This might be the dumbest idea yet. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and the fastest growing in the US, it’s just fine the way it is.
OT: We may win the World Cup in 2026
- Thread starter brad1218
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This might be the dumbest idea yet. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and the fastest growing in the US, it’s just fine the way it is.
All true or don’t hydrate and be forced to use subs earlier - it’s part of the game
You can’t possibly tell me you were impressed with their performance in any of their elimination games. They had the easiest path to the semis and have barely gotten here, heck, even the US could have gotten to the semis with their path.
Just accept soccer as it is or move on. It doesn’t need to be Americanized - it’s become awful watching NFL amd NBA with a million stoppages and timeouts
if it were me I’d limit football and basketball to one timeout per half and keep the game moving!
In basketball after 10 fouls you should get 2 shots and possession and that will stop end of game fouling which is awful to watch
I didn’t say that, however, they may have had the best 15 minute stretch of any team in World Cup history at the end of the match against Egypt. If they had to score 2 more goals they would have AND i’m thinking that MAY have been the spark that the defending champs needed.
Now I’m not saying they’ll beat Spain -gotta see how they play tomorrow - but to claim that Spain would “crush” is absolutely insane IMHO.
Spain just shut down Olise, Dembele, and Mbappe.
Argentina needed extra time to beat Cape Verde (like 60th), a heroic comeback (and missed call) to be Egypt (fifa 24th), and nearly went to PKs after 50 mins of playing a man up against the Swiss (fifa 14). Even their group stage was a cake walk.
They’ve been resilient as hell - and that’s an important attribute - but they haven’t really played anyone either. Spain has already beaten 3 teams in the top 10 (France, Belgium, Portugal).
* I know fifa rankings are terribly flawed - and certainly Cape Verde was much better than 60. Also - totally respect your knowledge of the game, I just think Argentina is very overrated and I’ll be happy to put an end to Messi-mania.
He should focus on making lacrosse a more watchable game.
Maybe give the soccer players sticks and helmets when they add the 2 point line?
World cup odds from Fan Duel as of Tuesday night:
Spain -155
England +290
Argentina +370
If England wins, I think the odds on the final will narrow somewhat. If Argentina wins, the odds will widen. But Spain will be favored regardless.
I'd think that Spain will be something like -145/+125 against England, and -165/+145 against Argentina (on a 20 cent line).
I often read soccer is "on the move" in US but prior to World Cup things kinda tepid. I remember when 1980 US Olympic hockey was going to blow-up hockey. Its hard to grow a sport against already existing favs
USMNT TV ratings in 2025
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USMNT TV ratings in 2025
USMNT TV Ratings Fall 25% in 2025
Viewership down just as much as attendance
beyondthe90.substack.com
I think England beats Argentina tomorrow. They just have much better speed up front on the attack, although they'll need to utilize it properly. Will be a tall order, though, as Argentina somehow doesn't look great but keeps winning.
2025? The US-Belgium match was the highest rated soccer match ever in the US and the highest rated non-NFL game since game 7 of the 2016 World Series. US soccer has come a long way and if we had beaten Belgium, the ratings for US - Spain would've been through the roof.I often read soccer is "on the move" in US but prior to World Cup things kinda tepid. I remember when 1980 US Olympic hockey was going to blow-up hockey. Its hard to grow a sport against already existing favs
USMNT TV ratings in 2025
USMNT TV Ratings Fall 25% in 2025
Viewership down just as much as attendance
A lot of circumstantial enhancers there. World Cup isn't an event that is discrete to US soccer. World Cup games are international. Millions of transplants in US are bigger fans of international soccer than national. US vs Belgium in World Cup more interesting to them than Philly Union vs NYC FC . No viewer records there (women's skating in Olympics drew 27 million).
Plus World Cup has the gambling junkies in their distraction paradise and its driving more ratings. Plus NHL and NBA just finished title games and its a dead period.
