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Why is the World Cup bigger than any American sporting event?


kryptonite
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Thought this was an interesting article for discussion.....I used to think of soccer players as "grass-fairies" but that was back in my football days....running around, kicking a ball, "look out, don't get tripped..."...LOL....When I talk w/ folks from outside the USA, they laugh at our obession w/ NFL....

 

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5655244?GT1=8297

 

Outside of America, one sport dominates the globe in terms of exposure, money, participation and passion — that sport is football, also known as soccer. It is so big it's almost impossible to categorize, however, here are a few examples that will give you an idea as to why it is called the 'World's Game.'

 

 

First, soccer is the easiest sport in the world to play — you don't even need any equipment! That's right, no equipment. Let me explain. For the majority of its participants, soccer is a working-class sport and if you don't have a ball, a bundle of rags will do. Cleats? Who needs them? Look at the popularity of beach soccer. Trash cans for goal posts, alleyways for fields, shirts versus skins for uniforms. It is all inclusive.

 

Second, unlike American sports, there is no need to be a physical specimen. The two greatest players of all time were not even 6 footers — Pele was 5-foot-10, Diego Maradona was 5-foot-7. Just go to your local park and watch the kids playing soccer, they come in all shapes and size, which is the beauty of the sport, anybody can play, watch and identify.

 

In December of 2005 the draw for the World Cup finals was made in Leipzig, Germany. Without a ball actually being kicked more than 350 million people tuned in via their television sets while millions more followed the proceedings over the Internet just to see who their country would be paired with. America's biggest event, the Super Bowl, is watched by less than 100 million people, stateside.

 

The last World Cup in South Korea and Japan were watched by a cumulative audience of ... wait for it, a staggering 28.8 billion people, while the final itself between Brazil and Germany attracted 1.1 billion viewers, the largest TV audience in sporting history. By the way, these figures only account for home viewing so when you take into account the number of fans in bars and restaurants it would be much higher.

 

Rivalries and politics play a huge part in the World Cup. If you think that the Red Sox-Yankees or Bears-Packers is hot just wait until you're in the stands when England takes on Argentina. It becomes more than a game of soccer, it takes on it's very on identity, is a source of incredible patriotism and at times rampant xenophobia. With so much history at stake, a loss can send a country into mourning.

 

There are already some huge matches in the first round of this World Cup that will push emotions and nationalistic fever to the limit :

 

6/11 Angola v Portugal: Portugal colonized Angola.

6/14 Germany v Poland: WW II and all that entails.

6/21 Argentina v Holland: The rubber match between two great soccer powers.

6/22 Australia v Croatia: Half the Australian squad is of Croatian descent.

 

Here are some ther matchups that have an earth shattering appeal and that we could see depending on how teams advance:

 

England v Germany: Historically joined at the hip.

Brazil v Argentina: Hatred is too mild of a word for these two South American neighbors.

Japan v South Korea: Occupation always stirs up some fond memories.

Serbia & Montenegro v Croatia: The wounds are still fresh

 

As you can see, soccer, thankfully, has replaced warfare. However, down on the pitch these rivalries not only entice the participating countries but are mouthwatering for the rest of the world. With the break up of the old Soviet Union, the U.S. no longer has that mortal sporting enemy, although should the stars align and Bruce Arena's lads face Iran, things could get quite tasty.

 

 

Passions between England and Argentina boiled over at the 1998 World Cup in France, when David Beckham was served a red card for taking out Argentina's Diego Simeone. (Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images)

 

What we're getting at here is that the World Cup is not necessarily about entertainment, unlike American sports. Sure, the neutrals amongst us want to see great games. But the bottom line is winning. If you were a Brazilian on Copacabana Beach in 1994, the fact that Italy was only defeated on penalty kicks in the final didn't even enter the equation as the entire country went ballistic with joy.

