To non soccer fans, do you believe you will or are open to the possibility of becoming more interested in the sport during or after WC 26?

[Buzz Rules]

To non soccer fans, do you believe you will or are open to the possibility of becoming more interested in the sport during or after WC 26? I ask because currently it's been difficult in supporting the USMNT lately and we are 442 days until the world cup. Many of us American soccer fans have waited decades for the world's largest tournament to be in North America again. The main hope of this tournament was to inspire new fans and turn haters of the sport to at least become tolerant of it or by the off chance, actually attend matches in the future. USL and MLS are both trying their hardest in gaining new fans and supporters leading up to the world cup (and after) and I personally do hope that does happen. But with every day passing leading up to the WC, it's feeling like no one (who wasn't a fan before) will honestly become new fans post WC 26. It makes me partly sad that most on this board (no judgment though on anyone) have never really given their local teams support by watching on tv/streaming or going to matches in person. I'm not saying everyone in the country should have soccer as their number 1 sport but as a fan, I wish more people would genuinely support their national team outside of just the WC every 4 years. We have a regional tournament (Concacaf Gold Cup) coming this June (the second biggest tournament for the USMNT), and without my other thread, how many on this board have actually heard about it before or have actually watched the tournament in the past? It's not meant to be insulting just a disappointment I feel because of the lack of passion for the sport in the majority of the country's adult demographic in general. I know it's growing slightly among young people but that passion is mostly for overseas leagues or national teams other than our own. I genuinely wonder if any non soccer fans will watch the Gold Cup this summer even if it's just to see what soccer is truly about. And yes, I'm aware some people find the sport boring or are not into sports at all. I have nothing against that. But all this does just make me sit down and think how will the WC, all the fanfests, and the fanfare in general actually move the needle of the sports interest, popularity and participation post WC 26 overall. Thoughts?

 

[Dug720]

No. I have no interest in soccer.

 

[DoryGirl1963]

No. I have no interest in soccer.

Same here.

 

[karen4546]

no.

 

[LoveDaisy]

No.

 

[MIChessGuy]

Fast kicking...low scoring...and TIES? You bet!

Sorry. But seriously, no, Americans don't like soccer, curling, or cricket.

 

[AppleDumpling]

No, it’s not something I care about at all. It wasn’t popular when I was growing up, so I never played it. I was a soccer mom for a few years when my son played in a youth league, but he lost interest and moved on to other things by the age of 10. The only soccer games I’ve ever watched on TV were some of the US women’s team during the Olympics.

Sorry to disappoint you, Buzz. You are clearly obsessed with soccer and feel a need to start lots of threads about it. JMHO, I think you’d be better off focusing on your love of the sport and sharing your enthusiasm with fellow fans than worrying about its popularity. You can’t change what is out of your control.

 

[Buzz Rules]

No, it’s not something I care about at all. It wasn’t popular when I was growing up, so I never played it. I was a soccer mom for a few years when my son played in a youth league, but he lost interest and moved on to other things by the age of 10. The only soccer games I’ve ever watched on TV were some of the US women’s team during the Olympics.

Sorry to disappoint you, Buzz. You are clearly obsessed with soccer and feel a need to start lots of threads about it. JMHO, I think you’d be better off focusing on your love of the sport and sharing your enthusiasm with fellow fans than worrying about its popularity. You can’t change what is out of your control.

Just for the record, I create the soccer threads mostly out of just wanting them there to be informative. I know most ignore them, I just make them just in case anyone is interested in the particular topic. I know there are some fans on the boards. I partly made this thread just to vent about how much of a missed opportunity the event will be vs what we soccer fans thought it would do.

 

[Marrila]

I kinda wish you'd start a Buzz's Soccer Corner thread and keep updating it about the latest event.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I kinda wish you'd start a Buzz's Soccer Corner thread and keep updating it about the latest event.

I'm working on making a podcast (thanks for the name suggestion though ). I once tried to make just one thread but when I tried to update everything in one thread, it became disjointed.

