Why European Soccer is the Most "American" of Sports

[kyhadley]

Stole this from an r/soccer submission. Thought it was interesting.

There's a subset of American society that vehemently hates soccer. To each his own, but I have to admit that I am bothered from time to time by the level of vitriol. I was reminded of this today when Deadspin ran a story that quoted numerous tweets from people that were beside themselves that soccer was playing on ESPN (vs ESPN2 or Deportes). ESPN plays plenty of programming I don't like, especially in the middle of the day, and I just choose not to watch it at those times. But these people seem legitimately angry about it.

Not to make this political, but I think part of this stems from the disdain preached by those in the right wing media toward soccer. For example, here is Glenn Beck talking about the 2010 World Cup:

“I don’t get the baseball thing, but the soccer thing, I hate it so much — probably because the rest of the world likes it so much, and they riot over it, and they continually try to jam it down our throat… It doesn’t matter how you sell it to us. It doesn’t matter how many celebrities you get. It doesn’t matter how many bars open early. It doesn’t matter how many beer commercials they run. We don’t want the World Cup. We don’t like the World Cup. We don’t like soccer. We want nothing to do with it. You can package it any way — you can spend all kinds of money. You can force it on our television sets. We will not enjoy the World Cup.”

Let's start by ignoring the factual inaccuracy of the above given the ratings were exceptional as the USA round of 16 game vs Ghana exceeded those of the World Series despite time zone differentials, etc., There's more going on here. There's a segment of American society that I believe have probably never watched a game, but reject soccer outright because it is somehow "Foreign" or "European" or "Immigrant."

The point I would make is these same people continually espouse free market capitalism and rail against the "elites," but European club soccer better reflects these ideals, and the "American" sports they love more closely resemble their view of "Europe."

*In American sports, failure is rewarded. The primary means by which this is accomplished is the draft. The worse you do, the earlier you pick, and therefore presumably are rewarded with better new players. In European soccer, there is no draft and it is up to each club to develop / acquire its own talent.
*In American sports, there are a group of "Elites" that dictate rules and regulate all aspects of the sport: Salary caps, luxury taxes, max contracts, minimum contracts, trade exceptions, caps on cash used in trades, matching of player salaries in trades, etc. Not in Europe. You want a player? Buy him. Want to get rid of a player? Sell him. No need to work out a complex trade with another team, ensuring that the salaries are approximately equal as in the NBA.
*The NFL is socialist! (gasp!) 32 teams that all share revenue.
*Relegation. In the US, a team like the Pirates can suck for decades and still make money. Not in Europe. Europe has relegation and promotion. What is more American (in Glenn Beck's, etc. view) than that? Survival of the fittest!

TL;DR I find it interesting that those on the right that denigrate soccer fail to realize that its business model / regulatory framework much more closely matches their view of "American Capitalism" while the American sports they love more closely resemble their view of "European Socialism."

 

[wr50l]

Yeah it is true and not surprisingly the "democratic-socialist" model works pretty well in your sports leagues. In Europe it is different, since clubs in lower divisions consider themselves just as worthy of status as a top league club hence why we have promotion, whereas the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins fans never harbour ambitions of playing in the NHL alongside the Pittsburgh Penguins.

 

[Bigpapa42]

I've actually brought this up before, how odd it is that the popular North American team sports are essentially socialist in their nature whereas soccer is moreso purely capitalist.

 

[JeremyHight]

I don't think it has anything to do with left or right, governments of every type or leaning like soccer all around the world. We just don't like it because it doesn't have enough action. Every American pro sport is slanted towards bigger offensive numbers, from the shot clock to the play clock to bigger goals and smaller pads in hockey, everything favors points. We hate soccer because it can be 1-0 or even 0-0... boring.

 

[spiker]

I think that America's soccer hate transcends the right's vitriol. It's across the board. Glen Beck was simply pandering to his audience.

I think one of the main problems is that the MLS is not up to par with the top European clubs so we have no national pride in our own domestic pro league. The MLS needs to rid their salary cap and let the spenders start spending on star talent. Let us get more than just a handful of washed up super stars in this league. Then you'll see some real American interest in soccer.

It also takes a lot of effort to follow European soccer. It's not "handed to you" like MLB or the NFL. It needs to get pounded in your face over and over before it will catch on with the masses. ESPN only broadcasts one EPL game a week (sometimes two) and they usually start before 8am Eastern. Nobody casually watches a game at that time of the day.

