Soccer gets Rocky treatment

September 13, 2003 8:59 AM

Upcoming Epic Film Trilogy, or probably not "Fast-paced and action-packed, the three movies will feature "breathtaking" sequences similar to those of Matrix, with a "grabbing" story line like Rocky, combined with the urban awareness of Eminem's 8-Mile." The upcoming trilogy of movies are about..... soccer (football for the international folks). With this heavy-handed attempt to bring soccer to the mainstream of American audiences and with the press that the WUSA and Major League Soccer has gotten the last few years, why hasn't soccer caught on in the U.S. and what can be done to change this?
posted by graventy (26 comments total)

Make it less boring.

I don't actually mean that, but it's what you would have to overcome. Here in New England, soccer is incredibly popular at a local level. I don't understand the need for validation soccer fans feel. What difference does it make if it's popular in the States? If you enjoy it (along with the 70 zillion other people who do), isn't that enough?

The closest analogy I can think of is my sister and I as kids wanting our parents to like music we were listening to. I have no idea what that would have done for us. And nowadays I realize there's a sense of loss when an indie band you "discover" goes mainstream. Will soccer still be as enjoyable when every SUV-driving suburban mom is talking up EPL results?
posted by yerfatma at 9:08 AM on September 13, 2003

will feature "breathtaking" sequences similar to those of Matrix

Are we talking something as simple as having the goalie run up the goalposts in an attempt to stop the ball? Or soccer and "guns, lots of guns"?
posted by weston at 9:14 AM on September 13, 2003

I was attracted to the article because I'm amused when producers liken their movie to other successful recent movies.

One other aspect to consider is: *IF* these movies are successful in the United States, will it make soccer more popular. Did Mighty Ducks make peewee hockey more popular, arguably yes. Seabiscuit even helped out horse racing this summer. Or will this movie be another Gleaming the Cube?
posted by graventy at 9:18 AM on September 13, 2003

> why hasn't soccer caught on in the U.S. and what can be done to change this?

Don't want it to change. It's too much fun as it is. I was a little squirt in high school, far too small for American football. Had excellent good times playing soccer, but I'm sure I would have been a bench-warmer instead of a starter if soccer had been a big-name sport that attracted my school's best jocks.

Don't want NASCAR to start sponsoring a Tour d'Amerique bike race either.

OTOH, the Hispanic population has shot up in my part of the world (Georgia) in the last decade or so and has raised both the popularity and competitive level of soccer way way up.
posted by jfuller at 9:25 AM on September 13, 2003

But I've already seen Shaolin Soccer. What could hope to top that?
posted by SPrintF at 9:40 AM on September 13, 2003

It's interesting that an organization would commission a Hollywood film as a form of advertising. Imagine Ford hires some prominent director--everyone has their price--to make a tasteful movie about their product line.
posted by mert at 9:52 AM on September 13, 2003

It's interesting that an organization would commission a Hollywood film as a form of advertising. Imagine Ford hires some prominent director--everyone has their price--to make a tasteful movie about their product line.

You mean like BMW films?
posted by monju_bosatsu at 9:58 AM on September 13, 2003

I have wondered about this if for no other reason than that all those kids being shuttled around by "soccer moms" (which, if you recall, were allegedly a group millions strong or something), then why isn't every kid in the US playing soccer and growing up to play it more?
posted by verso at 10:48 AM on September 13, 2003

why isn't every kid in the US playing soccer and growing up to play it more?

From what I hear -- admittedly, from 'Americans once more fail to understand football' articles -- it's the most popular participant sport in the US up to the age of 14, then high-school kicks in, with its astonishingly well-funded sports programmes, and most of the boys are herded off to play American football ('fat kids, go in defense; fast kids, you're the wide receivers'), baseball and basketball, while school football is left for the girls.

And as others have hinted, the kids of immigrants are still going to be playing in the park, with or without promo films.
posted by riviera at 11:03 AM on September 13, 2003

I just watched Shaolin Soccer. If people want to see Matrix-style crazy soccer moves, THIS is the movie to see. It is now one of my favorite movies. This new film stands no chance.
posted by romanb at 11:30 AM on September 13, 2003

Shaolin Soccer is one of my favorite movies. I absolutely cannot believe how badly it's already been mishandled here in the U.S. Why they would not have released it during or right after the World Cup is beyond me.
posted by MegoSteve at 12:42 PM on September 13, 2003

'fat kids, go in defense; fast kids, you're the wide receivers'

...your final score: City High 274, Washington High 233.

I think you may be better off putting the fat kids on the offensive and defensive line.
posted by monkey.pie.baker at 1:07 PM on September 13, 2003

Why hasn't soccer caught on in America? Because the things people enjoy aren't based on what's good or bad (soccer being on better or worse than the other major stick and ball sports), but is simply a matter of people following the crowd. People like football because it gives them something to talk about with the boys at the office. People like NASCAR because brain damage is more widespread than I thought, but that's another story.

