MLS Tied with MLB for Popularity Amongst 12-17 Year-Olds

[TheGreatGatsby]

Let's switch dead horses for a moment. You say that baseball is boring, and I point out to you that the millions of people who watch it don't find it boring at all, because they KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON when nobody is hitting a home run.

Now switch to soccer (or if you prefer, "football"). A bunch of guys kicking a ball around a big grassy field. For 95% of the game, there is ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE THAT ANYTHING WILL HAPPEN THAT COULD AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME. The ball is at least 50 yards (47 metres to you) away from the goal. A couple times during each half, the ball moves in closer so that a goal is POSSIBLE, but most of the time one of the nancies kicks it away and its 50 yards out again.

Clearly, a soccer fan would not see the game the same way I do, because I "don't understand the game."

You would have to pay me at least $50 to sit through a professional soccer game, buy me a beer and pay for my parking as well. It would be torture.

I'll say it again. I know what is going on in a baseball game. I still think it's boring.

I also think soccer is boring. I don't watch soccer, never have, because I find it boring.

More, although I think the US should switch to the metric system, I am a born and raised US citizen, so I don't think in terms of meters. I'm also an NFL fan, so yards are very comfortable to me when talking sports.

The only sport I watch regularly is football. I also watch hockey and MMA, but more sporadically (that's more a matter of availability than desire). I've watched baseball games, and even occasionally found at least some of a baseball game exciting. On the average, however, compared to many other spectator sports, baseball is pretty dull.

And what do you think that you telling us about your 'boredome' issues is supposed to accomplish?

 

[Unkotare]

Viewership during the 2013 World Series was up 20%.

The 2013 World Series got less ratings than every single World Series between 1984-2004.

MLB Continues to See Postseason TV Ratings Increase up Over 2012 - Forbes


Doomsayers be damned: Baseball is healthy and ratings are strong | HardballTalk


2013 World Series ratings up +12% | MLB.com: News

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Viewership during the 2013 World Series was up 20%.

The 2013 World Series got less ratings than every single World Series between 1984-2004.

MLB Continues to See Postseason TV Ratings Increase up Over 2012 - Forbes


Doomsayers be damned: Baseball is healthy and ratings are strong | HardballTalk


2013 World Series ratings up +12% | MLB.com: News

Who are these doomsayers? All of the major sports are multi-billion dollar industries. Not sure why you care so much about some marginal numbers. It's not like you own stock in these teams.

 

[Montrovant]

Let's switch dead horses for a moment. You say that baseball is boring, and I point out to you that the millions of people who watch it don't find it boring at all, because they KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON when nobody is hitting a home run.

Now switch to soccer (or if you prefer, "football"). A bunch of guys kicking a ball around a big grassy field. For 95% of the game, there is ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE THAT ANYTHING WILL HAPPEN THAT COULD AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME. The ball is at least 50 yards (47 metres to you) away from the goal. A couple times during each half, the ball moves in closer so that a goal is POSSIBLE, but most of the time one of the nancies kicks it away and its 50 yards out again.

Clearly, a soccer fan would not see the game the same way I do, because I "don't understand the game."

You would have to pay me at least $50 to sit through a professional soccer game, buy me a beer and pay for my parking as well. It would be torture.

I'll say it again. I know what is going on in a baseball game. I still think it's boring.

I also think soccer is boring. I don't watch soccer, never have, because I find it boring.

More, although I think the US should switch to the metric system, I am a born and raised US citizen, so I don't think in terms of meters. I'm also an NFL fan, so yards are very comfortable to me when talking sports.

The only sport I watch regularly is football. I also watch hockey and MMA, but more sporadically (that's more a matter of availability than desire). I've watched baseball games, and even occasionally found at least some of a baseball game exciting. On the average, however, compared to many other spectator sports, baseball is pretty dull.

And what do you think that you telling us about your 'boredome' issues is supposed to accomplish?

What do you think telling us you like baseball live is supposed to accomplish?

