Football not famous in Some parts

[Selvakumar Kumar]

I was left to wonder why football game is not so popular in USA. May be I am wrong, but only European and South American countries fail well in the international tournaments.

Here in India too many people talk about football all day, but in the world rankings India does not even come in top 100.

[Jesper de Jong]

Maybe because they have other sports, like basketball and baseball in the USA?

Isn't cricket also very popular in India?

[Selvakumar Kumar]

Yes Cricket is very popular in India (may be also killing other sports), but there are a lot of people who like Football..

May be they only watch,talk or play in video games the football in India rather playing them on ground.

[Pradeep bhatt]

Originally posted by Selvakumar Kumar:
Yes Cricket is very popular in India (may be also killing other sports), but there are a lot of people who like Football..

May be they only watch,talk or play in video games the football in India rather playing them on ground.

A game will be popular only if the national team starts wining. In India cricket became popular after 1983 WC. India stands 151 in FIFA ranking that is among last rankings.

[Rambo Prasad]

May be they only watch,talk or play in video games the football in India rather playing them on ground

Exactly...People love doing all the above except playing

I wonder when India will qualify to play football in Olympics...
[ May 12, 2008: Message edited by: Rambo Prasad ]

[fred rosenberger]

people in the U.S. like to see teams score. the problem many have with football/soccer is that 1-0 is a common score. watching a game for two hours where nobody scores... we tend to find boring.

this a gross simplification/generalization, but i think it holds some merit. "The Simpsons" had a parody of it once. Some international team came to Springfield to play. The U.S. announcer speaks in a dead-pan voice:

Announcer: "He passed the ball. He holds it... holds it... holds it...holds it...holds it...holds it..."

they cut to foreign announcer: "He passes. He holds it. Holds it. HOLDS it. HOLDS IT. HE HOLDS IT!!! HOLDS IT!!!

[Mark Spritzler]

We here in the U.S like more brutal sports, we don't like elegant sports. ; ) Just Kidding.

I mean, yes, Soccer is boring to watch, but so is Golf to so many people, but Golf is huge in the US.

Mark

[fred rosenberger]

Originally posted by Mark Spritzler:
I mean, yes, Soccer is boring to watch, but so is Golf to so many people, but Golf is huge in the US.

But even in golf, a LOW score is in the 60's.

[Mark Spritzler]

Originally posted by fred rosenberger:

But even in golf, a LOW score is in the 60's.

But "score" has a different meaning.

In Soccer, a score is when someone finally puts it into the net, which might be hours later. Whereas in Golf, a score is swinging the club, no matter what the result is. So a really bad swing that gets you no where is still a score. And you Swing on average about once every 5 minutes, if the group in front of you isn't really slow. Can you imaging how much more boring Soccer would be it before you could "hold it" you had to wait for the Soccer team in front of you to finish "holding it" first.

Mark

[Mark Spritzler]

Originally posted by Selvakumar Kumar:
I was left to wonder why football game is not so popular in USA. May be I am wrong, but only European and South American countries fail well in the international tournaments.

Here in India too many people talk about football all day, but in the world rankings India does not even come in top 100.

To the real topic, I am sure if the major networks put soccer on all the time and promoted and pushed it really hard, that it would be popular in the USA. But right now it is only on special channels and only gets on a nework if it is the World's Cup. Which only happens every 4 years?

Mark

[Alan Wanwierd]

Popular theory amongst the English is that Americans refuse to take any team sport seriously unless nobody else plays it (fear of competition?)!..

[John Smith]

Americans like instant gratification. In American football, we can experience it every minute: head concussions, broken bones, and pretty cheerleaders moving. In European soccer, it's just girly-looking men moving aimlessly around the field who like to fall on the lush grass and start crying and arguing with the referees. The longer you can tolerate it by watching, the more "refined" individual you are deemed to be by European standards. Clush of cultures.

[Selvakumar Kumar]

Having many games other than Football may be also is one of reasons.. but the big surprise to me is how come the US media let alone football, where a huge amount of money can be milked.. since the football season schedule runs through out the calendar..

[Vikas Kapoor]

I feel across the world , Soccer is the most famous game. And then tennis then
golf. Is it?

[Paul Sturrock]

Tennis? I thought that was a minority sport played by posh people?

[Vikas Kapoor]

Originally posted by Paul Sturrock:
Tennis? I thought that was a minority sport played by posh people?

Kidding? What do you mean by posh people? It's not like any casino game like blackjack,poker or backgammon for which big pocket is required.Paul, are you from haiti or likewise country? Don't mind.
There are three big championships for tennis.
1) US Open
2) Australian Open
3) Wimbledon

Still is it one of the minority sport?