Hating baseball and dismissing soccer are also the general trend right onw. No point searching for a reason, it's just the thing to do.
posted by Space Coyote at 1:39 PM on September 13, 2003

American soccer is changing and becoming more popular, though slowly. The American Men's National Team is now ranked in the Top 10 worldwide, while the Women are (and have been #1 for as long as they've had women's rankings). Further, American players are beginning to make a dent in English soccer--three of the best goaltenders are American and one of our 14 year olds, Freddy Adu, is being courted by the top club teams in the world to sign a deal. Landon Donovan and Bobby Convey will be playing in Europe in the next two or three years as well. I expect the US Men to make the last four at the 2006 World Cup.
posted by billsaysthis at 2:16 PM on September 13, 2003

Perhaps America not embracing football is for the best. If football got in America the attention and money thrown at it on the same scale as in Europe, we would start losing the one thing that we aren't worse than the US at. But, seriously, it's good to see America soccer improving as quickly as it is. Pretty soon there should be an american player who makes superstar status in Europe. who isn't a goalie.
posted by Celery at 2:32 PM on September 13, 2003

I was an avid soccer player (and fan), and I still remember attending NASL games back in the '70s and '80s. The Vancouver Whitecaps always had a serious rivalry with Seattle and packed Empire Stadium regularly (25-30K fans). When they won the title in '79 the city went nuts. I never understood why the whole thing (North American Soccer League) died not long after that.

Anyway, I also wonder why anyone cares if the US likes soccer of not; the rest of the world loves it and (regardless of what anyone in America tells you) it's *the* sport of the world. Their loss, really. If you need a movie to understand the allure then that's a shame.
posted by sharpener at 2:44 PM on September 13, 2003

why hasn't soccer caught on in the U.S.

It probably has something to do with competition from American Football, Basketball, Hockey and Baseball, but I could be wrong.

Who cares anyway? Europe is the home of football and nothing will change that. The USA could be number one in the world but noone will ever be interested in their league football.

The Champions League is the best tournament in the world, better than the world cup, which is really just a jingoistic diversion.
posted by carfilhiot at 2:55 PM on September 13, 2003

Shaolin Soccer is the bomb. It was my favorite Asian comedy until Volcano High School.

I don't want soccer/football to become any mor epopular in the US. Godus help us when big money American sports meets world's most popular sport.
posted by infowar at 6:10 PM on September 13, 2003

Look at what the bastards did to hockey.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:50 PM on September 13, 2003

The USA could be number one in the world but noone will ever be interested in their league football.

True, true... you couldn't pay Americans to give much of a damn, and the Europeans will never respect US soccer no matter how many times they make it to the World Cup tourney.
posted by clevershark at 10:25 PM on September 13, 2003

why hasn't soccer caught on in the U.S.
The answer is obvious, Americans can't stand getting beat at anything so they have to make up their own sports or change the rules [offside only in the penalty box!?], plus they'd also have understand that they aren't the only nation on the planet
</Typical-Sarcastic-European-Remark>

It's TV coverage, funding and almost a countries make up to prefer certain sports. Rugby and Rugby League are hugely more popular in Australia and New Zealand in a similar fashion to American Football and Baseball than soccer (right down to the high school numbers).
In the UK, Rugby and Rugby League are minority sports without much coverage and very little funding, samething happens to soccer in the States.
posted by X-00 at 10:37 PM on September 13, 2003

Soccer is a highly athletic game. You need excellent co-ordination, running ability, and more brains than brawn. Football (of the American variety), on the other hand, requires strength, pig-headedness, determination, and guts.

Make your own deductions, although I'll mention that, even as a European, I prefer watching sports like American football, ice hockey, and basketball, than dull drawn-out games of soccer and cricket. North American sports are definitely more showy and fun to watch if you're not really 'into' it.
posted by wackybrit at 9:25 AM on September 14, 2003

I expect the US Men to make the last four at the 2006 World Cup.
ha, ha, ha, ha. No stop it. No, really. Stop it, that's just so funny.
posted by seanyboy at 11:01 AM on September 14, 2003

Official Fifa Rankings. Good to see that the U.S.A is better than England, Italy, Denmark and Portugal. I can't wait for 2006.
posted by seanyboy at 11:11 AM on September 14, 2003

Europe is the home of football

Don't tell the South Americans.
posted by Summer at 2:28 AM on September 15, 2003

I was having this exact discussion with someone this weekend. Here are a couple suggestions as to why soccer is not popular in the U.S.: it's too low-scoring, the halves are too long, there are no natural breaks in the action during which commercials can be sold, the field is too big and you can't see the players well. Those were a couple of thoughts. Then again, I went to Wheaton College, where soccer is as popular as football and basketball.
posted by marcusb at 11:27 AM on September 15, 2003