MLS equals MLB in popularity with kids

[WhawhaWhat]

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0305/soc_chart_trends_576x324.jpg

Are MLS players now America’s true “Boys of Summer?” (http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1740529/mls-catches-mlb-espn-sports-poll?cc=5901) For the first time in the nation’s history, Major League Soccer (inaugural season: 1996) has caught up with Major League Baseball (founded in 1869) in a significant marker of popularity. Both leagues can claim 18 percent of 12-17-year-olds as avid fans of their sport.

The startling statistic comes from the 2013 Luker on Trends - ESPN Sports Poll Annual Report -- the complex database that tracks the minutiae of fan habits surrounding 32 major sports, studying how Americans watch, play, buy and express their fandom. This is the very same poll that, in 2012, determined soccer was America's second-most popular sport for those aged 12-24, outstripping the NBA, MLB and college football.

[a pp roach]

this is obama's fault

[BlackHelicopters]

Is this another gay thread?

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

It's also really popular with fat guys named Zach.

[Prison Bitch]

The Michael Sam and Jason Collins announcements were designed to draw the gay crowd away from MLS.

[blaise]

I never really got soccer fans obsession with comparing themselves with other sports and trying to show how they're better. If you believe in your product don't worry about the other sports.

[BigMeatballDave]

Not with my kid.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

At least the players move around in soccer.

Nothing like watching grown men stand in place for 3 hours grabbing their junk...

[blaise]

My kids like soccer because they're always running. They won't watch it, though.
Baseball is just as popular as soccer around here, though. Maybe that's just a Texas thing. Parents in north Dallas pour tons of money into their kids little league baseball career. Thousands of dollars.

[keg in kc]

I played both soccer and baseball growing up. In the 80s in rural west virginia.

I didn't think that place could ever be ahead of the curve in anything.

[Fish]

LOL soccer fans constantly trying to justify their sport as being equivalent...

[Pablo]

Looks like the NHL is holding steady in that demographic.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

I never really got soccer fans obsession with comparing themselves with other sports and trying to show how they're better. If you believe in your product don't worry about the other sports.

one person posts an article, and it's an obsession? ROFL

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Looks like the NHL is holding steady in that demographic.

If I ever moved to a city with an NHL team, i could get into it. MLS not so much

[WhiteWhale]

This just in: Little kids like Soccer

Sincerely, old news.

[blaise]

one person posts an article, and it's an obsession? ROFL

This isn't the only article or statement that's been posted.
This is a called a, "message board". It contains a variety of posts, topics and threads.
Also, a world exists outside of the message board. Also, there are other message boards.

Check it out. Glad I could help.

[Valiant]

This isn't the only article or statement that's been posted.
This is a called a, "message board". It contains a variety of posts, topics and threads.
Also, a world exists outside of the message board. Also, there are other message boards.

Check it out. Glad I could help.

Yet you posted multiple times in the thread?

[Titty Meat]

Post the MLS championship ratings

[blaise]

Yet you posted multiple times in the thread?

I don't see why that matters.

[ModSocks]

Kids have always liked soccer. They get to run around and kick the ball. Everyone gets to play because everyone knows how to kick a ball. Not everyone knows how to swing a bat or catch with a mitt and being put on the spot like that can make kids uncomfortable and not want to play it.

[listopencil]

I played both soccer and baseball growing up. In the 80s in rural west virginia.

I didn't think that place could ever be ahead of the curve in anything.

My friends and I played soccer baseball growing up. This was in the Tidewater area of Virginia in the mid to late 70's. At one some points we would get down to only three of us, and I made up "Suicide Soccer." Triangular field with goals on each corner. No teams and you could become goalie of only your own goal.

[Valiant]

I don't see why that matters.

you don't get their obsession, but then obsessively post multiple times to question their motives? When all the thread was about it tying a baseball, which like soccer is boring as hell to watch on tv.

[Cephalic Trauma]

you don't get their obsession, but then obsessively post multiple times to question their motives? When all the thread was about it tying a baseball, which like soccer is boring as hell to watch on tv.

Ignore it, lest you want to have a drawn out conversation that makes you feel dumber for even engaging.

[blaise]

you don't get their obsession, but then obsessively post multiple times to question their motives? When all the thread was about it tying a baseball, which like soccer is boring as hell to watch on tv.

I posted once about it. The others were in responses to people that responded to me. Are you doing a bit here, because you're not really making any sense.

