| OK, so never is a pretty long time, but I only have so | | | | for popularity in the US. As long as soccer remains |
| much room for the title of an article; hence, allow me | | | | very popular worldwide (which seems very likely), FIFA |
| to qualify it for you. As long the scoring in soccer | | | | will make no major rule changes. And without major |
| (football to non-Americans) remains the same (2.2 total | | | | rules changes there will be no significant increase in |
| average goals per game), it will not become a major | | | | scoring, which of course, will prevent soccer from |
| team sport (top 3 in popularity) in the United States in | | | | becoming popular in the US. Unless, of course, Major |
| the 21st or 22nd Century. | | | | League Soccer wants to play by different rules than |
| People's tastes can change a lot in 200 years in any | | | | FIFA, which seems very unlikely. |
| culture or country, however, they rarely change that | | | | Soccer organizations and their fans are very much like |
| quickly when it comes to major pastimes. Baseball | | | | MLB and its fans in regard to tradition and their |
| (first match played in the US, 1846), soccer (1869), | | | | resistance to change. Tradition has it place in |
| American football (1869), basketball (1891), and hockey | | | | everything in our society, including sports; but, there is |
| (1893) have all been around for a long time and they | | | | always a balancing act between the sacredness of |
| are not going anywhere in the near future. On the | | | | tradition and the improvement that change can make. |
| other hand, in the first 25-50 years of the 20th | | | | Soccer needs to make some changes to create more |
| Century, the only 3 "major" sports that existed in the | | | | scoring if it really wants to make it in the US. |
| US were baseball, boxing, and horse racing. And the | | | | I am less resistant to change than baseball and soccer |
| last two are slowing dying. Hence, allow me to back | | | | fans, so let me make a few suggestions to improve |
| off from the never comment, after all, I had to get your | | | | soccer. First, get rid of the rule that limits substitutions |
| attention somehow. | | | | to 3 per game. I see no reason not to allow unlimited |
| Admittedly, soccer is the most popular sport in the | | | | substitutions, just as in American football and basketball |
| world, with 175 countries considering "football" to be | | | | (my two favorite sports to watch). Fresh bodies will |
| their national pastime. However, while this is not totally | | | | result in faster, better play, and more action. It will |
| irrelevant to our discussion (after all, at least you can | | | | probably increase the scoring a little, but only a little, |
| make the argument that it is a highly marketable sport), | | | | though, since the defenders will also be fresher. |
| soccer's tremendous worldwide popularity has little | | | | Second, have the official time on display for all to see. |
| effect on its popularity in the US. This could change, of | | | | Currently, only the referee, who can add "injury time" |
| course, if a very large number of individuals immigrate | | | | to the official time, is the only one who knows how |
| to the US from countries where soccer is very | | | | much exact time is left. This is nothing short of |
| popular. Given the current state of immigration laws, | | | | moronic. It takes some of the suspense away from |
| for purposes of this discussion, I am going to assume | | | | the fans in a close game and also affects the ability of |
| this will not happen in the near future. | | | | the players to strategize near the end of the game. |
| Unless you were born yesterday (in which case you | | | | Third, allow the players to use their hands. OK, I am |
| have incredible reading skills for a one-day-old), by now | | | | kidding. I am just preparing you for my third suggestion. |
| you know that soccer is not popular in the US | | | | You ready? Here goes: get rid of the offside rule. |
| because it does have enough scoring, action and/or | | | | Originally (1856/1863), the offside rule did not let the |
| contact for most Americans' tastes. To Americans | | | | attacking player touch the ball "unless there are more |
| who like the NFL (arguably the number 1 league and | | | | than three of the other side before him." In the 1870's, |
| sport in the country), soccer seems like a chess match | | | | after much discussion between clubs, it was changed |
| which often results in a stalemate. Americans like | | | | to 3 defenders. Then in 1925, it was changed to 2 |
| sports with action that contain the exciting possibility of | | | | defenders and an immediate increase is scoring |
| a comeback. We do not want to watch a sport | | | | resulted (from 4700 goals to 6373 -- a 36 % increase.) |
| where when a team goes up 2-0 in the first half -- it | | | | Hmm. Of course you would have to limit the offside to, |
| feels like an insurmountable lead! Baseball does not | | | | say, 2 players, who are offside -- otherwise a team |
| have a lot of action or contact, however, it has enough | | | | could pack of a bunch of players in front of the goal |
| scoring to keep its many fans happy. And comebacks | | | | keeper. |
| almost always seem possible in a baseball game, | | | | I know soccer purists hate this suggestion, because |
| which holds their fans' interest. Football has plenty of | | | | they claim it will ruin the quality of the game. I find their |
| scoring and lots of action and contact. Basketball has | | | | objections very unconvincing (especially with my |
| lots of scoring and action, but little contact. Hockey has | | | | suggestion where I would limit it to two players even |
| plenty of scoring and action, but more contact than it | | | | on direct or corner kicks). There would more |
| should. Soccer has little action, little scoring, and little | | | | excitement, more action, more fast breaks, and most |
| contact. Not a good combination for Americans. | | | | importantly, more scoring. I played soccer in high school |
| Keep in mind it does not matter whether you like | | | | and I tried to watch games in the last 3 World Cups. |
| soccer the way it is -- it only matters whether the | | | | Even the Brazilian men were boring. Some of the |
| typical American sports fan likes it or not -- no matter | | | | games were unbearable, and I love all sports. |
| the reasons why. You might really appreciate the | | | | Please, if you want soccer to EVER be popular in the |
| strategy in soccer, however, I will counter with: Why | | | | US, get rid of the unnecessary offside rule. Or make |
| should I watch a boring "strategy" sport when I can | | | | the goals bigger. Anything to increase the scoring to |
| watch an exciting sport with scoring, lots of action | | | | make it an exciting sport and not a chess match. I love |
| AND lots of strategy (i.e., American Football)? | | | | chess, but it is not sport. And for the typical American |
| Sorry, soccer fans, your sport has a long uphill battle | | | | sports viewer, neither is soccer. |