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

Here are my beliefs on this issue:

It wasn't until 1863 that anything like modern soccer appeared. This is the date when association football (i.e., soccer) and rugby officially split apart, got their own rulebooks and their own leagues in England. By this time, baseball was already firmly entrenched in the US. Pre-split rugby was also played in the US; whereas in Britain it evolved into soccer, in the US it eventually evolved into American Football.

The last thing the U.S. wanted to do in 1863 was to copy Britain. Countries that were in close contact with Britain after 1863 -- because they were neighbors, or because Britain was busy colonizing or otherwise messing with them -- got the soccer bug, but in the U.S., we were pointedly on our own. Even if we wanted to emulate Britain -- which we most definitely did not -- in 1863, it's not like a team could hop on a plane and go play Manchester, or switch on the T.V. Our southern neighbor didn't start playing soccer unti the 1920s.

Canada (being obviously one of those places with strong British ties during that period) was apparently really into soccer in the late 1800s, but it fell out of favor, replaced by -- you guessed it -- Canadian football (which is quite similar to American football.)

[Jim Yingst]

Originally posted by Alan Wanwierd:
Popular theory amongst the English is that Americans refuse to take any team sport seriously unless nobody else plays it (fear of competition?)!..

This may be a contributing factor limiting interest in the sport now, but I think the primary reasons are historical, as EFH noted, and the pacing issue. Plenty of Americans are hockey fans, even though they're used to getting clobbered by Canadian teams. Not always, of course, but often enough that it's not exactly something that the US can dominate. But we play and watch it nonetheless, because it's got plenty of action. It's a sport well-suited to American viewing tastes.

[Jim Yingst]

As for tennis, it may be a bit more expensive to get into than many team sports like football (any variety) or basketball. That may limit its popularity a bit among the poor. But it's hardly exclusive to the "posh", at least in the US, and there are plenty of people who enjoy watching it.

Golf: I have no idea why it has any popularity at all, in the US or elsewhere.

[Paul Sturrock]

Must just be a UK perception I suppose. Tennis clubs round here are very definately the preserve of the well-off. Perhaps its because, historically, it was always the "gentleman's" sport (possibly because when it started, you needed a lawn to play it on). Maybe the posh bit disappears the States and Oz.

[Joanne Neal]

Originally posted by Vishal Pandya:
There are three big championships for tennis.
1) US Open
2) Australian Open
3) Wimbledon

I think the French might have something to say about this.

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

Originally posted by Paul Sturrock:
Must just be a UK perception I suppose. Tennis clubs round here are very definately the preserve of the well-off. Perhaps its because, historically, it was always the "gentleman's" sport (possibly because when it started, you needed a lawn to play it on). Maybe the posh bit disappears the States and Oz.

No, it's the same here, too, pretty much.

[Paul Sturrock]

Countries that were in close contact with Britain after 1863 -- because they were neighbors, or because Britain was busy colonizing or otherwise messing with them -- got the soccer bug, but in the U.S., we were pointedly on our own.

Its odd India didn't pick up the football bug though. Cricket seems so popular; why not any of the other former colonist's games? I'm going to show my ignorance here, but does India have a popular following for any native sports? Kabaddi? Hockey?

[Jim Yingst]

It may be a question as to where you draw the line at what's "posh". Seems like most places I've lived in the US, you could find some tennis courts somewhere that were free and open to the public. You might sometimes have to wait for an open court, or the condition of the courts might not be as nice as for private/paid courts. I think tennis is still fairly easily accessible to the middle classes in the US, and still possible for the poor. Its popularity may skew towards the rich, but it's not exclusive to them by any means.

Then again, I haven't played tennis in quite some time, and it's possible that I have an exaggerated idea of how easy it is to find a place to play. Back in Arizona it was easy to find open courts in the summer, because most people didn't want to play for too long in the sun. Posh or not.
[ May 13, 2008: Message edited by: Jim Yingst ]

[Vikas Kapoor]

Originally posted by Jim Yingst:
...Plenty of Americans are hockey fans...

Might be 'ice-hockey'. Hockey(no ice) is india's national game. But cricket has overridden it. I am also a cricket fan.

[Jim Yingst]

Yes, I meant ice hockey.

[Vikas Kapoor]

Originally posted by Jim Yingst:
...Golf: I have no idea why it has any popularity at all, in the US or elsewhere.

Strange!!!
Do you know about Tiger Woods? He is one of the richest sport person in US.
Can somebody tell me the most famous sport in US? For My Information.