[blaise]

Ignore it, lest you want to have a drawn out conversation that makes you feel dumber for even engaging.

Weren't you the guy that had a meltdown because you were nominated for douche of the year?

[aturnis]

At least the players move around in soccer.

Nothing like watching grown men stand in place for 3 hours grabbing their junk...

This. Baseball is just....slow, boring, no creativity. What's the point?

[Cephalic Trauma]

Weren't you the guy that had a meltdown because you were nominated for douche of the year?

Oh fuck, it has turned on me!

I was honored by the nomination.

[Strongside]

I loved soccer more than baseball when I was 12. Then my balls dropped.

[rambleonthruthefog]

Austin TX is the largest city in the US without a pro team. Our city council just approved trying to find a spot for a new soccer stadium for an MLS team. I'm pretty stoked about it. American football is obviously the worlds greatest game even though the rest of the world doesn't agree. That being said, soccer is way more fun to play and watch than baseball.

[alpha_omega]

Not surprised by this at all...

What surprises me is that Zach didn't start this thread.

[GoChargers]

Soccer is garbage. This just goes to show how far Bud Selig has allowed the MLB to fall.

[greatgooglymoogly]

Most of Missouri is a major exception to this data. The average Ozark hillbilly is about as obsessed with the Cardinals as the average Alabama redneck is with the "Tahd". I can see how Kansas City would differ - Sporting has great ownership and an enthusiastic fan base while the Royals have left themselves twisting in the wind for decades.

[Titty Meat]

Sporting KC also has the perfect soccer names for example Zusi just sounds like a pussy name

[BWillie]

I didnt really follow MLB either until I was 19, but its no surprise that younger ppl and kids like MLS. I dont get soccers appeal, I really dont. Ive tried to give it a chance, but its so boring. I get theres always running and pundits against baseball say it's boring and sitting around but I still find it much more interesting. Even when comparing other minor sports ive tried to get myself to watch like rugby, aussie rules football, tennis, lacrosse, hockey,....every 1 of those are way more interesting than soccer. Its a world obsession I will never understand. But I have no doubt that in 20 years when many of the old farts keeping MLB relevant pass away MLS will start to exceed MLB as a whole

[htismaqe]

VERY interesting that NCAA hit it's high point of fan interest during the GLORY DAYS of the "hated" BCS.

[Predarat]

Soccer is cool. Here is a picture of a Soccer Ball.

http://lavacafe.com/PAGES_SUB/TRIBUTE/STAMENKOVIC/ball_voit_misl.JPG

[BWillie]

Anybody know where to find similar graphs showing other age groups interest ?

[BWillie]

One other thing of note is the NBA has the fastest growing popularity of the younger crowd.

[Bugeater]

Eh, I see soccer is furiously waving its hand around and screaming "look at me!" again.

[htismaqe]

One other thing of note is the NBA has the fastest growing popularity of the younger crowd.

It's also regaining a considerable share that it lost.

[CHENZ A!]

I'll never understand why all of the people who hate soccer feel the need to tell you about it in every single soccer thread.. Also, why the people that hate soccer get so worked up over the fact that soccer actually is gaining in popularity in the US? Why would that affect them?

[listopencil]

I didnt really follow MLB either until I was 19, but its no surprise that younger ppl and kids like MLS. I dont get soccers appeal, I really dont. Ive tried to give it a chance, but its so boring. I get theres always running and pundits against baseball say it's boring and sitting around but I still find it much more interesting. Even when comparing other minor sports ive tried to get myself to watch like rugby, aussie rules football, tennis, lacrosse, hockey,....every 1 of those are way more interesting than soccer. Its a world obsession I will never understand. But I have no doubt that in 20 years when many of the old farts keeping MLB relevant pass away MLS will start to exceed MLB as a whole

I think baseball and soccer are alike in that they are both fun to play but boring to watch.

[WhawhaWhat]

I didnt really follow MLB either until I was 19, but its no surprise that younger ppl and kids like MLS. I dont get soccers appeal, I really dont. Ive tried to give it a chance, but its so boring. I get theres always running and pundits against baseball say it's boring and sitting around but I still find it much more interesting. Even when comparing other minor sports ive tried to get myself to watch like rugby, aussie rules football, tennis, lacrosse, hockey,....every 1 of those are way more interesting than soccer. Its a world obsession I will never understand. But I have no doubt that in 20 years when many of the old farts keeping MLB relevant pass away MLS will start to exceed MLB as a whole

Why did only one word get an apostrophe in this post?