 

[dizneegirl]

Nope.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Just for the record, I create the soccer threads mostly out of just wanting them there to be informative. I know most ignore them, I just make them just in case anyone is interested in the particular topic. I know there are some fans on the boards. I partly made this thread just to vent about how much of a missed opportunity the event will be vs what we soccer fans thought it would do.

That’s fine. I meant no offense. I just notice you posting lots of soccer-themed threads with long titles that don’t get many responses. And often it seems to be mostly you replying to yourself on your own threads. There’s another person here who similarly does NASCAR threads, which I also have zero interest in. But you do you. I’m sure there is nothing I or anyone else can say that will diminish your passion for the game.

 

[Buzz Rules]

That’s fine. I meant no offense. I just notice you posting lots of soccer-themed threads with long titles that don’t get many responses. And often it seems to be mostly you replying to yourself on your own threads. There’s another person here who similarly does NASCAR threads, which I also have zero interest in. But you do you. I’m sure there is nothing I or anyone else can say that will diminish your passion for the game.

No offense taken.

 

[VandVsmama]

Sadly, no. I find soccer to be really really really boring. Watching paint dry is more exciting.

 

[tvguy]

No change. We used to enjoy our past "professional" soccer teams, but like ALL other professional sports, the owners have gotten too greedy. As we have discussed in the past, locally the MLS franchise fee is too high, and what team owners expect cities to pay for too great. And that assumes that the games will actually happen in Los Angeles. The fires have made it a bigger challenge because hotel rooms will still be needed for fire victims.
Despite the Sacramento Republic, just seems like soccer overall has fallen out of favor. We used have five soccer clubs in my immediate area, now they consolidated into one. Just not enough kids.

 

[_19disnA]

No interest, just seems boring and reminds me of kick-ball we played in grade school. I am sure many pro soccer players are good athletes, but the sport doesn't appeal to me. I would assume there are soccer forums you could join if have an interest in finding others who also share your enthusiasm.

 

[Allison]

Nope. Let it go. You aren't going to convert people.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Nope, absolutely not. Zero interest.

 

[sam_gordon]

@Buzz Rules, first, paragraphs are your (and your reader's) friend.

Second, how much do you support the women's gymnastic team outside of the Olympics? The men's basketball team? US Swimming and Diving? Are you trying to watch all of their competitions? US Figure Skating?

Third, random posts and pleas, much less by a single person, on a message board is not going to convince anyone to try watching a sport. Posting YT previews/highlights and X posts won't convince anyone to check out the sport.

I say this as a very mild soccer fan. I understand the game. But I can also understand someone not liking it (I used to be one). I don't have a favorite professional team, here or abroad.

If you want to have conversations with like minded individuals regarding USMNT, USWNT, College, MLS, Euro, coaching, just about anything, I recommend https://bigsoccer.com. I know I've told you in the past and you weren't interested, but if you want to keep beating your head against a wall, continue here.

 

[SnowBeast]

Just for the record, I create the soccer threads mostly out of just wanting them there to be informative. I know most ignore them, I just make them just in case anyone is interested in the particular topic. I know there are some fans on the boards. I partly made this thread just to vent about how much of a missed opportunity the event will be vs what we soccer fans thought it would do.

I don’t think it’s as simple as Americans watching a couple of football (non of the soccer nonsense) matches and suddenly becoming avid fans of the sport. Here in the UK (and in most footballing nations) kids are brought up from birth with their parents supporting a particular team and they usually get drawn into the sport that way. Football here isn’t just watching a game for entertainment, fans are absolutely fanatical about their team and it becomes almost like a religion to them. This is why I think Americans find it weird why we can find a low scoring game so entertaining; it’s not the amount of goals that we find exciting it’s the sheer pleasure and pain of the game unfolding, you’re so desperate for your team to win it’s just an emotional rollercoaster and the fact that just 1 goal either way could win you or lose you the match makes it so tense.

In American football or basketball, because there are so many points scored in a match, it sort of makes each point scored less ‘important’ because it’s just one of many. In football on the other hand, every goal is celebrated with utter chaos because that could be THE goal that wins the match.

Keep plugging away though Buzz, I read your posts anyway