 

In the World Cup there aren't any cheerleaders on the sidelines to amuse when the play is slow. There is no PA announcer telling the crowd to make some noise. There is no dramatic music as the ball moves up the pitch. All the noise is generated by the crowd — it's organic and it comes from a place deep in your heart because of the intense love and pride that you have for your country. Now don't get me wrong, Americans love their country as much as anybody else, however the vehicle to express that passion can only be found in this four-year extravaganza.

 

A famous coach named Bill Shankly once said the following when asked if football is more important than life and death: "Listen, it's more important than that." Shankly, on occasions, lived to regret those words as the sport has had more than its fair share of tragedies. But if you asked soccer fans from around the world what they'd give for their country to win the World Cup, you'd be shocked by their replies.

 

Finally, one more oft heard quote "sports and politics should not mix," doesn't relate with the World Cup, as it frequently occurs, unlike in American sports. This is why the World Cup is the grand daddy of them all and dwarfs all other sports including the Olympic Games.

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Because everyone not in America is stupid?

 

 

 

Wrong answer. But typical of an arrogant American. :D

 

 

Unlike this country, other countries don't really require an overly violent sport to be entertained. They prefer the violence to be confined to the stands.

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Wrong answer. But typical of an arrogant American. :D

Unlike this country, other countries don't really require an overly violent sport to be entertained. They prefer the violence to be confined to the stands.

 

 

We should've nuked Europe and South America when we had the chance. :D

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No, was not looking for sarcasim, not at all, rather, looking to discuss.....

 

I have found it to be humerous how the rest of the world reacts to Americans and our obsession w/ NFL....and we tend to be so inward-thinking, that sports revolve around us...."the champions of the world," but NFL is only in America....(No, NFL Euroupe is NOT the same!) Makes me scratch my head and laugh....Hey, I love the game, loved playing it, and love to play in pick-ups games w/ friends....but this whole soccer thing is HUGE! The numbers of viewers alone is amazing!

 

I just find it worthy of discussion....if nothing else, then just an observation....a diversion from the typical posts of "what will XYZ look like coming back from ACL/MCL/Ankle/Hernina, etc...."

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No, was not looking for sarcasim, not at all, rather, looking to discuss.....

 

 

Alright then. The game is so HUGH because almost everyone in the world is capable of playing it. You don't really need any equipment other than something round to kick to play it and so it is played in so many countries. The sport is revolved around the game....not the commercials, not the sponsorships...the game and the countries. It also helps that the event is once every four years.

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also because soccer is so inclusive and anyone can play we get to see top athletes from the world. We get to pick from 6 billion people.

 

in the NFL we get to see the best from US compete a small pool of 295 million.

 

so you get a higher level of competition because you have a larger pool to pick from.

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When an NBA team wins they are also the Champions of the World.

 

There was the FIBA world championships for international basketball, so in 1987, the NBA changed their championship from the World Championship to The Finals.

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There are two huge reasons World Cup soccer is so big. First, as was mentioned, was the universal appeal of soccer around the world. An equally compelling reason, in my mind, is that it mixes in nationalism. That's a huge part of the appeal and excitement.

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I have found it to be humerous how the rest of the world reacts to Americans and our obsession w/ NFL....and we tend to be so inward-thinking, that sports revolve around us...."the champions of the world," but NFL is only in America....(No, NFL Euroupe is NOT the same!) Makes me scratch my head and laugh....Hey, I love the game, loved playing it, and love to play in pick-ups games w/ friends....but this whole soccer thing is HUGE! The numbers of viewers alone is amazing!

 

 

How does the rest of the world react to "our obsession w/ NFL"? The rest of the world follows the NFL, and other American sports. Perhaps not as passionately as they do in the US, but sheesh, there's people who follow soccer in the US, just not as passionately as they do in, say, the UK or Italy.

 

Soccer is fine and good. As a matter of fact, two titans going back and forth for a championship is about as entertaining as sport can get.

 

One gigantic caveat with the World Cup: it is not the best soccer in the world. These are patchwork teams that often have only played/practiced together a handful of times. This is more like 32 all-star teams.