[ May 13, 2008: Message edited by: Vishal Pandya ]
[ May 13, 2008: Message edited by: Vishal Pandya ]

[Vikas Kapoor]

Originally posted by Joanne Neal:


I think the French might have something to say about this.

Sorry i missed that one.

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

Originally posted by Vishal Pandya:
Strange!!!
Do you know about Tiger Woods? He is one of the richest sport person in US.
Can somebody tell me the most famous sport in US? For My Information.

He was saying (correctly) that golf is boring to watch, and (arguably) not much fun to play. Sure, everybody knows about Tiger Woods.

The most "famous" sport in the US? The professional sports most watched (on television or in person) are (American) football and basketball, followed by basebal, hockey, and NASCAR racing. Soccer is way, way way down the list; I bet more Americans watch bowling on TV than watch soccer.

[Vikas Kapoor]

Originally posted by Paul Sturrock:

Its odd India didn't pick up the football bug though. Cricket seems so popular; why not any of the other former colonist's games? I'm going to show my ignorance here, but does India have a popular following for any native sports? Kabaddi? Hockey?

I agree paul. You can say 'Cricket is very next after GOD'. When it's a 'Cricket World Cup' season you may find empty roads in the city.Really. And Hockey is our national game. But not hockey all the games are badly struggling to get fame.Don't know any specific reason of cricket's extreme fame. I love it.

[Mark Spritzler]

Originally posted by Vishal Pandya:
Strange!!!
Do you know about Tiger Woods? He is one of the richest sport person in US.
Can somebody tell me the most famous sport in US? For My Information.

Jim's sarcasm wins over another one.

Baseball, Football, Basketball, and Hockey are the big 4 USA team sports. Followed by Golf, then probably Tennis. I am sure I missed something but, I think I would put the 4 also in that order.

Mark

[Jim Yingst]

EFH's statements here match my own opinions. Including the idea that golf can be enjoyable to play, true. I overstated my position in this respect. But why anyone would ever watch it on television is a mystery to me. Still, some people do, so I guess there's something there that appeals to some people.

[Jim Yingst]

[Mark]: Baseball, Football, Basketball, and Hockey are the big 4 USA team sports

Hm, I would think baseball is number 3 nowadays, same as the order EFH gave.

[Peter Rooke]

I started watching football (or Soccer, if you must!) as I was taken the local stadium as a kid. Seems to be the way of it in the UK.

I don't think there is any understanding of the game in America, and the TV networks are staying with the American sports. If the New York Cosmos could not launch football in the US then I don't think anything will!!

Cricket may be popular in India as it suits the weather more - but I have been puzzled as to why football has never been popular in this region.

Polo seems to be the 'posh' sport in the UK. Ruby is starting to appeal to a wider audience. Previously ruby supporters were from English public (well private) schools, and tended to be more upper class.

And one thing that annoys – why is it called the World Series – when its just the USA?

[Jim Yingst]

[Peter]: Polo seems to be the 'posh' sport in the UK. Ruby is starting to appeal to a wider audience. Previously ruby supporters were from English public (well private) schools, and tended to be more upper class.

Yeah, but since the arrival of Rails it's been mushrooming in popularity, and everyone seems to be joining the bandwagon.

[fred rosenberger]

Originally posted by Peter Rooke:
And one thing that annoys – why is it called the World Series – when its just the USA?

Hey!!! America Jr. - I mean... CANADA... is represented too!!!

BlueJays
and until recently:
Expos

[Peter Rooke]

He, he - been spending to long at a computer, and not watching sport!!!
Of course I did mean Rugby! Rugby on rails - that would be different!

In European soccer, it's just girly-looking men

- bet would would not tell Roy Keane (or the like) that!! It's actually quite a tough game. But, I bet I know who you are thinking of, since you now have one of our most expensive footballers in America!

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

Originally posted by Peter Rooke:

Of course I did mean Rugby! Rugby on rails - that would be different!

It would remove the element of suspense, for sure.

[Pat Farrell]

American's don't watch hockey (ice) on TV, but there is a good following for it live.

Football/Soccer fails on TV for a number of reasons. First, not enough scoring.

More importantly, no time outs for beer and shooting the breeze. This is critical, most American's watch sports with a bunch of their friends, and shooting the breeze and drinking beer is far more important than the sport.

Both baseball and american football have 30 or more seconds with nothing happening, time for beer. Neither hockey nor soccer/football have any breaks.

Why anyone watches golf is beyond my comprehension.

[fred rosenberger]

Originally posted by Pat Farrell:
Why anyone watches golf is beyond my comprehension.

Well, there are LOTS of breaks for drinking beer...