My 7 ways Soccer can work in the US

[Manwiththeplan]

You want soccer to work in the US? Don't alter the game, just the announcers (hope I don't get in trouble for this, nothing x rated, but some of the comments are inappropriate)

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh33T3G8r26hC3LNBb

 

[jterrell]

I want to like it. It needs life though.

A casual fan WILL NOT, I repeat will not stare at a 0-0 game for almost 2 hours. That is crazy.

I am interested in them making it more exciting.

Again ratings indicate what are saying is 100000% false.
The scoreless WC quarterfinal games saw spikes in ratings in extra time and for shoot outs.
People who watched those games didn;t turn them off and inf act more eyeballs tuned in late to see the winner.

 

[jterrell]

Couple of things.
Firstly the sport is not changing to appeal to an American audience, it's the biggest sport on the planet as it is.
Secondly I personally prefer the "low scoring" system. A goal means so much. I've ended up about 3 rows in front of my seat celebrating. I'll take the adrenalin rush from a goal over a high scoring sport like basketball where an individual score is nothing to get excited by due to there being what about 90 odd a game. Each to their own though.
Thirdly I get why American fans would like to see the sport grow in the country but I can't get my head round why anyone else gives a **** either way.

the fans in other countries certainly could care else.
the billionaires who own major euro sides do very much care because it is a major revenue stream.
no place spends money on sports like the us and this country spends a lot on soccer.
liverpool and chelsea have major youth programs here.
neymar and messi unis sell more here than most anywhere outside their home countries.

but you are correct, no one with a brain is suggesting a major change to the game.
it'd be like apple trying to copy some lesser company.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Again ratings indicate what are saying is 100000% false.
The scoreless WC quarterfinal games saw spikes in ratings in extra time and for shoot outs.
People who watched those games didn;t turn them off and inf act more eyeballs tuned in late to see the winner.

Shoot outs. Not the same thing. THOSE are EXCITING!!

 

[BBQ101]

I think soccer is definitely gaining popularity, but how can it take over the Big 4 here in America with the current format? Money drives all sports, and the big TV contracts for the NFL, MLB, etc are a BIG part of that. Players play the game to make money when it comes down to it, and money is made in large portion due to huge TV contracts. TV networks make money to pay for these contracts via advertising (commercials)

How can a TV station make good money on a regular soccer game when they can't break to commercial every 10 minutes? In Soccer, you have two 45 minute halves with no stoppage in play normally. I don't see how a network would be excited to pay premium $$ for a sport where they can't show commercials for 90 straight minutes. Sure, ESPN can do ok showing the World Cup every 4 years, and large amounts of people will watch, but how can they monetize those viewers without commercials?

I don't see it talked about much from this angle, but in my opinion this is why it will never be as popular in the US. Fans are interested in seeing the best athletes. The best athletes will play the sports with the biggest payoffs. And those big payoffs come in large part from TV Contracts.

BBQ

 

[jterrell]

I think soccer is definitely gaining popularity, but how can it take over the Big 4 here in America with the current format? Money drives all sports, and the big TV contracts for the NFL, MLB, etc are a BIG part of that. Players play the game to make money when it comes down to it, and money is made in large portion due to huge TV contracts. TV networks make money to pay for these contracts via advertising (commercials)

How can a TV station make good money on a regular soccer game when they can't break to commercial every 10 minutes? In Soccer, you have two 45 minute halves with no stoppage in play normally. I don't see how a network would be excited to pay premium $$ for a sport where they can't show commercials for 90 straight minutes. Sure, ESPN can do ok showing the World Cup every 4 years, and large amounts of people will watch, but how can they monetize those viewers without commercials?

I don't see it talked about much from this angle, but in my opinion this is why it will never be as popular in the US. Fans are interested in seeing the best athletes. The best athletes will play the sports with the biggest payoffs. And those big payoffs come in large part from TV Contracts.

