Inter(n) Miami new s(tedium)

[Pstotto]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/50156563" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hell.On.Earth

Where the mediation of an experience comes before the football, not for epileptics and the music.... Puke.

[DCWat]

A big part of me wants football in the USA to collapse as it did back in the eighties.

If it grows significantly over there, they’ll eventually become the best international team, attract all of the best players and probably amend the game to suit their TV agenda, more than SKY ever has.

******** to offensive plays, Diana Ross’s penalty kick and stadiums with roof top bars and palm trees.

[karatekid]

Palm trees in Miami, whatever next.

I'd love to go and watch a few Inter Miami™ games there.

Better than Spotland on a rainy January night that's for sure.

[houseboy]

Football will never truly take off in the States because they haven’t got the mentality for it. They like end to end none stop scoring (basketball) or something mind numbingly dull that lives off stats (baseball). American football I can watch but they spend too much time debating the previous 15 seconds of action before everything stops for 5 minutes. And how many bloody players do they need? It always seems they have about 50 players hanging around pitch side. The other reason it won’t take off fully is the Americans don’t adopt things they expect the world to adopt their stuff. They are so insular it is unbelievable.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

Football will never truly take off in the States because they haven’t got the mentality for it. They like end to end none stop scoring (basketball) or something mind numbingly dull that lives off stats (baseball). American football I can watch but they spend too much time debating the previous 15 seconds of action before everything stops for 5 minutes. And how many bloody players do they need? It always seems they have about 50 players hanging around pitch side. The other reason it won’t take off fully is the Americans don’t adopt things they expect the world to adopt their stuff. They are so insular it is unbelievable.

Yawwwwwwwwnnnn.

[houseboy]

Yawwwwwwwwnnnn.

I'm sorry, did I wake you? You have slept so long.

[Sutton-Claret]

Stick a fridge and some wood panelled fencing onto the asbestos roof and we have our very own rooftop bar - who needs palm trees

[Dyched]

Football will never truly take off in the States because they haven’t got the mentality for it. They like end to end none stop scoring (basketball) or something mind numbingly dull that lives off stats (baseball). American football I can watch but they spend too much time debating the previous 15 seconds of action before everything stops for 5 minutes. And how many bloody players do they need? It always seems they have about 50 players hanging around pitch side. The other reason it won’t take off fully is the Americans don’t adopt things they expect the world to adopt their stuff. They are so insular it is unbelievable.

What a stupid post.

[houseboy]

What a stupid post.

I agree totally so why did you post it. On the other hand why don't you post about my personal observation. Or do you not accept that people can have opinions that differ from yours?

The word stupid is usually used by people who don't have an answer. It's not a word I use about other people's posts because I believe in the freedom of people to have their own ideas and opinions. To call someone stupid is to question their intelligence, which is a nonsense thing to do if you don't actually know them.

And if it is so stupid tell me why you think they have, over many years, tried to change the rules to make it more acceptable to the American audience?

If you do wish to reply please attempt to do so without resorting to basic insult.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Football will never truly take off in the States because they haven’t got the mentality for it. They like end to end none stop scoring (basketball) or something mind numbingly dull that lives off stats (baseball). American football I can watch but they spend too much time debating the previous 15 seconds of action before everything stops for 5 minutes. And how many bloody players do they need? It always seems they have about 50 players hanging around pitch side. The other reason it won’t take off fully is the Americans don’t adopt things they expect the world to adopt their stuff. They are so insular it is unbelievable.

Someone needs to tell the current female World Cup holders that the sport isn't going to take off over there.

[houseboy]

Someone needs to tell the current female World Cup holders that the sport isn't going to take off over there.

That doesn't matter. They've won it before but the men's game hasn't moved on too much in the last few years. I should say at this point that I am old enough to remember when the game in the US was going to be the next big thing but it just crumbled away to nothing. There have been so many attempts to get it really off the ground there but it never really takes off. I don't know why it is other than possibly they just don't like it. They have American football and baseball and basketball, none of which have any mass interest here. That doesn't mean either is better than the other it just means the mindset, both in America and the rest of the world, can't quite get with it. I don't see a time anytime soon when we will be watching American football here in vast numbers either, or baseball or basketball, as a people we just don't, generally speaking, want it. The same is true in the states. History at the moment agrees with me but maybe that will change, and I hope it does.

[TVC15]

Football will never truly take off in the States because they haven’t got the mentality for it. They like end to end none stop scoring (basketball) or something mind numbingly dull that lives off stats (baseball). American football I can watch but they spend too much time debating the previous 15 seconds of action before everything stops for 5 minutes. And how many bloody players do they need? It always seems they have about 50 players hanging around pitch side. The other reason it won’t take off fully is the Americans don’t adopt things they expect the world to adopt their stuff. They are so insular it is unbelievable.