 

[Bigpapa42]

I don't think it has anything to do with left or right, governments of every type or leaning like soccer all around the world. We just don't like it because it doesn't have enough action. Every American pro sport is slanted towards bigger offensive numbers, from the shot clock to the play clock to bigger goals and smaller pads in hockey, everything favors points. We hate soccer because it can be 1-0 or even 0-0... boring.

Which is actually a funny concept. By American sports altering the actual make-up of the game to favor scoring and points, they essentially making the game "easier".

Soccer can have scoreless draws. But the average Prem match last season had 2.80 goals, so its hardly the norm. Just like field-position battles with nothing but a few field goals can happen in football, or a 1-0 in hockey. Just because they happen doesn't mean they are the norm.

The relatively-scarcity of goals in soccer means it often takes a moment of real brilliance to score one, and that one moment is all the more important and thrilling.

 

[Senser81]

I don't think the socialist/capitalist angle is anything, really. Its to maintain competitive balance...its not to represent the nation's ideals or to "reward failure". And while its an interesting concept, I'm not sure the relegation system really helps anything. Its more of a financial burden on those 2nd tier teams that bounce back and forth from the majors to the minors.

As JHight said, US sports are slanted towards scoring, statistics, and action. Soccer is has little scoring, very few statistics, and the action is subtle. One facet of soccer that I think drives Americans crazy is the diving. THAT is seen as "rewarding failure" moreso than the Colts getting the #1 draft pick.

US cities don't hate each other like European cities do, so the intense regional rivalries that you get in European soccer are kind of phony in the US.

 

[mgoblue2290]

I don't think it has anything to do with left or right, governments of every type or leaning like soccer all around the world. We just don't like it because it doesn't have enough action. Every American pro sport is slanted towards bigger offensive numbers, from the shot clock to the play clock to bigger goals and smaller pads in hockey, everything favors points. We hate soccer because it can be 1-0 or even 0-0... boring.

A majority of soccer games have at least 2 total goals scored, even 3 really. NFL games can be boring too, before some recent rule changes you could see games with the total points finishing under 20, those occurrences were probably about as often as a soccer game finishing 0-0. Plus when someone does score in soccer everyone goes wild because it is so difficult, the payoff is so great. With football you expect your team to get at least 2 touchdowns.

Yes there can be a dull point during soccer, but baseball and football have their dull points too. I'd say baseball is much more boring than soccer. Especially considering soccer doesn't have any commercials. Its 45 minutes of action, without the annoying break every 5-10 minutes. Football there is 5-10 seconds of action, then 30 of teams huddling and getting lined up.

Soccer is growing in America, not quickly, but slow and steady. As more younger kids play soccer, our players will become more talented and more people will take in interest.

 

[Chrispy]

One of the big reasons I like soccer is that it is pretty much non stop action. Football, baseball, basketball and hockey all take timeouts and the action is constantly stopped. I hate when people say there isn't enough action in soccer.

 

[Bigpapa42]

I don't think the socialist/capitalist angle is anything, really. Its to maintain competitive balance...its not to represent the nation's ideals or to "reward failure". And while its an interesting concept, I'm not sure the relegation system really helps anything. Its more of a financial burden on those 2nd tier teams that bounce back and forth from the majors to the minors.

As JHight said, US sports are slanted towards scoring, statistics, and action. Soccer is has little scoring, very few statistics, and the action is subtle. One facet of soccer that I think drives Americans crazy is the diving. THAT is seen as "rewarding failure" moreso than the Colts getting the #1 draft pick.

US cities don't hate each other like European cities do, so the intense regional rivalries that you get in European soccer are kind of phony in the US.

Some great points. And yeah, I don't think the "political idealism basis" for the sports really plays any role. Its just an interesting aspect.

The way the action unfolds is probably the biggest issue for a lot of fans.

Diving and faking is a funny aspect. And no funny in a good way. I've had a number of friends who know I'm a fan ask how I like those aspects. Well, obviously I don't and I don't think any fan does. Its just an aspect you put up with. Just like there might be aspets of other sports that I don't love, but you put up with because you love other aspects enough.

I have wondered whether the limited advertising opportunities during broadcasts - since halves run for the duration and don't allow breaks for commercials - has created any resistance to the sport from the broadcasting side...?

And the nature of regionalism is also huge. In the US, nationalism comes above regionalism. So while some people might come close to truly hating people from another region - New York and Boston, for example - it really doesn't compare to the historical, cultural, and social differences that create the Madrid-Barcelona rivalry, for example.