[listopencil]

Why did only one word get an apostrophe in this post?

It's like a "Where's Waldo?" picture. It's supposed to be fun.

[ThaVirus]

This is a good thing, in my opinion.

I'd like to see America get more involved with the most popular sport in the world- even if I hate it.

[aturnis]

Sporting KC also has the perfect soccer names for example Zusi just sounds like a pussy name

Chipper is much worse.

[aturnis]

I didnt really follow MLB either until I was 19, but its no surprise that younger ppl and kids like MLS. I dont get soccers appeal, I really dont. Ive tried to give it a chance, but its so boring. I get theres always running and pundits against baseball say it's boring and sitting around but I still find it much more interesting. Even when comparing other minor sports ive tried to get myself to watch like rugby, aussie rules football, tennis, lacrosse, hockey,....every 1 of those are way more interesting than soccer. Its a world obsession I will never understand. But I have no doubt that in 20 years when many of the old farts keeping MLB relevant pass away MLS will start to exceed MLB as a whole

Did you ever play soccer? To what level.

It's definitely harder to appreciate if you never played at a competitive level.

[BWillie]

Why did only one word get an apostrophe in this post?

Typin on my ph bro

Sorry internet message board police.

[BWillie]

Did you ever play soccer? To what level.

It's definitely harder to appreciate if you never played at a competitive level.

I played it when I was a little kid. Hated it. Parents made me play. I also didn't really like baseball, but not because it wasn't fun. It was fun, I just wasn't good at it. I wasn't a very good hitter. But then I found golf and basketball, which I found much more fun because I could actually play those well. I never really found soccer fun, running around for 2 hours, then the game ends and its 1-0. Just seems like a waste of time.

[aturnis]

When you're a kid, you're not really playing soccer, there's a reason it's referred to as bumble bee soccer. When you get to a cooperative level, where skill starts to develop, and you can appreciate not only the skill involved, but the creativity truly skilled payers introduce, it leads to a greater appreciation.

[blaise]

Kids get past bumble bee soccer pretty quick these days. At least around here. Some kids are just out there running around but there's other kids doing step overs. Shootin over other kids heads. Passing backwards. My 9 year old played a game last season where a team did a header in for a goal off of a corner kick. Intentionally.
Most games don't end 1-0 either. 8-1 or 9-1 is more common. Which sucks if your kid is on the wrong end. If your kids team is still doing the bumble bee thing at about age 8, and not passing, they'll be getting torched around here.

[SPATCH]

Did you ever play soccer? To what level.

It's definitely harder to appreciate if you never played at a competitive level.

I stopped playing soccer when I was 6.

But, I started getting into it during World Cup 2002. I was intrigued by the idea of America sort of forging into a sport that was unknown territory for us. I liked the idea of the United States rising up to one day dominate the rest of the world at their own game. Seemed like such an American thing to try and do.

I was initially only intrigued by the USMNT.

Then I started getting into playing FIFA. It might sound weird, but when I started to get really good at the game I noticed that my understanding of the game really increased. Suddenly, I found myself really enjoying watching ANY soccer on television. I go out of my way to watch EPL/La Liga/Champion's League on television. So enjoyable for me.

[CoMoChief]

It's due to the economy.

It costs an arm and a leg to play baseball. It's not an elitist sport, but the cost for the equipment (I'm not talking about going to Walmart and picking out some shitty bat and glove), yeah you can save money doing that but you're not going to be able to do shit with it.

Soccer is a poor man's sport...that's why it's the most popular sport in the world.

I stopped playing soccer when I was 7...simply because I grew out of it. It's mostly for 4-5 yr olds who are filled w/ shit loads of energy and parents put them out on the field so they can run around look cute and get a little dirty and wear themselves out.

[penguinz]

It's due to the economy.

It costs an arm and a leg to play baseball. It's not an elitist sport, but the cost for the equipment (I'm not talking about going to Walmart and picking out some shitty bat and glove), yeah you can save money doing that but you're not going to be able to do shit with it.

Soccer is a poor man's sport...that's why it's the most popular sport in the world.Not true at all in the US! Gear and league fees are expensive. Many of the larger youth clubs have F/T coaches the make close to and over 6 figures.

[aturnis]

I stopped playing soccer when I was 6.

But, I started getting into it during World Cup 2002. I was intrigued by the idea of America sort of forging into a sport that was unknown territory for us. I liked the idea of the United States rising up to one day dominate the rest of the world at their own game. Seemed like such an American thing to try and do.

