Why IS soccer so popular outside of America? (neighborhood, gated)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm 100% European yet I find it boring to watch. I don't get its popularity, I prefer watching the Olympic games to UEFA and FIFA games. I also think the players are overpaid.
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
8,852 posts, read 10,467,170 times
Reputation: 6670
Probably depends on what most folks were raised on as kids, and for many 'Murikins, watching 'Monday Night Football' has also long been a regular 'social' event.
Monday Night Football and the Racial Roots of the Network TV Event
Launched in 1970, American Broadcasting Company’s (ABC) Monday Night Football made live prime time sports television viable when most sports broadcasts were relegated to weekends. It did so in part by packaging games for a crossover viewership.
Its not only the USA where it doesn't generate much interest.
But yes, sports is largely a question of loyalty and affiliation. The team and the very sport you support is primarily a function of what you are brought up with.
Some of us are lucky enough to be born in countries with higher quality sports choices.
Because it's the best/better. List of things that are better:
Gold > bronze;
Diamonds > emeralds;
Versace > Nike;
Ferrari > Tesla;
Italian > French;
China > Yughurs;
Bitcoin > Dollar;
Music > all arts.
etc etc. Football is still the most dynamic game and the one that everyone with 10$ bucks in the pocket can play in any climate, try that with hockey or baseball or American football.
^I actually find that soccer is boring to watch. Actually most sports are (they're much better when you play them). But most soccer fans are beer-bellied lazy a...ses. Basketball is more dynamic and more fun to play imo. Handball's also more fun and dynamic to play.
Because it's the best/better. List of things that are better:
Gold > bronze;
Diamonds > emeralds;
Versace > Nike;
Ferrari > Tesla;
Italian > French;
China > Yughurs;
Bitcoin > Dollar;
Music > all arts.
etc etc. Football is still the most dynamic game and the one that everyone with 10$ bucks in the pocket can play in any climate, try that with hockey or baseball or American football.
Yes soccer is cheap to play, so it is very popular among poor countries of the world. Soccer was never popular in the other English speaking countries USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand until massive immigration. Most of the soccer fans in the USA are Hispanic immigrants. I also think in South Africa it was more popular among poorer blacks, than the richer whites.
Simplest answer -- it's inexpensive; all anyone needs, even in the poorest Third World neighborhood, is a ball to kick around, and something to use as a goal.
Its not only the USA where it doesn't generate much interest.
But yes, sports is largely a question of loyalty and affiliation. The team and the very sport you support is primarily a function of what you are brought up with.
Some of us are lucky enough to be born in countries with higher quality sports choices.
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa are both Rugby and Cricket nations.
Canada is more Hockey, which is understandable given the climate in certain areas.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies, Zimbabwe etc are nations where Cricket is more popular.
As for rugby it's popular in certain countries beyond the UK and Ireland, especially France and Italy, but also in countries such as Argentina, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga, Uruguay etc etc.
Football (Soccer) is the most popular sport in the UK, however Cricket and Rugby are also very popular.
^I actually find that soccer is boring to watch. Actually most sports are (they're much better when you play them). But most soccer fans are beer-bellied lazy a...ses. Basketball is more dynamic and more fun to play imo. Handball's also more fun and dynamic to play.
Soccer is very boring to watch. I did watch Italy/England at my bar, because of the big event that it was. England scored right off the bat, then nothing but boredom until Italy tied it later in the 2nd half. Then you have this long boring OT, nothing like an exciting Hockey sudden death OT, where there are usually many scoring chances, great saves by the goaltender, and it is a true sudden death overtime. The only good thing about soccer, are the penalty kicks, that at least you know this boredom is thankfully coming to an end.
Because it's the best/better. List of things that are better:
Gold > bronze;
Diamonds > emeralds;
Versace > Nike;
Ferrari > Tesla;
Italian > French;
China > Uyghurs;
Bitcoin > Dollar;
Music > all arts.
etc etc. Football is still the most dynamic game and the one that everyone with 10$ bucks in the pocket can play in any climate, try that with hockey or baseball or American football.
Elitism at its finest. Italian objectively better than French, really? Are you aware that fine emeralds are actually more rare and valuable than diamonds? And what does "most dynamic game" even mean? A game in which a bunch of people just run around and around on a field for hours and may not even score once is not dynamic. An example of a dynamic sport is basketball.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Italian objectively better than French, really? Are you aware that fine emeralds are actually more rare and valuable than diamonds? And what does "most dynamic game" even mean? A game in which a bunch of people just run around and around on a field for hours and may not even score once is not dynamic. An example of a dynamic sport is basketball.