I wasn't really speaking to you. I was replying to DGS49, who seems to be making the point that anyone who considers baseball a dull game doesn't 'get it'. I've heard that from baseball fans before and I think it's ridiculous.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

I'll say it again. I know what is going on in a baseball game. I still think it's boring.

I also think soccer is boring. I don't watch soccer, never have, because I find it boring.

More, although I think the US should switch to the metric system, I am a born and raised US citizen, so I don't think in terms of meters. I'm also an NFL fan, so yards are very comfortable to me when talking sports.

The only sport I watch regularly is football. I also watch hockey and MMA, but more sporadically (that's more a matter of availability than desire). I've watched baseball games, and even occasionally found at least some of a baseball game exciting. On the average, however, compared to many other spectator sports, baseball is pretty dull.

And what do you think that you telling us about your 'boredome' issues is supposed to accomplish?

What do you think telling us you like baseball live is supposed to accomplish?

I wasn't really speaking to you. I was replying to DGS49, who seems to be making the point that anyone who considers baseball a dull game doesn't 'get it'. I've heard that from baseball fans before and I think it's ridiculous.

Not sure I even said I like baseball; nor am I the one who brought it up.

I think the idea of someone complaining about a sport being boring is like me complaining that knitting is boring. It may not be my thing, but I won't be so dense as to not see why people are into it and drone on about my boredom issues.

 

[Montrovant]

And what do you think that you telling us about your 'boredome' issues is supposed to accomplish?

What do you think telling us you like baseball live is supposed to accomplish?

I wasn't really speaking to you. I was replying to DGS49, who seems to be making the point that anyone who considers baseball a dull game doesn't 'get it'. I've heard that from baseball fans before and I think it's ridiculous.

Not sure I even said I like baseball; nor am I the one who brought it up.

I think the idea of someone complaining about a sport being boring is like me complaining that knitting is boring. It may not be my thing, but I won't be so dense as to not see why people are into it and drone on about my boredom issues.

If you're concerned I'm 'droning on', you can either skip my posts or put me on ignore. It's you who's decided to harp on the conversation yet continue to be part of it.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

What do you think telling us you like baseball live is supposed to accomplish?

I wasn't really speaking to you. I was replying to DGS49, who seems to be making the point that anyone who considers baseball a dull game doesn't 'get it'. I've heard that from baseball fans before and I think it's ridiculous.

Not sure I even said I like baseball; nor am I the one who brought it up.

I think the idea of someone complaining about a sport being boring is like me complaining that knitting is boring. It may not be my thing, but I won't be so dense as to not see why people are into it and drone on about my boredom issues.

If you're concerned I'm 'droning on', you can either skip my posts or put me on ignore. It's you who's decided to harp on the conversation yet continue to be part of it.

I'm taking into account the many times you've complained about soccer/baseball with the droning. For someone not into it, you sure love to complain about it.

 

[DGS49]

OK. I concede the point. Baseball can be boring even if you know the sport intimately.

The sport in America has the advantage that most boys have enough exposure to understand the game (which foreigners find inscrutable), so they can decide rationally later on in life whether they want to follow it and be "fans."

Soccer has historically had the disadvantage here that it was a relatively esoteric sport that only "foreigners" understood. And if you don't understand the game, watching a World Cup match that ends 1-0 is not even a possibility. Shoot me, please.

As implied by the OP, this is changing as more and more American kids are playing soccer, and understand the game.

But can it ever become a "major" sport in the U.S.? Comparable to football, baseball, basketball, auto racing, or even hockey?

Not in my lifetime.

Use as your metric (1) the average player salary or (2) total individual team revenues, and soccer is not even on the radar screen of major sports in the U.S.

 

[Unkotare]

OK. I concede the point. Baseball can be boring even if you know the sport intimately.

The sport in America has the advantage that most boys have enough exposure to understand the game (which foreigners find inscrutable), so they can decide rationally later on in life whether they want to follow it and be "fans."

Many, many "foreigners" understand baseball just fine.

 

[Montrovant]

Not sure I even said I like baseball; nor am I the one who brought it up.

I think the idea of someone complaining about a sport being boring is like me complaining that knitting is boring. It may not be my thing, but I won't be so dense as to not see why people are into it and drone on about my boredom issues.