I was initially only intrigued by the USMNT.

Then I started getting into playing FIFA. It might sound weird, but when I started to get really good at the game I noticed that my understanding of the game really increased. Suddenly, I found myself really enjoying watching ANY soccer on television. I go out of my way to watch EPL/La Liga/Champion's League on television. So enjoyable for me.

Oh I agree. It definitely helps to be the guy who likes the underdog, and see your own country play that roll. I first got swept up by the USWNT, but have a special affinity towards the USMNT, b/c they play on a much less level playing field. Doesn't take long to get caught up if you find you enjoy the sport.

There is a certain appeal of the larger than life personalities of the game too. I mean, top NFL players are famous here, but Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar are recognized the world over.

[aturnis]

Not true at all in the US! Gear and league fees are expensive. Many of the larger youth clubs have F/T coaches the make close to and over 6 figures.

This.

[BigRedChief]

It's due to the economy.

It costs an arm and a leg to play baseball. It's not an elitist sport, but the cost for the equipment (I'm not talking about going to Walmart and picking out some shitty bat and glove), yeah you can save money doing that but you're not going to be able to do shit with it.My baseball teams didn't travel out of town and we still went through $7000-$8000 a year. If you don't get sponsors, thats $700 a season for your kid to play a game. And you need to spend almost every weekend at a tournament. Practice twice a week. Game during the week.

Soccer is real popular until the kids hit High School and adulthood. Has been that way for 20+ years. It's not translated to soccer moving up the sports food chain. And it never will. Maybe it does for some. It's more popular in general than it was 20 years ago but there is no way Soccer moves past baseball, basketball and football.

[chiefsfan987]

I find it fascinating that at the beginning of the study kids enjoyed college basketball more than college football and that college football is trending downwards the last few years while college basketball is trending upwards.

[MahiMike]

I'm surprised it's this close. Kids like movement. Baseball is pretty boring unless you're playing it.

[Jimmya]

Soccer sucks.

[ModSocks]

Soccer sucks.

Baseball sucks more.

[MahiMike]

It's due to the economy.

It costs an arm and a leg to play baseball. It's not an elitist sport, but the cost for the equipment (I'm not talking about going to Walmart and picking out some shitty bat and glove), yeah you can save money doing that but you're not going to be able to do shit with it.

Soccer is a poor man's sport...that's why it's the most popular sport in the world.

I stopped playing soccer when I was 7...simply because I grew out of it. It's mostly for 4-5 yr olds who are filled w/ shit loads of energy and parents put them out on the field so they can run around look cute and get a little dirty and wear themselves out.

Tell that to the parents of traveling soccer teenagers. About $8K/year.

[TLO]

WHAT WHAT! IN THE BUTT!

[CoMoChief]

Tell that to the parents of traveling soccer teenagers. About $8K/year.

Sure ...when you talk about traveling teams shit obviously gets expensive due to traveling costs, entry fees. That's pretty much the same across the board in any sport.

I'm talking about starting out. Sure if you're good enough in baseball you're going to be on teams that travel around the country playing year round in tournaments. you're going to have a shit load of equipment and a shit load of traveling costs, tournament fees (which can be ****ing ridiculous).

I played every position though I mostly pitched, played on the corners, and played behind the plate., so I had a smaller light glove for pitching, had a 1st basemen's mit for 1st, had a catchers mit for when I caught behind the plate, I had a bigger pocket glove for playing outfield, and a mid sized pocket for infield play. I had a TPX and a Omaha aluminum bat, one was little league and one was HS regulated weight. Also had a wood bat for wood bat tournaments, actually had 2 because one cracked, had a couple equipment bags including one of those locker bags which are expensive as shit. Batting helmet, 10gal bucket worth of baseballs, batting gloves, bat sleeves and donuts, grip tape/pine tar, cup/jockstrap, cleats w/ interchangeable metal spikes..

There's just a shit load of equipment that you accumulate over the years playing baseball...a lot more than playing soccer.

Kids growing up in countries like Guam, Somalia, some African countries, all they have is a field, and ball and they use any confined area (largely made up) as goal(s), and many of them run around barefoot. Shit in some countries they ****ing kick rocks growing up. It's a poor mans sport....always has been.

