- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Is soccer in the US close to surpassing hockey as the 4th sport?
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:09 pm to cheesesteak501
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:09 pm to cheesesteak501
I'd say it already is.
0
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:22 pm to cheesesteak501
quote:this is wrong
Stanley cup averages a little less than 3 million viewers,
2014 Stanley Cup
Game 1 3.0 4.8 million
Game 2 3.7 6.4 million
Game 3 1.7 2.89 million
Game 4 2.0 3.83 million
Game 5 3.7 6 million
The best gauge for where a league sport is at compared to its peers in other sports is league wide generated revenue. The NHL is light years ahead of the MLS in that category.
Look, I love soccer as much as all of you but lets just accept that the MLS is still growing and has made big gains but there is a long way to go yet.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:33 pm to kilo
I'm not an expert but it seems there's 2 distinct questions being addressed:
1) Is soccer supplanting hockey as the 4th most popular sport in the USA?
2) Is the MLS supplanting the NHL as the 4th most popular league in the USA?
For question 1, I'd say it already has (probably by a pretty big margin) considering the sheer amount of people playing, adding the huge popularity of European/foreign leagues to the MLS, the casual familiarity of world superstars, the World Cup etc etc
For #2, the NHL is probably still a bigger league but unlike the MLS, it doesn't have to compete with 10-15 worldwide that are better including at least 4 that are light years ahead by every metric.
1) Is soccer supplanting hockey as the 4th most popular sport in the USA?
2) Is the MLS supplanting the NHL as the 4th most popular league in the USA?
For question 1, I'd say it already has (probably by a pretty big margin) considering the sheer amount of people playing, adding the huge popularity of European/foreign leagues to the MLS, the casual familiarity of world superstars, the World Cup etc etc
For #2, the NHL is probably still a bigger league but unlike the MLS, it doesn't have to compete with 10-15 worldwide that are better including at least 4 that are light years ahead by every metric.
This post was edited on 7/6/14 at 7:40 pm
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:33 pm to kilo
I think a lot of Americans like the idea of hockey but few of those people actually watch or really even understand the game. More Americans will voice a general dislike of soccer but I would say a larger Percentage of the population actually watches soccer with some regularity.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:35 pm to cheesesteak501
The question is not when soccer passed the NHL but when the MLS passes the NHL. Soccer has arrived in the US the MLS just has to catch up, which it is working very hard to do and making strides.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:35 pm to thesoccerfanjax
I thought this shite would end after the US´s exit from the WC.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:42 pm to wm72
quote:
For question 1, I'd say it already has (probably by a pretty big margin) considering the sheer amount of people playing, adding the huge popularity of European/foreign leagues to the MLS, the casual familiarity of world superstars, the World Cup etc etc
Soccer has always been popular in so far as participation in playing by the country's youth. Problem is no one was interested in watching and its still lagging pretty far behind in that category.
quote:
For #2, the NHL is probably still a bigger league but unlike the MLS, it doesn't have to compete with 10-15 worldwide that are better including at least 4 that are light years ahead by every metric.
I think folks here over estimate the TV ratings of the foreign leagues.
When looking at the base of what professional soccer and its popularity are compared to the number 4"sport" there is still a ways to go before it passes the NHL and hockey.
This post was edited on 7/6/14 at 7:43 pm
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:48 pm to kilo
I just don't see it man. Maybe its a regional thing but where I live has transplants from all over and I see WAY more soccer jerseys than I do any sort of NHL gear. The only hockey fan I've ever known in my life happens to be the biggest soccer fan I know and would probably even list baseball ahead of hockey.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:49 pm to kilo
I just don't see it man. Maybe its a regional thing but where I live has transplants from all over and I see WAY more soccer jerseys than I do any sort of NHL gear. The only hockey fan I've ever known in my life happens to be the biggest soccer fan I know and would probably even list baseball ahead of hockey.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:52 pm to thesoccerfanjax
quote:
I just don't see it man. Maybe its a regional thing but where I live has transplants from all over and I see WAY more soccer jerseys than I do any sort of NHL gear. The only hockey fan I've ever known in my life happens to be the biggest soccer fan I know and would probably even list baseball ahead of hockey.