Bit of an old fashioned / stereotypical view I’m afraid this one houseboy.
You are right that many parts of America is very insular in many respects - but not necessarily in relation to sport.
Football is fast growing in America and Canada - it’s played by a lot of boys and girls from a very early age and the set up / facilities and whole structure is a million miles better than anything in this country...and they of course have the good weather too.
There is more and more money going into the MLS and this is now a very real option for many youngsters when choosing which sport they want to focus on - and their colleges and scholarships are again miles ahead of ours for those wanting a career in sport.
They’ve got the 2026 World Cup which will be a brilliant tournament - personally I think they will be in a very good place by the time this comes around and they will then build on this further afterwards.
They are attracting older big name overseas players to the MLS now - but actually this is what happened in the Premier League initially. The age of these quality players will come down gradually - because they can pay the big bucks.
And last thing is when you look at all those rich American owners in the Premier League - it won’t be long before they decide to take their money back home and invest in their own teams....and then it’s a whole new ball game on the cards !

[houseboy]

Bit of an old fashioned / stereotypical view I’m afraid this one houseboy.
You are right that many parts of America is very insular in many respects - but not necessarily in relation to sport.
Football is fast growing in America and Canada - it’s played by a lot of boys and girls from a very early age and the set up / facilities and whole structure is a million miles better than anything in this country...and they of course have the good weather too.
There is more and more money going into the MLS and this is now a very real option for many youngsters when choosing which sport they want to focus on - and their colleges and scholarships are again miles ahead of ours for those wanting a career in sport.
They’ve got the 2026 World Cup which will be a brilliant tournament - personally I think they will be in a very good place by the time this comes around and they will then build on this further afterwards.
They are attracting older big name overseas players to the MLS now - but actually this is what happened in the Premier League initially. The age of these quality players will come down gradually - because they can pay the big bucks.
And last thing is when you look at all those rich American owners in the Premier League - it won’t be long before they decide to take their money back home and invest in their own teams....and then it’s a whole new ball game on the cards !

You are right and maybe my view is a bit old fashioned and I do hope I'm wrong but my problem is we have been here before. The 80's looked like football had really arrived there but then it all but disappeared. They have had the World Cup there previously ('94) and that didn't exactly shake things up either. This also begs the question as to why they have got it again after 32 years and we have had it once in it's entire history with no sign of it happening again anytime soon? But that's another argument.
Incidentally I only found out the other day that in youth 'soccer' there they have banned heading for health reasons. I suppose if there is some evidence to support that (which hasn't been conclusively proven as yet) then it is not a bad thing as long as it is not extended to the adult game because that is a personal choice, like boxing.

[ClaretFelix]

Have to say that for a sport that's struggling to progress, it's very rare you see any empty stadiums over there. Atlanta Utd pretty much 72,000 every week, Seattle over 40,000, And newest franchises LAFC and FC Cincinnati about 25,000.

I don't think it's bad at all

[TVC15]

You are right and maybe my view is a bit old fashioned and I do hope I'm wrong but my problem is we have been here before. The 80's looked like football had really arrived there but then it all but disappeared. They have had the World Cup there previously ('94) and that didn't exactly shake things up either. This also begs the question as to why they have got it again after 32 years and we have had it once in it's entire history with no sign of it happening again anytime soon? But that's another argument.
Incidentally I only found out the other day that in youth 'soccer' there they have banned heading for health reasons. I suppose if there is some evidence to support that (which hasn't been conclusively proven as yet) then it is not a bad thing as long as it is not extended to the adult game because that is a personal choice, like boxing.

Again that whole New York Cosmos / Pele / George Best argument is a bit old hat...it’s very different times now in terms of the global TV audience and the money that is on offer....even 1994 was 25 years ago now and the way people watched football and the amount of money available in the game is a tiny fraction of what is there now. Just look at the Asian market now compared to 25 years ago....or check out the sky TV money in 1994 compared to now...it’s unbelievable.

It’s sad to say that money will be the one single reason why Americans will embrace football a lot more in the future - but if you look at the history of American sport this has always been the case. If there are billions to be made there is no way that the yanks are going to miss out - and they won’t.

[Sausage]

You are right and maybe my view is a bit old fashioned and I do hope I'm wrong but my problem is we have been here before. The 80's looked like football had really arrived there but then it all but disappeared. They have had the World Cup there previously ('94) and that didn't exactly shake things up either.

