# Why Americans don't like soccer? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 29, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111 "2011-04-29T02:39:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/81 "2011-04-29T19:01:50Z")
**bucketybuck** : I’m always a little saddened whenever someone is sucked in by nationalism. Do you really believe in lines on a map? Pitiful. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/82 "2011-04-29T19:27:33Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > And you’d be wrong. There is more technique in dribbling a soccer ball for 20 feet than there is in throwing a baseball 100 feet, or running 100 yards down a football field --especially when there are three defenders in those 20 feet trying to get the ball away from you. > > I’m really not trying to piss on you – and I know this will sound antagonistic, but I don’t really mean it that way – but you sound like you have absolutely no clue what sort of techniques are involved in playing the sport, so how can you make claims on how easy they are to master? I’m not offended. And I don’t mean to offend soccer fans. My explanation is why I, personally, do not like soccer. I can’t speak for the rest of the country. My knowledge of the skills required for actually playing soccer are limited to the handful of intramural games I played in college, watching a grand total of about a half dozen live games at the high school and college levels and watching bits and pieces of the World Cup every 4 years. So, do I have a deep understanding of the sport? Certainly not. But, that’s all the experience I have to base my observations on. Also, comparing dribbling a soccer ball through defenders to throwing a baseball 100 feet is hardly fair. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/83 "2011-04-29T19:27:44Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > :dubious: > > They sometimes show NFL and baseball on late-night TV here in the UK. Whenever I’ve started watching it seems like they last for about 4 hours, what with all the stop-start bollocks. You can leave the game with 12 minutes on the clock, go and make a sandwich and a cup of tea, maybe go for a jog for half an hour, return to the couch and find the clock has reached 5:30. You should try watching basketball some time. The last 30 seconds of a close game can take 10 minutes to play out… > [@bump](#): > > (note: I think a lot of Americans would like English Premier League soccer a lot- it’s higher on the toughness factor than a lot of leagues, and it’s full of more or less clean cut white guys) I very much enjoy Premier League soccer, but just can’t get into most other leagues. To me the style of play in Premier League is much more ‘interesting’. It seems that they spend much more time somewhere in the vicinity of the goals, compared to most leagues where it seems 90% of the game takes place within 30 yards of midfield. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > Uh, baseball doesn’t have an ending time. Or a clock at all. True, but it’s allowed because it’s the “American pastime” 🙂 One of the guys I work with is from Nigeria. He is a huge soccer fan; I am a huge baseball fan. We have a good time going back and forth with each other about how ‘my sport’ is fascinating, full of strategy and subtleties, and how ‘your sport’ is a total yawn-fest. ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/84 "2011-04-29T19:49:00Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Also, comparing dribbling a soccer ball through defenders to throwing a baseball 100 feet is hardly fair. Of course. The difference is easy to see. When you hit a ball with a beisball bat, a tennis racket or a golf stick you need lot of skills, but you hit only ONCE. However, when you conduct a soccer ball running for half a soccer field, escaping the opponents, and not lossing direction or speed… There you need talent, superhuman skills. Try to do it, and you’ll figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/85 "2011-04-29T19:49:35Z")
My input on why soccer hasn’t caught on as a major spectator sport in the US and Canada is that there are already too many established team sports competing for the attention of the typical American and Canadian fan. We also like to divvy up the year so that a different team sport is dominant (e.g., baseball in summer, football in fall, etc.). In the UK, Europe, Latin America, and other parts of the globe where soccer is big, it pretty much dominates to the exclusion of nearly every other team sport. Granted, in the UK there still is cricket but I don’t think it’s as popular as it was 100 years ago. It certainly can’t compete with soccer in terms of popularity. While it’s true other team sports are played, there mostly novelties with niche appeal. (For example, I once saw a clip of a UK hockey game and was a bit surprised there was enough interest in the sport for there to be a league there.) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/86 "2011-04-29T19:53:27Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Soccer isn’t a popular spectator sport in the USA for the same reason baseball isn’t popular in the UK, basketball isn’t popular in Japan, and hockey popular in France; it’s just not what happened to light a fire under people’s interest at a certain point in time. This is exactly what I said and what is the right answer. > [@mhendo](#): > > Actually, like most threads about soccer, it’s about 50% “piss on Americans,” and about 50% “ignorant Americans piss on soccer and soccer fans.” Dude, that’s not fair. There is a good portion(me included) that are American and just answered the question about why it never caught on without pissing on it. Soccer is a nice sport, but it just didn’t catch on in our culture. I actually prefer it a lot to baseball or “American” football. Besides, all sports are lame compared to tennis. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/87 "2011-04-29T20:56:19Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > Why do you think? > > Some of my hypothesis: > (3) Because it is a real team game and Americans are too individualistics Definitely not this. American football and baseball require a high degree of teamwork. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/88 "2011-04-29T21:15:52Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > However, when you conduct a soccer ball running for half a soccer field, escaping the opponents, and not lossing direction or speed… There you need talent, superhuman skills. Try to do it, and you’ll figure it out. Nobody does this in soccer. Nobody goes more than 20 feet without passing the ball and when they pass it’s backwards or offsides. After a team scores a goal, usually off a penalty or corner kick, then the remainder of the game is just keep-a-way. ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/89 "2011-04-29T21:31:50Z")