Sports betting boosts viewership for top-watched World Cup matches, new data shows
"It could be the biggest event of the year when it's all said and done," Avello predicted. "March Madness takes place over the course of three weeks, and it rakes quite a bit of money. This is getting there. It blows the Super Bowl away. One game, one day. This thing here is way bigger than that,
Sports betting boosts viewership for top-watched World Cup matches, new data shows
I often read soccer is "on the move" in US but prior to World Cup things kinda tepid. I remember when 1980 US Olympic hockey was going to blow-up hockey. Its hard to grow a sport against already existing favs
USMNT TV ratings in 2025
USMNT TV Ratings Fall 25% in 2025
Viewership down just as much as attendance
MLS ratings are up and have been rising - that’s probably a better metric since games are on regular schedule (I pay more attention to RBNY than USMNT) and not just some random weeknight.
There was also a bigger tourney (Copa) 2024 than the small ones in 2025, and no important qualifiers since were a host - so a higher baseline. Also, anyone who watched our dismal performance in 2024 before berhalter got canned probably wasn’t too excited to watch games.
Not having to qualify and Poch not having the full starting lineup for many games were definitely big factors. But he should know that before posting that information.
Measuring how much soccer is watched in the US between foreign leagues and MLS on TV is the best gauge of interest for the game in the country. Even if they exclude the Spanish language channels, the numbers are quite good.
Great point - forgot to include how much more we’re watching the European leagues. I remember as a kid watching Univision in Spanish just to see any soccer on TV.
But 1980 did blow up USA hockey. We went from being a 2nd tier country to now having arguably the most talent after Canada and enough talent to beat them - it did change hockey in the USAI often read soccer is "on the move" in US but prior to World Cup things kinda tepid. I remember when 1980 US Olympic hockey was going to blow-up hockey. Its hard to grow a sport against already existing favs
USMNT TV ratings in 2025
USMNT TV Ratings Fall 25% in 2025
Viewership down just as much as attendance
You've obviously never seen a game. Guessing you don't like real men hitting, much prefer lil guys pretending to be hurt. To each his own.
Can't wait to see soccer with a two point line. Like basketball, it will eventually evolve.
I've watched enough lacrosse to know it's a bit boring at times. Get rid of the lame faceoffs and shorten the field.
Why not add 2 & 3 point areas while we're at it.
I actually like watching lacrosse once in a while, but still have zero idea why guys can't play offense and defense. And the whole I'm closer to the ball thing when it goes out of play is dumber than a clock that counts upward.
Maybe add home runs too, since most Lax players are just guys who couldn’t see the field in baseball.
Yea, those out of shape fat guys. Hard to keep up with them that's for sure.
LOL @ England. Born losers. They will never, ever win the biggest of big games. Losing is in their DNA. As my English friend says, "we'd rather lose and complain then win. We get more joy out of complaining".
l
Lol I was just coming here to ask you if you already placed your bet on Spain…. Argentina wins 2-1 on Sunday.
only if Tuchel is coaching Spain. FFS, you could have grabbed a coach out of rec league with a better game plan.
I’ll take going to the semifinals every songle ******* time.
+1
Bunch of losers. Sitting on a 1-0 lead. LOL! Most of the Englishmen with balls and a backbone left that tiny island for the new world.
I didn’t know you rooted for England. What happened to Greece? Euro Champs from 2004 or whatever it was.
This wasn’t even on England, this is entirely Tuchel’s fault.
Someone better do a wellness check on Pornhub lol
As I told my English friends, they need an American coach to instill the American go for broke attitude. It’s the only way.
As I told my English friends, they need an American coach to instill the American go for broke attitude. It’s the only way.
This will lure the US boys away from football
nypost.com
Would Falcon fans be allowed to do this LOL?
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Why are male World Cup players wearing … sports bras?
We don’t know Victoria’s secret, but we might’ve figured out Vini Jr.’s.
nypost.com
Would Falcon fans be allowed to do this LOL?
372K views · 31K reactions | THIS IS WILD 😳 Argentina fans absolutely took over the concourse in Atlanta after their thrilling comeback win over Egypt. Look at what it means 🇦🇷❤️ | Men In Blazers
THIS IS WILD 😳 Argentina fans absolutely took over the concourse in Atlanta after their thrilling comeback win over Egypt. Look at what it means 🇦🇷❤️
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