Originally Posted by
nflnutswif
American football generates more revenue in a year than any other professional sports venue in the world. This is NOT just my opinion, but soccer will never become a national favorite sport. Otherwise, WHy hasn't it already after being around for so long?
This is true when the revenue considered includes the TV commercial exposure, hense the appeal football has generated. Look at it this way, the economics of both sports: soccer is driven by territorial loyalties very similar to college football (War Eagle). Look at the FA: 4 tiers of 'upper' level soccer played in England with all these little towns represented by their players: from Durham City to Chelsea. These clubs take money to run, but at the lowest level it is a "volunteer" type of organization. Mid to high level organizations have corporate sponsors and fund heavily the expenses. But soccer itself doesn't lend itself to promoting the sponsor corp, so the only thing you are going to see is the logo on the shirt. This keeps a "purity" to the sport.
American Football was created as a means to distinguish itself from its english ties and soccer as a result became almost anit-american in the very early days of the US. Like most sports, the rules of football evolved and once TV sports became a staple of culture football peeked. Blah, Blah, Blah...here's my point. Football became more about the products they can sell you during the endless timeouts (TV timeouts? - please) than it did the sport itself. Even though soccer surged in America several times, corporations will not back it because they can't get commercial time, and therefore networks are reluctant to run it because they could make more money on a sport condusive to selling commercial time. Hockey to a degree suffers the same fate. This is the reason baseball and football are the spend frenzy sports they are today.
If you've ever watched TV outside of the US, you'll notice a distinct minimalization of commercial time. This is one reason American Football hasn't passed muster in Europe. It is all about structure and FCC rules. These are the true reasons for the popularity of football in the US. Like I said, I love football (college level) for what it is. But to discredit soccer for its lack of popularity here in the US only points out your ignorance of history and rules governing broadcasting. THAT IS NOT A PUTDOWN! I have degrees in broadcasting, law (juris doctor), foreign studies (in law) and history so I am at an advantage on this, and I was once ignorant of these things.
That said, it is still more fun to just say my sport is better than yours.
