Blogosphere: Major Piece Missing From the Puzzle, and 10 Important Reasons Why Things Should Change...
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MVNsoccer posted 1/25/2008 from ballhype.com [flag] |
January 25 by Ric Schenck BallHype exclusive
As one of the top three contributers and commenters on BallHype, I feel this may be the right time to bring up some disturbing recent findings, and to ask for some useful feedback via BallHype itself and comments to this original article.
Now, I am not looking for a fight. I am seeking the reasoning from the "other side"... I would like to hear from the folks who run these very large sports news sites and 'all sports' blogs. I want to know why soccer is not considered a sport important enough to have its own category by you, or its own reporting, or why it's not even covered at all in some cases. Even many well-established sites (including mainstream media) place soccer within an 'other' category, even though they may give separate sections to sports less popular (such as tennis and hockey).
This is a serious question: I do not blog, but I know the nature of bloggers, so I can accept a joke or criticism, but I also want serious answers on how you make your case to exclude this sport as a major sport from your daily operations.
10 Important Facts:
1. Major League Soccer has league attendance averages similar to the NBA and the NHL. The LA Galaxy - for many years the most popular MLS team by attendance - has had an attendance average higher than the NBA's LA Lakers 3 out of the last 4 years, and higher than the LA Kings every year in this decade.
2. Soccer is watched on TV by more Americans than any other sport outside of the Big 3 major league sports, yet it is treated by writers as though it is of less interest than sports like golf, auto racing, tennis, ice hockey, etc. Again, pro soccer is watched on TV by FAR more people here in the U.S. than any of those.
3. The sports media (including some 'all sports' blogs) are far behind the times in their omission of soccer as a major sport, and in their apparent misunderstanding in how this sport has grown here as a spectator sport.
4. Also, the entire English-speaking Latino population in the United States is being ignored and therefore underserved by those who choose to ignore or disregard the U.S. popularity, and the high numbers of Latinos in the U.S. Soccer is by far the most popular sport among Latinos in the U.S, and that includes television-watching, and internet information-seeking.
5. I have seen many reports linked on which say there are staitstical surveys or polls of 'all sports', and yet they omit soccer - even to the degree of not including it as an option in the poll or as research in the particular study. For example, I have seen stories about the most popular NFL jerseys in sales. These reports never mention that MLS Galaxy jerseys (and for an individual player, David Becham), and USA national team jerseys are big sellers, and in the case of the former, they sell MORE THAN ANY NFL team or player name. Beckham's Galaxy jersey has also been the biggest-selling of ALL adidas jerseys of ALL sports in the ENTIRE WORLD since SIX MONTHS ago when it was first released.
6. The same problem exists when 'most valuable sports team' is named. Opinions differ on this, because the research criteria differs. However, the most valuable sports team in the world most years by any measure is a SOCCER team (i.e. Manchester United, owned fully by Americans), not a Major League Baseball or NFL team. FORBES and other U.S. data backs this up. Yet, when reported, the soccer teams are omitted by most.
7. We have another big USA v MEXICO match coming in two weeks, and here is yet another prime example of both the popularity and importance of soccer, and also of the degree to which is it ignored by far too many writers. Do you know that the most-attended sporting event EVER HELD at Reliant Stadium in Houston is a USA-MEXICO friendly match - a match held in the middle of the week (on a Wedensday night) with no official importance of any kind ? This is the site of the next such meeting, and more than 50,000 ticket have been sold as of this writing (Friday). Why do so many 'all sports' blogs, and mainstream sportswriters all across the country completely ignore these international friendlies, as well as all of the USA matches including recent tournaments ?
8. Of course, you all know that soccer is the top organized recreational sport in the U.S. Many of you do not know that this is a sport played by men at more colleges in the U.S. than ANY OTHER, and this has been true for at least 15 years, and it is also now true for women. There are also more NCAA teams for mens' and women's soccer than ANY OTHER sport, period.
