ozzieeagle

Just wondered how the interest varies in the round ball game, state by state and whether there was much greater interest in some parts of America than others.

With Brazil hosting the next World Cup. same or similar timezones and the potential for the US to do really well, could US football be on the verge of making it big time in the US ?

Living in Australia, we also are faced with the prospect of Football being a minority sport, but that is changing. Is there anywhere over in the US... in a similar position to my Location in the Medittarenean dominated suburbs of the North side of Melbourne where arguably real football is the main sport ?

Just testing the waters for the next WC build up ... Over to you guys

Ash UK/US

Seems like there was more interest this last time.

It also seems to attract a lot of interest as a sport for girls in schools.

Beaverstate

Soccer AKA football does well with school age children. Upon graduation interest levels drop. Partly cultural, partly because it is so god damn boring when you are not an active participant. Yes I know I just don't understand the game blah...blah...blah...

Bob

It's popular in school and there's a few teams in crappy leagues in this state that are okay but bring in the attendance figures of about none.

The pro team here is the Revs, they use the Patriots stadium and the tickets cost $20 for up front seating instead of $200 for way out in the nose bleeds, they only open up the first ring of seats and don't fill them that they now don't even publish attendance figures that they are so low.

You just don't see pick up games in general either. There are organised matches, but you need permits to use a lot of the town fields.

Some towns are better than others. Our last town, you'd see more folks playing but then there was a massive Brazilian population.

ozzieeagle

Getting reports of a lot of this kind of strange football style behaviour out of the MLS at present

I reckon the build up for the Brazilian WC is going quite well.

People in Europe and indeed the rest of the World are sitting up and taking notice of the MLS now.

It may surprise some people on this part of the fourm that Portland had the 4th biggest home and away crowd of the year in the world last year. 64,600.

So who here has been to a game

Bob

People take note because they pay stupid sums of money for everyone elses has beens that should have retired years ago, but now get a second run in like Beckham and Henry...which helps to bring the level of the game up a bit. Also helps when players like Dempsey heads to the UK and does well.

The only good thing about going to a Revolutions game here is that you can find parking, but you can also park in the mall at the stadium for free and they don't care unlike at a Patriots game where you're lucky to find a spot for less than $40.

Went to see Oxford United last summer on a pre-season tour, playing a team from New Hampshire and one from Mass...it was fun, but there was about 30 people in the stands watching and that includes the girlfriends of the players and the chap filming/tweeting the match for Oxford United as well as travelling fans from England, who used it as an excuse for a holiday to Boston (there was a package tour group discount on offer including flights for fans and Boston hotel stay and a night in New Hampshire).

They're doing another tour this summer, one match in Saco, Maine and then another two in Exeter, NH. Should go, never get to see my home team other wise, but I don't know if I can be bothered with something so souless again.

ozzieeagle

Well hats off to you Bob A real football fan in my eyes. I'd travel 2.5K to Perth to see my team play. Almost a duty to carry the flag as a pioneer in spreading the word.

Having said that, the MLS really is being taken notice off now... started properly about 2 seasons back for some reason and now snowballing. Football people actually go out of their way to take in a game now. I know of plenty of people that have visited a game from the UK and someone personally from Aus... and he was of Greek heritage... and the person that told me the MLS is "going to happen". Plenty of mentions on football boards here.

Keith S

The US team played Scotland here at the weekend. Suprisingly big crowd which almost filled the local NFL ground (Jaguars). Plus they were big winners over the Jocks (5-1). Soccer isn't promoted that much but there is definately a great deal of support.

Bob

I wouldn't go that far, Exeter, NH is only a bit over an hour away from where I am

As for how much the MLS is taking off...I think it really depends on where in the country.

It is much more involved in some parts, especially if they don't have any other sports that dominate.

Down where I am, we've got Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, then we've got the college sports with all the colleges and way down below everything else would the Revolutions fit into the picture.

Apart from a very small handful of folks I know around where I live even realise that Brazil is hosting the worldcup, or that Euro12 is kicking off this summer.

Bink

I think it depends where you are and if you know who to ask/where to go. There are lots of pick-up games here in Houston, but there's also a large expat population here driving it. I could get a game any night of the week just by turning up but there are also lots of organized games too.

lansbury

Not part of the Timbers Army then.