[Cephalic Trauma]

Poll is bullshit.

http://deadspin.com/that-espn-poll-claiming-mls-is-as-popular-with-kids-as-1539533010/all

The other day, ESPN published a story, citing data from the ESPN Sports Poll Annual Report, claiming that Major League Soccer now "equals MLB in popularity with kids." The story was quickly picked up by MLS, CBS, The Big Lead, the Orlando Sentinel, the Seattle Times, and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, brandished as proof of baseball's terminal decline and soccer's rise to glory.

There's only one problem: It's completely unclear what this study is actually measuring.

The substance of the ESPN report was in a chart from Luker on Trends, the firm that runs the ESPN Sports Poll under a licensing arrangement. It shows that 17.98 percent of children from the ages of 12 to 17 are "avid" fans of MLS, as opposed to 18.04 percent who are avid fans of MLB.

According to Childstats.gov, there are around 25 million children aged 12 to 17 in the United States. This would mean that, per the poll's findings, there are about 4.5 million American teenagers who are avid MLS fans.

In 2013, just more than 6 million spectators in total attended MLS games. Average viewership for games on ESPN—presumably the most-watched—was around 220,000, and total viewership for the MLS Cup Final on English- and Spanish-language broadcasts was around 1 million.

In other words, finger math would suggest that a majority of these alleged avid teenage MLS fans aren't actually watching or attending MLS games. And in fact that's true. According to Rich Luker of Luker on Trends, "Avid MLS fans between the ages of 12 and 17 are not watching much MLS on TV."

Luker struggles when attempting to explain the plain inconsistency between his findings and other data relating to the league's popularity. He can't even explain his terminology coherently. In an email, for instance, he explained that the ESPN Sports Poll follows on research carried out between 1988 and 1993, in which "we tested over 35 types of 'fan' measures against audited behaviors to find the single measures most predictive of the underlying behaviors," with "two core proprietary questions" emerging.

The first is a general measure of interest in sports, the second is a measure most effective at predicting behavior against specific sports. In both cases fans at the "AVID" level are statistically higher than the mean value for all fans of that sport on most, if not all, fan behaviors. So, for example, "AVID" PGA fans consistently watch statistically more events on TV than do PGA fans in total...
This seems merely tautological: Yes, avid fans of a sport watch it more than casual fans do, but that doesn't really have anything to do with how popular the sport is. Asked to clarify his meaning, Luker responded as follows:

18% means 18% of all 12-17 year-olds. "Avid" means they really are avid, not just some arbitrary distinction. A lot of careful research went into being sure that statement is linked to the underlying behaviors.
The best guess here is that Luker is testing for characteristics or behaviors that should in theory correlate with being a fan of a league, throwing them in a blender, and serving up the result as his "avid interest" metric. Luker might, for example, classify a 13-year-old who's played FIFA in the last year as an avid fan, disposed to watch MLS according to his research into "underlying behaviors." That's just a guess, though, because Luker has declined to provide the following:

a description of his careful research
a description of the behaviors that lead to an interview subject being classified as avid
a copy of his survey
a plain-English definition of what he means by avid
Whatever "avid interest" is, it clearly doesn't necessarily involve actually following a sport, and no one should conflate it with popularity. (Maybe avid MLB fans between the ages of 12 and 17 aren't watching much MLB; maybe they are. Who knows?)

Don't take this as a knock on MLS, or as a defense of MLB. It's entirely possible that a non-bullshit study would find that MLS is much closer to MLB in popularity among teenagers than most people would think, and almost certain that a non-bullshit study would find that soccer in general is. This, though, is a bullshit study, released as part of what passes for MLS opening day hype, tracking nothing more than how well various leagues are doing by a metric that Luker is either unable or unwilling to clearly define. No one should cite its bullshit findings.

LMAOLMAO

[Titty Meat]

Soccer sucks

[Mojo Jojo]

This past weekend out with my two teenagers...while they were doing teen stuff, and we had this discussion. Teens wearing sports stuff...
The most noticed NCAA...then MLS/International Soccer & NBA...then NFL...even saw a few NHL don't recall seeing any MLB stuff on teens. This includes hats, shirts, jackets. By no means a scientific study just a random weekend that included malls/other shopping districts, theatres, and a high school event.

[blaise]

The only sport my kids will watch on tv for more than 5 minutes is basketball. Everything else they consider boring, even football.

[Mojo Jojo]

The only sport my kids will watch on tv for more than 5 minutes is basketball. Everything else they consider boring, even football.
I think that is true of a lot of kids...watching sports is boring to them.

[Paniero]

Is this another gay thread?

Now that you've posted.