You've got be kidding. The MLS was formed as a condition of the USA being awarded the 1994 World Cup. It has since grown from 10 teams to 24. That's growth of 140%. I'd say that's a pretty big success story. In addition, a number of new stadiums have been built specifically to accommodate association football, most of which have sensible capacities, some of which have (or will have) safe standing and many of which are filled to capacity. Two examples for you:

1. Portland Timbers have sold out every single home game in each of the nine seasons they have played in the MLS. Their capacity is around 25,000.

2. Seattle Sounders initially limited tickets to 12,000 in their 69,000 shared stadium. They have since upped this to around 39,000. Their record attendance is a shade over 67,000 for the game with rivals Portland Timbers.

It simply isn't true to state that there's no appetite for football in the USA or that the 1994 World Cup failed to leave a lasting legacy. It's right there before your eyes.

This also begs the question as to why they have got it again after 32 years and we have had it once in it's entire history with no sign of it happening again anytime soon? But that's another argument.

Easy answer: they offered FIFA more money than the rival bidders.

Incidentally I only found out the other day that in youth 'soccer' there they have banned heading for health reasons. I suppose if there is some evidence to support that (which hasn't been conclusively proven as yet) then it is not a bad thing as long as it is not extended to the adult game because that is a personal choice, like boxing.

Hopefully that means the USA will bring through a generation of players who can't head a ball. A team of Grant Hanleys.

[bfcmik]

The American youth are taking to soccer because their parents are increasingly worried by the health implications of playing American football as well as the tremendous cost of the equipment needed to play - stuff that the child will grow out of rather than wear it out. Soccer is seen as a much less risky and far less time consuming activity. I saw a stat recently that it has the highest number of players in pre high school age groups of any sport.

More and more US colleges are now looking at soccer as a competitive sport option that they will fund scholarships for. This will only increase the popularity of the game at grassroot and high school levels.

They are never going to convert the older generations who grew up on the 'World Champions' titles they awarded themselves for winning their Ice Hockey, Baseball or American Football Leagues but future generations will be the people who truly embrace the game as their primary sport.

The real country to watch out for will be the Chinese! With almost 2 billion people there are bound to be a significant number of skilful players waiting to be discovered should they ever really get themselves organised.

[houseboy]

Again that whole New York Cosmos / Pele / George Best argument is a bit old hat...it’s very different times now in terms of the global TV audience and the money that is on offer....even 1994 was 25 years ago now and the way people watched football and the amount of money available in the game is a tiny fraction of what is there now. Just look at the Asian market now compared to 25 years ago....or check out the sky TV money in 1994 compared to now...it’s unbelievable.

It’s sad to say that money will be the one single reason why Americans will embrace football a lot more in the future - but if you look at the history of American sport this has always been the case. If there are billions to be made there is no way that the yanks are going to miss out - and they won’t.

Spot on there I suppose mate. World football is changing and I suppose we have to change with it. If it does take off in the States properly then that will be a good thing but I wait with baited breath to see how things pan out. Sadly, as you say, if it does it will be as a business opportunity.

[houseboy]

You've got be kidding. The MLS was formed as a condition of the USA being awarded the 1994 World Cup. It has since grown from 10 teams to 24. That's growth of 140%. I'd say that's a pretty big success story. In addition, a number of new stadiums have been built specifically to accommodate association football, most of which have sensible capacities, some of which have (or will have) safe standing and many of which are filled to capacity. Two examples for you:

1. Portland Timbers have sold out every single home game in each of the nine seasons they have played in the MLS. Their capacity is around 25,000.

2. Seattle Sounders initially limited tickets to 12,000 in their 69,000 shared stadium. They have since upped this to around 39,000. Their record attendance is a shade over 67,000 for the game with rivals Portland Timbers.

It simply isn't true to state that there's no appetite for football in the USA or that the 1994 World Cup failed to leave a lasting legacy. It's right there before your eyes.



Easy answer: they offered FIFA more money than the rival bidders.



Hopefully that means the USA will bring through a generation of players who can't head a ball. A team of Grant Hanleys.

Nice post mate - love the last paragraph. And yes - if money is going to buy success then they will win the world cup within the next 30 years or so.

[houseboy]

The American youth are taking to soccer because their parents are increasingly worried by the health implications of playing American football as well as the tremendous cost of the equipment needed to play - stuff that the child will grow out of rather than wear it out. Soccer is seen as a much less risky and far less time consuming activity. I saw a stat recently that it has the highest number of players in pre high school age groups of any sport.