BBQ

Ratings suggest it does well in every other country and provides insane revenue through advertising.
So they have the model already worked out.
It also does well here. Major EPL match ups and Confed Cup/Gold Cup anything with Mexico draws far more eyes than the NHL.

We really have 2.5 major pro sports here. NFL is by far the beast.
NBA is legit because it carries huge playoff ratings and has a long season calendar. --all those games makes for lots of money. --and NBA fans by A LOT of swag.
MLB does well amongst the old folks which is not a good ad revenue market while soccer with the same ratings is far more exciting to advertisers because of its much younger demographics.
The NHL struggles mightily and it's 2 period breaks are hardly more revenue than Soccer's longer half time so offers no real advantage there.

But reality is advertising is moving heavily to other means. Now you have overlays by brand and screen pops and other stuff to get that ad dollar.
Commercials are becoming less a factor as people move to DVRs and streaming services.

The availability of games here has been by far the largest factor limiting Soccer's growth.
Now that that's been resolved in many ways it is exploding.
Fox, NBC and ABC/ESPN all have soccer packages already with no desire to shrink the Soccer footprint.

 

[BBQ101]

The availability of games here has been by far the largest factor limiting Soccer's growth.
Now that that's been resolved in many ways it is exploding.
Fox, NBC and ABC/ESPN all have soccer packages already with no desire to shrink the Soccer footprint.

I think your are correct, which was my whole point. It hasn't been shown because there is the issue of how to monetize with so few opportunities for commercials.

Perhaps your other points on how monitization is changing are correct. However, you mention that Fox, NBC, ABC/ESPN have soccer packages, but aren't these all shown on the lower tier sports channels affiliated with these organizations? I don't ever remember seeing a non world cup soccer event shown on a national TV Network, where as I have seen plenty of NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL games nationally televised. Even regular season games.

Until you start seeing the same for Soccer, I don't think it will approach the national prominence of the 4 major sports here in America, and I still think it is due to the difficulty in monetizing to the viewing audience. Major networks won't show it unless they can recoup their costs in Advertising, which for television is still primarily via a commercial. Because the major networks have trouble with that monitization, they can't offer the huge TV contract payouts to teams. This leads to smaller salaries for the players, which leads to the better athletes playing other sports (with better salaries) in this country.

BBQ

 

[cowboyeric8]

My number one gripe with soccer? Soccer fans trying to shove it down the throat of people who don't like soccer and telling non-soccer fans that they are just ignorant or don't understand ect.

As for the game itself, it bores me incredibly, I don't know of a televised sport I wouldn't rather watch, I would rather watch WNBA, and that's just painful to watch. But people find baseball boring, and that's perfectly fine, and I love baseball. It really is to each their own. Great respect for the athletes, good for them. If you like soccer that's great for you as well! More power to you. I don't care if it grows, grow as big as it wants I don't care I just won't be tuning in.

As for the World Cup I watched team USA because much like the Olympics I support American athletes in whatever they do. But it was boring, and I noded off a few times. And maybe that's just me but winning 1 out of 4 games doesn't seem like some huge accomplishment like everyone is trying to make it. Also that whole imaginary and made up time they do at the end is about as silly as anything else, I understand why they do it but there has to be a better way.

But whatever, again to each their own. Just stop trying to shove it down people's throats and act like non-soccer fans are idiots for not liking it, and that is how many soccer fans I have come across sound like.

 

[jterrell]

I think your are correct, which was my whole point. It hasn't been shown because there is the issue of how to monetize with so few opportunities for commercials.

Perhaps your other points on how monitization is changing are correct. However, you mention that Fox, NBC, ABC/ESPN have soccer packages, but aren't these all shown on the lower tier sports channels affiliated with these organizations? I don't ever remember seeing a non world cup soccer event shown on a national TV Network, where as I have seen plenty of NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL games nationally televised. Even regular season games.