Bob

Like I was talking about, where I am.

There are loads of Brits and other nationals playing in Boston, but pretty much all in various leagues.

There are about 30 pitches in two parks in the neighbouring towns to where I live, but unless you're in a league, with a permit, you aren't allowed to play on them.

Number of parks I've been too, I've only ever seen footie being played once out in the metro area of Mass that wasn't an organised kids league. You hardly even see a parent kicking a ball around with their kids out here and there are goal posts with nets.

Actually, you hardly ever see anyone playing any sport out this way unless it's an organised sporting league other than frisbee.

Sheepdip

We have the Charleston Battery in SC. They play in the USL-1 league and have a ground akin to a Blue Sq Prem/League 2 team with similar attendances. Saw a couple of games there last year, one being Portsmouth who came over for a mini US tour. Will be seeing Notts Forest in a couple of months time too.

Locally, it's big in the elementary/middle school ages and tapers off into high school and college. Season ticket for a South Carolina University season (Go Cocks!) is $25 for ten games and is a good evening's watch I find I do get the odd look in the stands though as I'm not related to any of the players!

I referee high school and below and my son is a U18 coach.

kimilseung

Surprises me, but what you wrote does not make any sense. What does "home and away crowd" even mean? Their ground only holds circa 20,000. Can you explain further your meaning?

edit: A quick Google suggests it is some AFL Aussie colloquialism, but I do not know what it means nor how it applies to Portland to make them the fourth best at anything.

kimilseung

In terms of attendance I read (here) that Seattle Sounders with 64,140 had the fourth largest attendance in the world in 2011, but as it does not even count Man U, I think we can treat these claims with a pinch of salt without more authoritative sourcing. [edit: I re-read that article and it was highest attendance for that Saturday, so I assume Man U were away]

I think Soccer (certainly in terms of a spectator sport) is big in the Pacific Northwest where Portland sell out their 20,000 ish stadium regularly and Seattle are selling 38,000 for every game this season, and 36,000 for the preceding three stadiums. They are technically sell outs, but they only open specific sections for soccer, the stadium can hold 67,000 or so, which it does for pigskin. I believe that Seattle with 36,000 average where in the top 50 average crowds worldwide.

Several times a year the whole stadium is opened up, but that is for tickets bought for the International friendlies against Man U or Chelsea, they are sold as combined tickets for the friendly game and for two or three regular season games, it is an attempt by management to make regular fans out of the casual spectator brought in wanting to see the big teams.

I can only speak for Seattle, but their is less Latino support that an outsider might expect, in fact there have been campaigns both from the management and supporter groups to try to increase interest from local Latinos.

regarding your point/question in your similar post in the Aussie forum - There is a big Latino crowd when Seattle play Mexican teams in the CONCACAF Champions League, and for friendlies against Mexican teams. Latinos seem to stick with the teams from the old country.

Supporter culture borrows from around the world so the use of capos is common, which I hate, people singing on queue, too many songs get assigned times, and the songs do not change no matter what is going on on the pitch; all a bit supporting by numbers. Capos do not attempt to watch the game. Tifo is big here, and can be quite impressive. American supporter are often very knowledgeable about the world game, the historic small scale of soccer in the US has gotten people to look outward both for the game itself and the supporter culture.

The local rivalry between Seattle-Portland-Vancouve is good, it is nice to get away games with a bit of bite; although away tickets is regulated through supporters groups, so that the singers and banner wavers are represented on TV, and limited as MLS is still a little nervous about importing the negative side of soccer culture, MLS is not sure about away support, if they want it at all, or to regulate it.

I love driving down to Portland, I have family in the city which helps, but the atmosphere is great for the Portland-Seattle games.

I have dropped season tickets this season but have had them for the last few seasons. I can get better deals via my work, I work tangentially for the city, and the stadium got city money and so we get a few good deals. (as cheap as $10.00 for the extra seats in the gods when the whole stadium is opened)

What I notice nearly every game, I never get used to it, is the orderliness of an American crowd, a crowd of 38,000 and the cars are still driving down the streets around the stadium unhindered. People still stop at the cross-walks.