More and more US colleges are now looking at soccer as a competitive sport option that they will fund scholarships for. This will only increase the popularity of the game at grassroot and high school levels.

They are never going to convert the older generations who grew up on the 'World Champions' titles they awarded themselves for winning their Ice Hockey, Baseball or American Football Leagues but future generations will be the people who truly embrace the game as their primary sport.

The real country to watch out for will be the Chinese! With almost 2 billion people there are bound to be a significant number of skilful players waiting to be discovered should they ever really get themselves organised.

I think you are right about the younger people there and with any luck they will bring it on. The only thing I don't want to see is for us to start calling it 'soccer' - American 'talk' is already penetrating our language, we don't want that term for goodness sake.

[superdimitri]

It's true that there's no room for soccer since there's already so much sport in the USA but if there's one country that there can be another sport, it will also be the USA. They are sport crazy and very competitive.

Can only be for the good of the game overall.

I'd be more concerned about China or the Middle East and government investment if you are worried about the best players going there.

The best thing about American sports is they aren't afraid to bring in changes and there video refereeing is tremendous. It lets the punditry talk about what should talked about which is the game and the sport rather than the refereeing decisions.

The opinion of people who follow football in the UK are the ones being insular. They are the ones always protesting change even if it's for the better of the game.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

I think you are right about the younger people there and with any luck they will bring it on. The only thing I don't want to see is for us to start calling it 'soccer' - American 'talk' is already penetrating our language, we don't want that term for goodness sake.

The term Soccer didn't originate in the US, it's British.

[Tricky Trevor]

Football can be played by almost everybody. There are very few under 6’ in the NFL and I would guess none in basketball. Even in baseball and ice hockey they are mainly giants.
Football is the peoples game and with the success of their ladies it now has a foothold in the American conscious that can see it continue to expand.
As for America winning the World Cup I’d be more concerned if Germany took to Rugby Union.

[bfcmik]

[urlhttps://youtu.be/7_ToAF46GPQ][/url] Maybe they would bring half time shows like this instead of parachutists or the Hollands pie game

[CharlieinNewMexico]

I was just at El Paso v New Mexico Utd in front of 18000 belligerent fans and that's not even as high as MLS.

Houseboy you really need to step out of 1998, it's a little embarrassing

[mapinchina]

The real country to watch out for will be the Chinese! With almost 2 billion people there are bound to be a significant number of skilful players waiting to be discovered should they ever really get themselves organised.[/quote]

I live and teach 6 - 7 year old children in Wuxi, China
There are 700 children who attend the school
During break times or after school has finished they always play football, not all at once, obviously on the schools full size artifcial grass pitch.
When I first watched them play I was truly amazed at how skillful they are.
And they don't just "kick and rush", they all play in organised team unit.
I agree with your point, the population of China is actually about 1.4 billion....I'm sure that they will become a major "force" in the sport.

[DCWat]

I was just at El Paso v New Mexico Utd in front of 18000 belligerent fans and that's not even as high as MLS.

Houseboy you really need to step out of 1998, it's a little embarrassing

In fairness, Houseboy has taken on board differing views and created a reasonable debate without resorting to insults. This board would be much better for it, if more adopted this approach.

[UpTheClaretsFCBK]

I'd absolutely hate to go and watch my local team in a ground like that. Let's hope that never happens.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

In fairness, Houseboy has taken on board differing views and created a reasonable debate without resorting to insults. This board would be much better for it, if more adopted this approach.

Decent point, in fairness

But the original posts were so out of date, it was hard to have any sympathy with someone still positing them as the truth.

[houseboy]

The term Soccer didn't originate in the US, it's British.

I know but it is their term for it. Don't actually know how it ever started.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

I know but it is their term for it. Don't actually know how it ever started.

It started here in the UK, to differentiate between rugby and football apparently.

Yeah the US call it soccer, because they're already using the term football for one of their main sports, so they use soccer to differentiate between the two....

[houseboy]

In fairness, Houseboy has taken on board differing views and created a reasonable debate without resorting to insults. This board would be much better for it, if more adopted this approach.

Thanks for that bud. I do try to be fair and objective in all things but like anyone (and I mean anyone) I'm not the font of all wisdom so yes, I get it wrong occasionally. What I don't do (unlike many) is go running to Google every 5 minutes to back up my arguments or provide 'proofs'. The reasons for this are many but one of the main ones is quite simply this is a football site and I like to treat it as though we were simply having a discussion in a pub or at work. I don't feel the need to Google everything. The other thing is anyone who has ever worked with or looked into Google would know that if you look hard enough you will find a proof for virtually any side of any argument. Because Google says so doesn't make it so.

