(06-18-2018 02:02 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-18-2018 01:59 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(06-18-2018 12:41 PM)Nevadanatural Wrote:  I see the score argument (low scoring and ties) all the time as a reason not to watch soccer but it’s all about knowing the game. There is lots to appreciate and enjoy even in a nil-nil game. The same goes for a sport like baseball, it’s just that a lot of people would rather turn their nose up at this foreign game and complain instead of learning the nuances.

Your explanation makes sense for a game like cricket (the second most popular game in the world) because most Americans do not undertstand the “nuances” of a “foreign” game.

In contrast, most Americans have had amble opportunity to “know” soccer through the much touted youth participation, but most Americans still do not really care much about soccer. There is nothing wrong with most Americans. Instead, there is something wrong with soccer for most Americans since it does not suit their taste.

Lets be clear about this. The largest percentage of people that hate Soccer are over 55 years old. The largest percentage of people who enjoy Soccer are Young adults.

The numbers indicate that as long as those young adults stay interested. They are going to remain interested when they get older as more and more baby boomers die off. Those young adults are already throwing their kids into the game in record numbers now. If US Soccer could spend time and develop a true Youth System meant to identify the top players and not allow talented kids to fall through the cracks, the impact it would have at the Senior National Team levels would be gigantic.

Although gaining, soccer lags behind other sports in American popularity per Source

Quote:Seven percent say it (soccer) is their favorite sport to watch, the highest that sport has registered to date.

. Football, basketball, and baseball are at 37%, 11%, and 9%, respectively.

Quote:Meanwhile, those who determine the future of spectator sports -- 18- to 34-year-olds -- are the age group least likely to favor football. But even among them, football tops all other sports by a comfortable margin. Soccer and baseball show meaningful differences by age, with soccer appealing more to adults younger than 55 and baseball more to adults aged 55 and older.

Most Americans do not care much about soccer and it will not change anytime soon.