Nobody does it regularly… But it happens. And when it happens, people get euforical! Maradona and other stars made memorable goals from the center of the field, passing and passing opponents without losing the ball. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/90 "2011-04-29T21:32:40Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Definitely not this. American football and baseball require a high degree of teamwork. Only someone who has watched none of these three sports could say this. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/91 "2011-04-29T21:33:46Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > Nobody does this in soccer. Nobody goes more than 20 feet without passing the ball and when they pass it’s backwards or offsides. After a team scores a goal, usually off a penalty or corner kick, then the remainder of the game is just keep-a-way. Someone else who never watches, apparently. Or, more correctly, who probably only watches during the World Cup. ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/92 "2011-04-29T21:35:20Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Americans don’t like soccer because soccer is not an American game. We didn’t invent it, we never played a ton of it, and we created modifications of it that became insanely popular. > > It’s the same as why we don’t play cricket - we invented baseball instead. Interesting theory, but look what games Americans like. Hockey, was invented in Canada. Basketball, was invented by a Canadian. Now, with respect to baseball, it is true that was invented in the U.S., but I could bet it is a variation of British cricket, or better, from a game called rounders, althought not sure. With respect to American Football, that certainly is a derivation of Rugby, another British game, and a cousin of Soccer. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/93 "2011-04-29T21:38:14Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > However, when you conduct a soccer ball running for half a soccer field, escaping the opponents, and not lossing direction or speed… There you need talent, superhuman skills. > [@sitchensis](#): > > Nobody does this in soccer. You say this because you’ve only seen **humans** play soccer. ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/94 "2011-04-29T21:40:13Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > My input on why soccer hasn’t caught on as a major spectator sport in the US and Canada is that there are already too many established team sports competing for the attention of the typical American and Canadian fan. We also like to divvy up the year so that a different team sport is dominant (e.g., baseball in summer, football in fall, etc.). In the UK, Europe, Latin America, and other parts of the globe where soccer is big, it pretty much dominates to the exclusion of nearly every other team sport. Granted, in the UK there still is cricket but I don’t think it’s as popular as it was 100 years ago. It certainly can’t compete with soccer in terms of popularity. While it’s true other team sports are played, there mostly novelties with niche appeal. (For example, I once saw a clip of a UK hockey game and was a bit surprised there was enough interest in the sport for there to be a league there.) I agree. All over the world, soccer dominates. In Chile, for example, the only sport that reaches a bit to the popularity of soccer is our local Rodeo. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/95 "2011-04-29T21:46:11Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > You say this because you’ve only seen **humans** play soccer. [Ladybug plays soccer.](http://www.peoplepets.com/news/video/wednesday-s-funny-video-ladybug-plays-soccer-with-sprinkles) ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/96 "2011-04-29T21:48:31Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I didn’t say there was \*no \*technique. I just said that I think the skills required for soccer are easier to master than for other sports. Of course at the highest level the players possess skills far beyond your average schlub. You could say the same of bowling. Easier to master? Pardon me? Have you ever seen Brazilians stars in theirs good day? Do you know what is a “chilena”? A play where the player jumps in the hair, leave the body flat in the middle of the air and hit the ball in the opposite direction? Just try it. And watch it. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWV6eG5lDUE&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWV6eG5lDUE&feature=related) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYvLSF9duDo&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYvLSF9duDo&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/97 "2011-04-29T22:24:06Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > I agree. All over the world, soccer dominates. In Chile, for example, the only sport that reaches a bit to the popularity of soccer is our local Rodeo. That’s weird. Rodeos are big in the U.S. too but not so much in Europe, Asia, or Africa. Why do you think the U.S. and Chile value the drama and beauty of a live rodeo while the others just don’t seem to understand it? Do they not get the subtext of man against nature? I think you you start a thread on that question as well. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/98 "2011-04-29T22:30:50Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > Easier to master? Pardon me? > Have you ever seen Brazilians stars in theirs good day? Do you know what is a “chilena”? A play where the player jumps in the hair, leave the body flat in the middle of the air and hit the ball in the opposite direction? > > Just try it. And watch it. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWV6eG5lDUE&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWV6eG5lDUE&feature=related) > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYvLSF9duDo&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYvLSF9duDo&feature=related) Honestly, all I see is a bunch of skinny guys moving around on a pawn shop quality TV screen wearing early 80’s clothes. Don’t think I am trolling. The images are just so foreign to me that they don’t mean anything and I am sure that it strikes most Americans the same way. Americans don’t like most foreign TV in general because the production values just seem way off and jarring. That is especially the case in soccer. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/99 "2011-04-29T22:36:17Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I’m not offended. And I don’t mean to offend soccer fans. My explanation is why I, personally, do not like soccer. I can’t speak for the rest of the country. > > My knowledge of the skills required for actually playing soccer are limited to the handful of intramural games I played in college, watching a grand total of about a half dozen live games at the high school and college levels and watching bits and pieces of the World Cup every 4 years. So, do I have a deep understanding of the sport? Certainly not. But, that’s all the experience I have to base my observations on. > > Also, comparing dribbling a soccer ball through defenders to throwing a baseball 100 feet is hardly fair. Soccer is an easy game to play, but the hardest of all to master. Sorry but throwing a ball 100ft doeswn’t impress me half as much as say this: https://www.youtube.com/embed/SidUhtynv7M?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque (Wayne Rooney’s bicycle kick earlier this season). or this: https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ai-qikNqV70?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque (David Beckham’s goal from ~60 yds) ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111/100 "2011-04-29T22:38:32Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Honestly, all I see is a bunch of skinny guys moving around on a pawn shop quality TV screen wearing early 80’s clothes. Don’t think I am trolling. The images are just so foreign to me that they don’t mean anything and I am sure that it strikes most Americans the same way. Americans don’t like most foreign TV in general because the production values just seem way off and jarring. That is especially the case in soccer. I don’t buy that. I don’t know shit about, say, gymnastics, but I recognize an amazing feat of athletics when I see it. And if you can’t see the skill and athleticism in those videos, quality of which notwithstanding, then you’re not really watching them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-americans-dont-like-soccer/580111.md?page=6)