Until you start seeing the same for Soccer, I don't think it will approach the national prominence of the 4 major sports here in America, and I still think it is due to the difficulty in monetizing to the viewing audience. Major networks won't show it unless they can recoup their costs in Advertising, which for television is still primarily via a commercial. Because the major networks have trouble with that monitization, they can't offer the huge TV contract payouts to teams. This leads to smaller salaries for the players, which leads to the better athletes playing other sports (with better salaries) in this country.

BBQ

NBC has shown major EPL matchups on its national over the air network to good results.
Same with Fox.
The Liverpool, Man U, Man City, Chelsea foursome as they play each other drew great ratings on broadcast TV. avg was ~1.2m viewers. --not bad for saturday during the day; but not college football.
This was the first year it has happened so expect it more in the future.
The vast majority are on lower tiers however, that is correct.

It is all at the beginning stages for sure and MLS lags behind but the sport itself is being shown more often and to good results.

 

[jterrell]

My number one gripe with soccer? Soccer fans trying to shove it down the throat of people who don't like soccer and telling non-soccer fans that they are just ignorant or don't understand ect.

As for the game itself, it bores me incredibly, I don't know of a televised sport I wouldn't rather watch, I would rather watch WNBA, and that's just painful to watch. But people find baseball boring, and that's perfectly fine, and I love baseball. It really is to each their own. Great respect for the athletes, good for them. If you like soccer that's great for you as well! More power to you. I don't care if it grows, grow as big as it wants I don't care I just won't be tuning in.

As for the World Cup I watched team USA because much like the Olympics I support American athletes in whatever they do. But it was boring, and I noded off a few times. And maybe that's just me but winning 1 out of 4 games doesn't seem like some huge accomplishment like everyone is trying to make it. Also that whole imaginary and made up time they do at the end is about as silly as anything else, I understand why they do it but there has to be a better way.

But whatever, again to each their own. Just stop trying to shove it down people's throats and act like non-soccer fans are idiots for not liking it, and that is how many soccer fans I have come across sound like.

this seems an odd place to complain. in a thread specifically labeled for the sport. in a place with hundreds of threads pertaining to everything else.
anyone seeking out fans of the game and then complaining about it being thrown in their face are probably not considering all the angles.

it is the worlds most popular game... that's not face-throwing but merely an undisputed fact.

 

[cowboyeric8]

this seems an odd place to complain. in a thread specifically labeled for the sport. in a place with hundreds of threads pertaining to everything else.
anyone seeking out fans of the game and then complaining about it being thrown in their face are probably not considering all the angles.

it is the worlds most popular game... that's not face-throwing but merely an undisputed fact.

Case in point.

I wasn't singling anyone out or anything, I'm glad y'all love the game and I hope it grows. As an American I was just throwing my two cents in that it doesn't matter how many ways you try to improve soccer in the US it won't be the most popular sport in the country. Congrats to the rest of the world, good for them on liking soccer, I don't care what is popular there. I seemed to have struck a nerve, my bad, have a nice day.

 

[BBQ101]

NBC has shown major EPL matchups on its national over the air network to good results.
Same with Fox.
The Liverpool, Man U, Man City, Chelsea foursome as they play each other drew great ratings on broadcast TV. avg was ~1.2m viewers. --not bad for saturday during the day; but not college football.
This was the first year it has happened so expect it more in the future.
The vast majority are on lower tiers however, that is correct.

It is all at the beginning stages for sure and MLS lags behind but the sport itself is being shown more often and to good results.

Wow, I had no idea that these matches have been shown on a National broadcast.

I find this all interesting. Is 1.2 million viewers watching soccer as valuable as 1.2 million viewers watching a hockey game to a Broadcaster? In terms of commercial time, a hockey game has way more opportunities than a soccer match, and lasts longer too.

I guess it does seem that things are beginning to change. I think the popularity of soccer will only increase as the American viewing audience gets a chance to see it as part of regular programming. As more money flows into soccer from the TV Networks, salaries will rise and better athletes will gravitate to the sport in this country. That in turn will lead to more popularity and even more growth.

I guess it is just a matter of time.

BBQ