 

[BigHouseUSA]

I think JH's post is a good example of why America hasn't taken to soccer. The general idea that most Americans have towards soccer is stereotyped and wrong, and it's only gradually changing from generation to generation. The claim that soccer lacks action compared to American sports is weak, look at baseball, and the constant stoppages in football. It's certainly a more subtle sport than our four major leagues, but that's exactly what makes it so great (like others have touched on).

 

[Fappin Raptor]

Everton's last 4 Prem league games: 2-2, 4-0, 4-4, 4-0. Very low scoring.

10 games this year have ended 1-0 for them and 0 have ended 0-0.

 

[spiker]

One of the big reasons I like soccer is that it is pretty much non stop action. Football, baseball, basketball and hockey all take timeouts and the action is constantly stopped. I hate when people say there isn't enough action in soccer.

Definitely. I love sitting down to watch 45 minutes of uninterrupted play. Watch one NFL game and you'll get mind fucked by Pitbull and Dr Pepper for 3 hours.

 

[NAHSTE]

I've actually brought this up before, how odd it is that the popular North American team sports are essentially socialist in their nature whereas soccer is moreso purely capitalist.

Bill Maher made this point on his show a few months back. Basically that Americans love the parity in the NFL but rail against socialism.

 

[killgod]

One of the big reasons I like soccer is that it is pretty much non stop action. Football, baseball, basketball and hockey all take timeouts and the action is constantly stopped. I hate when people say there isn't enough action in soccer.

That alone really turned me on to the sport.

Fuckin bombardment with advertising is becoming nauseating.

Domino's Pre Game Show brought to you by Toyota.
Virtual Reality play breakdown segment brought to by EA Sports
commericalscommericialscommercials
Papa John's Coin Flip
commericalscommericialscommercials
Here's the starting lineups, brought to you by Subway, Eat Fresh
commericalscommericialscommercials
Game starts....



I've also come to learn with diving, that while being oversold, many times it's still a foul. Do NHL players not snap their heads back on high sticks (phantom or not), or easily hit the ice when a stick's in their midsection? Do NFL players not piss and moan over holds to the ref? Or QB's whine about being improperly breathed on?

NBA...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWRjyUzPX70&feature=related


Happens in all sports, you just get accustomed and ignorant to it when you watch it for years and years. Of course in American media, they blow it out of proportion and misrepresent the sport, much like they do with hockey and fighting. But that's American sports media for you.

 

[Irish]

This was my first year really following soccer (followed Arsenal) and I loved it because the culture around the sport is so different to American sports. American sports fans are a lot more casual than English soccer fans. They know a lot more about the players in the club and are a lot more critical in their views of the players. Also the commentators are a lot more interesting because they call players shit when they play like shit, while American commentary is boring and politically correct all the time. It's funny because most of the top players are at the celebrity level that A-list movie stars reach here so the egos are hilarious to watch. To me the passion and conversations around soccer is so much more entertaining and interesting than American sports.

Also the more I watch the more I notice how tactical and difficult the game is. I never played soccer at all for most of my life and had a pretty ignorant view of the sport. But the more I watch the sport the more I think it's probably one of the hardest games to play at the highest level. Obviously the level of athletes are probably better in American sports. But watching Arsenal they have Theo Walcott, who is probably the fastest player on the pitch almost every match and he can't just dominate every game because he doesn't get the mental part of the game. Which I don't think you see in the major American sports because managers and coaches have more of an impact during the game compared to soccer.

 

[NAHSTE]

Soccer is growing in America, not quickly, but slow and steady. As more younger kids play soccer, our players will become more talented and more people will take in interest.

The median age for those who watched Monday's Manchester derby was 28, and 88% of the viewers were male. In comparison, the median viewing age for the World Series last year was 55.

Yeah, European soccer is not going anywhere.

 

[mgoblue2290]

Another thing I like about soccer is how all of the fans pretty much live in the city of the team they support. They could walk over to the pub then walk down to the game if they wanted. Whereas in America we're a lot more spread out with fans being further from the places their teams play. Also most players live year round in the cities they play in which gives it more of a community vibe.

 

[spiker]

Right on cue

"I’d Rather Drink Methamphetamine," And Other Complaints About Soccer Being On ESPN

http://deadspin.com/5906430/id-rath...d-other-complaints-about-soccer-being-on-espn

 

[Fappin Raptor]

Twitter always exposing the ignorant people of this country.