The numbers dont lie. Revenue, Ratings, TV contracts the list goes on and on.
Im not attacking soccer man, Im just being a realist. Things are growing but its got a bit before it passes up the NHL.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 7:56 pm to kilo
Where are all these hockey fans then? Serious question.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 8:00 pm to kilo
quote:
I think folks here over estimate the TV ratings of the foreign leagues.
Maybe. Like I said I'm certainly no expert and am really just basing my thoughts off of personal experience which is probably influenced by living in Brooklyn NY where soccer popularity seems to be exploding.
But I do imagine the EPL and UEFA CL both have more viewers than the MLS in the USA?
Then La Liga (both English and Spanish stations) and Serie A (both English and RAI America) have pretty large followings.
Then you have Bundesliga and Ligue 1 and all the central and south American leagues people follow.
I'd also imagine a pretty significant percentage followers of those leagues do so mainly with internet and usually illegal streams. I'm one of the extreme minority among friends that actually pays the outrageous rates for cable TV and doesn't just watch the matches online or bars (or according to my girlfriend on our couch).
Posted on 7/6/14 at 8:00 pm to thesoccerfanjax
quote:
Where are all these hockey fans then? Serious question.
Now you are just being obtuse.
Have a good night. Try not to take it so personal.
Soccer is in a good spot and its getting better.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 8:01 pm to kilo
quote:
The numbers dont lie. Revenue, Ratings, TV contracts the list goes on and on.
Im not attacking soccer man, Im just being a realist. Things are growing but its got a bit before it passes up the NHL.
Agreed. The most popular hockey league in the World is a little more popular than a soccer league that isn't in the top 10 and has little tradition.
This post was edited on 7/6/14 at 8:03 pm
Posted on 7/6/14 at 8:02 pm to ohiovol
quote:
We can probably just wait until the NHL folds.
Well, that league sure likes to shoot itself in the foot with all the labor issues thats for sue.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 8:04 pm to kilo
I'm seriously not. I like hockey. I just don't understand where all these so called hockey fans are. My first guess would be the rust belt. But as a resident of FL where rust belters are moving in record numbers, almost none of them I've met are hockey fans. I'm not trying to call you out but this doesn't seem to add up at all. I'm sure many of the LA natives here agree with me on this.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 8:04 pm to kilo
quote:
Well, that league sure likes to shoot itself in the foot with all the labor issues thats for sue.
It certainly doesn't help that the only people who care about the NHL are those who live somewhere without a competitive team in one of the three major US professional sports leagues.
This post was edited on 7/6/14 at 8:06 pm
Posted on 7/6/14 at 8:05 pm to ohiovol
quote:
Agreed. The most popular hockey league in the World is a little more popular than a soccer league that isn't in the top 10 and has little tradition.
I love my fellow soccer fans but some of you all are fricking panzies when it comes to trying to talk about this stuff.
Good lord.
Posted on 7/6/14 at 8:06 pm to kilo
quote:
Where are all these hockey fans then? Serious question.
Now you are just being obtuse.
I don't think he meant it that way.
I think there's a hugely divergent demographic though and that explains why some of us see/meet 100 soccer fans to every hockey fan.
In NY for example, I know there have to be tons of hockey fans but it seems they must be much more middle age people in working class neighborhoods in places like Long Island, Staten Island, Upstate as they're not really noticeable at all in the city on par with American football, basketball, baseball and soccer fans.
And I would guess NY is also considered a top hockey market.
This post was edited on 7/6/14 at 8:11 pm
Posted on 7/6/14 at 8:06 pm to thesoccerfanjax
quote:
so called hockey fans are
Jesus man. I mean, seriously.
Page 2 of 8
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News