go overseas to play how can we draw crowds. MLS Attendance No apparant improvement yet. But you really have to wait for the World Cup to end and people say “Where else can we see professional soccer?”
ESPN and II also do occasionally show professional games from around the world. I’ve seen both UK and Italian games there. What are their ratings?
rogerb, if my country (Australia) was in the Cup, I wouldn’t give two hoots if anyone else was barracking for them. I just know that I would be.
I was barracking for Japan until they lost because its my adopted home. I doubt many of my mates back in Australia were cheering for them, though. Does that bother me? No.
Go ahead and cheer for the US. I think you SHOULD, since its your country’s team. But don’t knock the rest of us for choosing not to.
As for abuse, I doubt the American team is facing anything as bad as the team which beats S.Korea will face.
I live in Cincinnati, about 100 miles south (162 km) from Columbus which is the nearest city with an MLS franchise. I’ve never attended an MLS game. But I’ve flown to Washington DC, 524 miles away, to attend a Cup qualifier. I also just flew to Korea to attend the USA matches. I already plan to attend the next World Cup in Germany in 2006. I am not sure that one (World Cup) translates into the other (MLS). One reason may be that I don’t have any emotional tie to the Columbus team. I grew up in Tampa with the Tampa Bay team (the Rowdies) from the old NASL. That was a lot of what got me interested in football. That and watching Germany and France play to the first penalty kicks ever, with Michel Platini and Karl-Heinz Rumminegge, Pierre Litbarski, et al. (apologies on spelling). I support the USA teams, both men’s and women’s as I can. I attempted to take my daughter to see a USA women’s match against Japan up in Columbus. But the game was cancelled because of an incident in NYC on the same day. When my children are older, if I am still living here, I will take them to see the Crew play in Columbus. I may even go up to see some of the guys who’ve been doing so well in the Cup thus far. But it’s a bit far away to be an every match sort of thing. If I lived in a city that had a club I’d probably have season tickets.
FWIW, MLS games are shown, on an irregular basis, on ABC and ESPN. But that’s usually on a Saturday afternoon in the summer when most people are outside enjoying the weather.