9. There are millionaire MLS players now more than ever, and David Beckham is not the only big name or the only star player - altough he is the most famous soccer player in the entire world. Did you know, that among Americans, he is as famous than any other athlete OF ANY TYPE in the general population; He has as much name recognition as Tiger Woods or Kobe Bryant, players who have been media superstars for MANY years. Beckham was ignored by U.S. media until last year, but many average citizens already knew all about him; he has been a star for over 10 years now. Other players so famous with soccer fans are STILL ignored by the media in general, and that includes 'all sports' bloggers in most cases.
10. My last point is that so many writers are non-fans, and therfore the 'big picture' of soccer's general popularity and interest in this country is completely missed by them. When marquee soccer matches can fill any number of huge NFL stadiums, break records for any sport held there in numerous cases, and these stories gets ignored, there is something wrong. When soccer can be available on more TV channels in one's home than any other, and when there are more U.S. channels devoted exclusively to soccer than for any other sport, and this very important fact gets ignored by news reporting agencies and bloggers, there is something wrong. When adult players in recreational leagues, kids in school and entire families are outside enjoying this sport, and come home and don't even have the possiblilty to get their daily dose of soccer news within the mainstream media or in a particluar 'all sports blog', there is something wrong...certainly !
I won't name names, but if you do not have a section for soccer at this time, you already know who you are. If you do not give soccer respect, you already know who you are. A wide variety of opinions on any sport are important, but when - in 2008 - a mainstream sport like soccer that is SO HIGH IN POPULARITY in EVERY CATEGORY imaginable is omiited entirely by some, then now is the right time to think about better serving this passionate, knowledgeable, huge and important segment of society.
Thanks, guys. If you disagree with this story, I would appreciate it if you comment on it rather than voting it down; Soccer stories seem to get a disproportianately high number of down votes, and perhaps some are arbitrary. I don't understand anti-soccer hate or people who say soccer is not a real sport, but that is a topic for another time. Feedback will help me decide how to approach that topic when the time comes to write on it.
Send me a private message anytime. I check my BallHype inbox regularly.
Tags:
Soccer
Reliant Stadium
Premiership
Major League Soccer
USA
Los Angeles Galaxy
David Beckham
World Cup
Comments (10)
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Mcbias Ric, interesting article. I'm noticing on Saturday's that Yahoo! lists EPL results highly on their list of news links. And the World Cup ratings were pretty high last time: people are starting to pay more attention. There is some change going on.
To be honest with you, I think American pride holds soccer coverage back. We know our soccer league and team isn't among the world's best (although we are becoming more respectable). So we aren't as interested in covering it. But I personally would like to see soccer or hockey become the 4th major American sport. There isn't enough to talk about when we only have the big 3.
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manlyferry It's just a slow and steady kind of thing, Ric. I've been following soccer in the States since...since, suffice to say forever in practical terms. The sport has gradually enjoyed wider acceptance over this time: broadcasts get pre-empted less often (as happened in my market with the qualifier against Jamaica that qualified us for the 2002 World Cup); the domestic league's games are being broadcast on what amounts to a major sports network; and, as you point out above, U.S. players can now make a decent living in a league of their own (though not the developmental players who get...the shaft). It's happening slowly and, whether people who resist the trend like it or not, it's creeping into more and more sports outlets outside the "other" label. It's just something that's going to take time.
That said, little needlings like this don't hurt either.
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MVNsoccer It's great to read these 3 great comments here; while all different, all are positive reinforcement as well as adding to what I already wrote... so appreciated very much !
I want to write more in reply to the first comment for everyone to read...
With the Latino population being such a large percentage of the U.S. population ( and with so many having English as their first language ), it seems illogical for any national site, news service, or 'all sports' blog to not consider soccer as a major sport. These national providers are simply ignoring huge chunks of potential readers and viewers. Many cities have 40 percent or more Latino population, according to the lastest official census data. Yet, in some of those cities, the English-language sports media STILL virtually ignores soccer. Many Latinos prefer English language soccer news, just as they prefer to watch it in English, too. Too many writers and TV news producers are missing their potential; they say they are trying to please their audience, but they miss the fact that they are ignoring so many people, and by doing so are offending them.