As for insulting people who disagree with you (the general 'you' not the DCWat you ) I find that slightly childish and lacking in intelligence. That is just my opinion though.

[houseboy]

Decent point, in fairness

But the original posts were so out of date, it was hard to have any sympathy with someone still positing them as the truth.

As you live there I will bow to your superior knowledge on the state of the game there. I am sure some of my views are maybe out of date but they are also tinged with a good old dose of cynicism which, historically, has shown that the game has risen and fallen with time. I hope that this rise is a new dawn and not the false one of previous years. I would love the States to be part of the football 'family'.

[edison]

Football will never truly take off in the States because they haven’t got the mentality for it. They like end to end none stop scoring (basketball) or something mind numbingly dull that lives off stats (baseball). American football I can watch but they spend too much time debating the previous 15 seconds of action before everything stops for 5 minutes.

They like what they are used to, or have grown up with maybe, much like you like football over US sports? Not a hell of a lot of detail in the stadium thing other than it has 25,000 seats and a bar.

[Pstotto]

... And 80% of your vision taken with up with media-strobe-excite electronic screen central nervous system attack, YOU WILL BUILD your breathing to our rhythms and be under our hypno-graphic mind control via millisecond by millisecond subliminal brain punctuation.

When the goal goes in YOU WILL DANCE TO OUR TUNES.

[Woodleyclaret]

Unfortunately the Yanks produced a player who beat us on his own.
He looked pretty decent but I dont think our scouting neteork is developed in the UK let alone finding gems in the US

[TVC15]

Unfortunately the Yanks produced a player who beat us on his own.
He looked pretty decent but I dont think our scouting neteork is developed in the UK let alone finding gems in the US

Utter sh-ite
Chelsea paid £60m for him
What exactly is the point you are trying to make ?

[tiger76]

You are right and maybe my view is a bit old fashioned and I do hope I'm wrong but my problem is we have been here before. The 80's looked like football had really arrived there but then it all but disappeared. They have had the World Cup there previously ('94) and that didn't exactly shake things up either. This also begs the question as to why they have got it again after 32 years and we have had it once in it's entire history with no sign of it happening again anytime soon? But that's another argument.
Incidentally I only found out the other day that in youth 'soccer' there they have banned heading for health reasons. I suppose if there is some evidence to support that (which hasn't been conclusively proven as yet) then it is not a bad thing as long as it is not extended to the adult game because that is a personal choice, like boxing.

In fairness to the USA i can see why they are hosting another WC in 2026,the infrastructure,sponsors,media coverage are already in place,and most people agreed they did a great job in 1994,what's bemusing is that Qatar with no obvious footballing history are hosting in 2022,that should have been England's tournament.

You do raise a valid point without wanting to sound like a little Englander,Brazil.France,Italy and Mexico hve each hosted 2 WC tournaments,the latter twice in just 16 years,even Germany if you include West Germany have 2 WC hostings to their name.

Regarding the heading ban,research is ongoing in the UK around any long-term effects,but it does appear that the SFA will be taking action soon.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-50199583

Their attitude seems to be it's better being safe than sorry.

[houseboy]

In fairness to the USA i can see why they are hosting another WC in 2026,the infrastructure,sponsors,media coverage are already in place,and most people agreed they did a great job in 1994,what's bemusing is that Qatar with no obvious footballing history are hosting in 2022,that should have been England's tournament.

You do raise a valid point without wanting to sound like a little Englander,Brazil.France,Italy and Mexico hve each hosted 2 WC tournaments,the latter twice in just 16 years,even Germany if you include West Germany have 2 WC hostings to their name.

Regarding the heading ban,research is ongoing in the UK around any long-term effects,but it does appear that the SFA will be taking action soon.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-50199583

Their attitude seems to be it's better being safe than sorry.

I agree with a possible ban in kid's football up to a given age, especially until there is a proven (or not proven) link with brain injury. The problem seems to be partly that the footballers who are showing a more than normal tendency to brain damage (think Jeff Astle obviously) are of a certain age, they played with footballs that were heavy and hard and shockingly heavy when wet (which was probably most of the time). Modern footballs are so different now. Even if for instance Astle's case was proven it might not even be relevant today because of that change. Of course this is all conjecture so we have to wait to see what happens but even if something is proven would we ban heading? Nobody has yet banned boxing (and rightly so) because it is a grown man's (or woman's) choice and that must be far worse than occasionally heading a ball in a football match.

I must admit I have been following the 'heading' issue lately and it will be interesting to find out what comes of it.