Major League Soccer---Will it catch on ?

Post by **Coach** » May 17th, 2007, 9:21 pm

I just turned on the television tonight and saw that they are having Thursday Night MLS. Meanwhile, the NHL Western Finals are on versus...the channel that many people don't have. I think there has been more soccer on this year than in the past, and I bet it is because it probably had pretty good ratings this past summer for the World Cup. I'm betting MLS does end up being much bigger than it is 5 years from now.

Former Wildcat · Post by **Former Wildcat** » May 24th, 2007, 7:49 am

I agree that there has been more soccer on tv and that espn is pushing soccer more ever. It has not just been this past year because ESPN has been televising more Champions League games progressively for the past 5-6 years. The problem with the MLS is it is similar to the Altoona Curve. I am a soccer fan, but I rarely watch MLS because it does not have the same level of excitement for me as Champions League or other European soccer. This is because I wonder why anyone would choose to play in MLS if they were good enough to move to Europe. I don't think a lot of soccer fans pay great attention to MLS and I assume that non-soccer fans don't care either. Because of that, I cannot see it becoming much bigger than it is, but if players like Beckham and Zidane keep coming, it will continue to get more coverage.

Post by **Coach** » May 24th, 2007, 7:52 pm

it is on again right now... Thursday night MLS. I think it will catch on and I think some bigger names will keep coming. Just my 5 year from now prediction.

Goodwill · Post by **Goodwill** » May 25th, 2007, 11:00 am

Nah if it hasn't caught on already I don't see it.

count2infinity · Post by **count2infinity** » May 25th, 2007, 9:04 pm

the MLS will catch on IF, and only if they continue to have match ups that MLS teams play european teams. I saw that DC United beat Celtic to the tune of 3 or 4 nothing and they held their own with one of the premier teams i think as well...man u maybe? they keep those sort of match ups coming it will definitely catch, but i as well as every other hockey fan in the nation would like to see NHL back on ESPN. It's been away for too long, we need it back. I get VS. here in pittsburgh, but when i'm home we don't have it.

thatswhatshesaid · Post by **thatswhatshesaid** » May 25th, 2007, 9:49 pm

i think the mls will start to make a bigger fanbase with the arrival of david beckham. He's not as good as he used to be but Beckhan is a name that a lot of people in America will know and i think having a big name will bring interest to the game. Just like the year after the strike in the nhl and the penguins got Sidney Crosby. Almost everyone around pittsburgh was instantly a penguins fan. If this can happen in LA i think it can spread throughout the country

CRSOCCR · Post by **CRSOCCR** » May 27th, 2007, 7:33 am

MLS has been building a fan base for a few years now, but having a game on ESPN2 every week will definitely attract more atttention. Once Beckam is here, LA will probably be on every other week. Ultimately, soccer in general is slowly catching on because more and more parents of young kids played some soccer (AYSO,Indoor,etc) and they are able to relate and teach their kids how to play. 10 or 15 years ago all you would hear was "My kid is playing but I don't know the first thing about soccer." That slowly is fading away, thanks in large part to youth leagues. But soccer will not be big until the National team puts it together and makes a deep run at the World Cup.

Goodwill · Post by **Goodwill** » May 27th, 2007, 5:18 pm

10 or 15 years ago all you would hear was "My kid is playing but I don't know the first thing about soccer." That slowly is fading away, thanks in large part to youth leagues. But soccer will not be big until the National team puts it together and makes a deep run at the World Cup.

The youth leagues have been around for years so don't give me that crap. I thought Pele was going to bring the sport to the US? Beckam is a chump.

once a runner · Post by **once a runner** » May 27th, 2007, 10:29 pm

Soccer receives a spike in interest every 4 years when the World Cup comes around. It's very similar to sports like swimming/track/gymnastics during the Olympics. Hardcore fans of each sport will continue to follow it in the in between years, but they will never gain enough of following to be considered a major sport.

Just because kids play a sport doesn't necessarily mean they want to watch it on television. More kids participate in track than in golf, but golf is more popular on TV. If you're a fan of a minor sport, accept what little exposure your sport gets, but realize that they will never receive close to the same coverage as football, basketball or baseball.

level7hunter · Post by **level7hunter** » May 29th, 2007, 10:04 pm

soccer has come out of the dark in america in the last twenty years. I expect it to eventually become a major sport

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