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Peter@BaseballReflections Ric,
I actually played soccer for about 6 years, ending after my senior year in HS. I also coached for a few years in that time, but I have never been able to watch the game when not playing or coaching. I don't know why, but the sport has grown in the US since that time (about 18 years ago). But I wouldn't ignore the sport and I would support it (like X-Games).
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Jason How I see it:
84% of the respondents to our sports blogger survey from last summer said that blogging is a hobby for them (as opposed to a job). And 95% of respondents gave "fun" as one of the reasons why they continued blogging. As a result, I don't think it's much of a leap to suggest that most sports bloggers write about what interests them, instead of trying to serve certain target markets or audiences.
Also, although there seems to be no end to the number of stories that can be squeezed out of the big 3 sports (Brady's in a boot! ... Brady's bald! ...), I agree with the spirit of Mcbias' last statement. When you follow more sports, you'll find more compelling (funny/crazy/inspirational/etc.) content since you have a larger set of topics to draw on.
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MVNsoccer Thanks, guys.
Jason, that last part of your comment was especially great and gets my point. There are Great American Soccer Stories that get covered only in Spanish ! These are fun U.S. stories that the English-language press misses, simply becuase they are concentrating on competing ( even bloggers ) to top each other on the 3 Big Leagues... Blogosphere and MSM all would benefit from more variety, as you and others point out. A larger set of topics would draw in more readers and interesting ideas for any site.
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MVNsoccer McBias,
Your term 'American pride' is a good way to put it, and both you and Jason mentioned that bloggers write about what interests them. I do think that newspapers and mainstream 'all sports' sites ( as opposed to individual sport or 'hobby' blogs ) should cater to a wide audience and cover a wide berth.
On the comment American teams and the MLS league; your point is taken well on the tendency of the Amercian media to favor - and therefore be more interested in writing about - sports at which Americans are number one in the world. We did not create soccer, but it is still very much a part of the fabric of society; imagine how England must feel right now - they are the inventors of the sport and did not even make it into the Euro 2008 tournament !
The fact is there are over 200 sanctioned FIFA national teams; the U.S. men are one of the top 15 or 20 as rule the past few years, and the women are one of the two best for sure. The women are regularly ranked number one in the world, and the men have been ranked as high a number four. I would say that we are one of the best countries for our national teams, wouldn't you agree. For the men, not THE best, but we have also fallen down recently with our national teams of basketball and baseball.
For soccer, the USMNT is getting better and better, as is MLS. As you said, we are gaining respect worldwide. I'd just like to see more of the same respect in our own country !
Many of our American players who play in and for the United States get more mainstream coverage in Europe ! .. and that is just wrong...
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jay-2-the-z Mr. Ric and commenters
all great words and a timely topic
that last comment is so true about US players getting more news in Europe. This is not talking about Hispanic or non-US players in US, but it also applies to them - even more.
and these mainstream media wonder why they are losing readers. In L.A. Times sports menus, my team CHIVAS is listed at the bottom along with Galaxy and far below college sports and Womens NBA on the local teams menu. My sport is listed far below less popular L.A. sports and even high school sports int he sports menu list.
Sends the wrong message to fans and all Hispanics, fo' sho'
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MVNsoccer Jay,
On BallHype, and to their credit, I think they get it right in the way they order their header
First, the 5 big pro team sports...
Then the 2 dominant college sports...
Then, top individual sports and 'other'
This is the right way to do it for any national site. These 5 pro sports should all be listed together, and ahead of anything else. Seems basic to me, but far too many get wrong, in my opinion.
- All Sports
- NFL
- NBA
- MLB
- NHL
- Soccer
- NCAA Basketball
- NCAA Football
- Autos
- Golf
- Tennis
- Combat
- Other


In L.A. the populatiry of futbol has been obvious.
The two NFL teams in L.A. were replaced by two MLS teams.
says something, fo' sho'