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How does the rest of the world react to "our obsession w/ NFL"? The rest of the world follows the NFL, and other American sports. Perhaps not as passionately as they do in the US, but sheesh, there's people who follow soccer in the US, just not as passionately as they do in, say, the UK or Italy.

 

Soccer is fine and good. As a matter of fact, two titans going back and forth for a championship is about as entertaining as sport can get.

 

One gigantic caveat with the World Cup: it is not the best soccer in the world. These are patchwork teams that often have only played/practiced together a handful of times. This is more like 32 all-star teams.

 

 

 

Incorrect! These are not just ALL STAR teams, and this is far from patch work soccer. National teams practice all year long, and play "friendly" matches all throughout the year. They prepare for many compeitions such as CONCACAF, The Euro Championships, World Cup, etc.

 

If there were more international sporting coverage here in North America, European soccer could certainly rival the NFL for supremacy in the sporting world year in year out. I'm not an American, but I certainly have seen the intense transformation of the American soccer program since the World Cup was played on your home soil. The US has gone from an international laughing stock (like us Canadians are now in soccer) to an international "potential" power-house. Being ranked as high as 5th (current FIFA ranking).

 

But back to the original thread and it's intended discussion. All sports have their place in their respective nation's cultures. NFL football is along with baseball, intrenched in American history and the American culture. Just as hockey is life for us Canadians. Soccer has been around for thousands of years, long before North America was ever discovered by the early Europeans. And that's why soccer always has, and always will take on a much more significant meaning than any other sport. It brings people together, cultures together for what is the greatest sporting event on this earth.

 

I am a DIE HARD Raider fan. Through the thick and thin, and there's not much more I'd love than to be at every home game (maybe even on the 50 yard line). But I tell you this. I would trade season's tickets on the 50, to be able to watch the Netherlands this year at the world cup when they play Argentina... :D

Edited by Raider.Nation
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Incorrect! These are not just ALL STAR teams, and this is far from patch work soccer. National teams practice all year long, and play "friendly" matches all throughout the year. They prepare for many compeitions such as CONCACAF, The Euro Championships, World Cup, etc.

 

 

These are all-star/patchwork teams.

 

The English national team has played 14 matches (friendlies and qualifying) in the last 18 months.

Chelsea, one of the top clubs in England/Europe/the World, played 13 matches in February and March.

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There was the FIBA world championships for international basketball, so in 1987, the NBA changed their championship from the World Championship to The Finals.

 

I'll be TiVoing the games. I've never been in to soccer but maybe I'll give a try.

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These are all-star/patchwork teams.

 

The English national team has played 14 matches (friendlies and qualifying) in the last 18 months.

Chelsea, one of the top clubs in England/Europe/the World, played 13 matches in February and March.

 

 

To me that doesn't qualify as patch work, and doesn't mean they will play below their individual levels. Throw on your country's colours, and they'll play their hearts out. More so than they do for their respective clubs. 14 matches in 18 months is pretty good. When you say all star/patchwork teams, that comes across like these guys are playing at the same level as say NBA all stars, or the Pro Bowl. It's still an extremely high quality of football at the World Cup, nothing I'd rather watch.

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How does the rest of the world react to "our obsession w/ NFL"? The rest of the world follows the NFL, and other American sports. Perhaps not as passionately as they do in the US, but sheesh, there's people who follow soccer in the US, just not as passionately as they do in, say, the UK or Italy.

 

 

There are billions of people who follow soccer in the world, there are millions who follw the NFL. Case closed. How you are comparing the two befuddles me

 

 

These are all-star/patchwork teams.

 

The English national team has played 14 matches (friendlies and qualifying) in the last 18 months.

Chelsea, one of the top clubs in England/Europe/the World, played 13 matches in February and March.

 

 

All is relative. These players don't play that often together, but there is little disparity between the teams in terms of how often they play together. As opposed to say, the NBA patchwork team we sent the the olympics compared to other teams that played together more often.

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