If you're concerned I'm 'droning on', you can either skip my posts or put me on ignore. It's you who's decided to harp on the conversation yet continue to be part of it.

I'm taking into account the many times you've complained about soccer/baseball with the droning. For someone not into it, you sure love to complain about it.

It doesn't matter what you're taking into account. If you think I'm droning on, ignore me!

You're droning on about my droning on.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

If you're concerned I'm 'droning on', you can either skip my posts or put me on ignore. It's you who's decided to harp on the conversation yet continue to be part of it.

I'm taking into account the many times you've complained about soccer/baseball with the droning. For someone not into it, you sure love to complain about it.

It doesn't matter what you're taking into account. If you think I'm droning on, ignore me!

You're droning on about my droning on.

Just saying.... I may not be all that into (watching) golf. But I don't have to always be talking about how 'boring' it is.

 

[Unkotare]

I'm taking into account the many times you've complained about soccer/baseball with the droning. For someone not into it, you sure love to complain about it.

It doesn't matter what you're taking into account. If you think I'm droning on, ignore me!

You're droning on about my droning on.

Just saying.... I may not be all that into (watching) golf. But I don't have to always be talking about how 'boring' it is.

Do you have any idea how boring you are being on this thread?

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

It doesn't matter what you're taking into account. If you think I'm droning on, ignore me!

You're droning on about my droning on.

Just saying.... I may not be all that into (watching) golf. But I don't have to always be talking about how 'boring' it is.

Do you have any idea how boring you are being on this thread?

I have an idea of how much of a pestilent, uninspired dick face you are.

 

[Unkotare]

Just saying.... I may not be all that into (watching) golf. But I don't have to always be talking about how 'boring' it is.

Do you have any idea how boring you are being on this thread?

I have an idea of how much of a pestilent, uninspired dick face you are.

You need to relax, Nigel. Go have a jog a round with your ball, precious. Don't worry, you can be absolutely certain nothing will happen for at least an hour and a half.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Do you have any idea how boring you are being on this thread?

I have an idea of how much of a pestilent, uninspired dick face you are.

You need to relax, Nigel. Go have a jog a round with your ball, precious. Don't worry, you can be absolutely certain nothing will happen for at least an hour and a half.

bla, bla dick face.

 

[Montrovant]

I'm taking into account the many times you've complained about soccer/baseball with the droning. For someone not into it, you sure love to complain about it.

It doesn't matter what you're taking into account. If you think I'm droning on, ignore me!

You're droning on about my droning on.

Just saying.... I may not be all that into (watching) golf. But I don't have to always be talking about how 'boring' it is.

If you think 3 or 4 posts, in a thread in which others (including you) started conversing about whether or not soccer or baseball are boring before me, constitutes 'always talking about it' I'm not sure how to respond. You seem to be talking about it as much as I have been.

Why are you always talking about me thinking baseball and soccer are boring?

 

[Jughead]

That's pretty stunning IMHO.

For the first time in the 20-year history of the ESPN Sports Poll, Major League Soccer has caught up with Major League Baseball in one significant marker of popularity.

In the survey, both leagues can claim 18 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds as avid fans of their sport, the poll said. ...

The NFL led the poll with 39 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds saying they are avid fans. The NBA, NCAA football and NCAA basketball were all over 23 percent.

MLS catches MLB in popularity with kids, says ESPN poll - ESPN FC

That is unexpected. No surprise that NFL topped the list, however I would have thought for sure that popularity for MLB would have exceeded popularity for MLS. Maybe the fact that World Cup Soccer is being held this year (after a 4 year hiatus) has influenced the 12 to 17 year olds.

Either way, it's great to see that some teenagers are avid sports fans. It's even better when their interest leads to participation in the sport.

 

[Misty]

Even just playing goalie is so hard. I was goalie and I got the crap beat out of me. yet was undefeated. cuz I'm awesome at keeping balls out of my goal.

 

[Unkotare]

bla, bla dick face.

And with that we see the very uppermost range of your discursive abilities.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Just reminding you why you became a baseball fan. 'Take it in.'