MovieChat Forums > 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar (2022) Discussion > How can Americans not get hooked on socc...

How can Americans not get hooked on soccer?!


These last few days had some really thrilling games.

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I agree. It’s fantastic. Especially if you’re watching with a group of people. I’m up all night. I love it. Someone has to explain it to me tho how you can win and lose at the same time. But I’m loving these games.

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The influence from South America is increasing.

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Who knows, its certainly more exciting than baseball ZzzZzzZzz

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Interesting... I think baseball is one of the most exciting sports to watch.

For me, most sports are unwatchable unless I have a vested interest in a team playing. I can't possibly sit through the snoozefest that is an NFL game unless the Raiders are playing. The only three sports I can watch even if I have never even heard of the participants are

soccer
baseball
boxing

Those three sports are interesting, compelling, and exciting enough to hold my interest regardless of what teams/fighters are involved.

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Baseball. The game of people literally standing around waiting for something to happen. Thrilling

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If it isn't your thing, it isn't your thing. I find it very compelling.

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Attention span.

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There is not enough scoring in soccer

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Because it's dull. All they do is run up and down the field. It's fine for little kids, but not for adults.

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You've got it backwards. Soccer is for people with intelligence and an attention span. It's only dull to dullards such as you.

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Lol! WTF?

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FilmBuff is right on this one.

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You could say the same thing about basketball

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Basketball breaks up the monotony of running up and down the court with actually making a basket, not to mention 3 point shots and free throws.

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So all you care about is points?

You can literally ignore 95% of a basketball game and only concentrate on the last 2 mins.

Scoring points is not interesting or enjoybale when you know it will happen every 20 secs.

Scoring a goal is meant to be very difficult.

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No I care about breaking up monotony with a variety of action.

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No I care about breaking up monotony with a variety of action.

There is no variety of action. They walk down the court and 99% of the time will score. Now that is monotinous and boring. Knowing they will score with an almost perfect percentage isn't enjoyable

the monotony of running up and down the court with actually making a basket, not to mention 3 point shots and free throws.


No that is only caring about points.

1st Team goes down 1 end and scores. 2nd team goes down the other end and scores. Rinse and repeat for 48 mins.

That is the very definition of monotonous

This is why most Americans will never get the enjoyment of Football. Scoring a goal is meant to be hard, really hard. So when you do score it means something, not just another 2 points that adds to the 80 you already have.

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American football is what's dull. It actually could be interesting if it didn't take hours for a few minutes of gameplay.

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A typical NFL games lasts 174 minutes-- a little less than 3 hours. During that time the ball is in play for about 11 minutes.

https://www.businessinsider.com/football-games-air-only-11-minutes-of-action-2010-1

Coupled with rule changes like adding instant replay, which severely detract from the excitement of the game, and the knowledge that the players you watch are enduring crippling injuries and brain damage that lead nearly all of them to painful retirement years and early graves, and it's no wonder the NFL is on the way out and soccer is poised to replace it as the primary American sport.

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They showed the superbowl once here in Finnish tv and I just couldn't watch it because of constant commercial breaks! How do you americans stand it? I guess you're grown to it?

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Truthfully, at least in the U.S., the Super Bowl is something of an exception, as the commercials are often as much fun as the game. Companies spend the entire year preparing their best ads, and it's something of a tradition to watch and discuss the commercials as much as the game. But other than the Super Bowl, the commercials are just something you ignore. You talk to your friends, eat, leave the room, etc.

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I watched NFL for 40 years but around 2014 I couldn't stand the commercials anymore..Now I mostly check the highlights after the game is over.

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its called 'Redzone

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So

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I'm American I'm partially hooked. It would help if we had a team in the Premier league lol. For me, European soccer is by far the best and most fun to watch. I live in Kansas City we have a professional soccer team(Sporting Kansas City) but I'm not interested at all. I'd love to live in Europe, I'd watch soccer all the time over there.

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Why not adopt a European team?

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This guy came up with the statistic that the team that scores first has an 87.52% chance of at least getting a draw.

https://bitterandblue.sbnation.com/2012/8/3/3217081/the-importance-of-scoring-the-first-goal-of-the-game

I don't like soccer because IMO it too often doesn't deliver the result "the better team won." Which is true in all sports, but that statistic in the link is pretty brutal.

And FFS get rid of the frickin' penalty kicks to decide a winner. Aren't these pretty much the same people that will watch a 12-hour cricket match? Just keep playing dammit!

I also don't like NBA basketball, I'll only watch the last period. Men's college basketball is much better IMO.

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Just keep playing dammit

For how long? Penalty kicks can be more exciting the actual game sometimes especailly for a nuetral.

I don't like soccer because IMO it too often doesn't deliver the result "the better team won."

And that is why it is the best sport in the world that on any given day any one can beat anyone. Usually the best teams do win but on occasion we get the underdog. Plus it depends what you mean by the best team. The best team isn't necessarily the one that attacks the most. Americans will never understand this. A 1 nil hard earned win by the ranked outsider can be more entertaining than a 6-0 win from the tournament favourite. I have watched thrilling 0-0, 1-1 draws then went to penalties and ended being 15-14 on penalties. If you don't understand the small things you will never enjoy the overall sport. Football is tribal as well which means a great deal.

Aren't these pretty much the same people that will watch a 12-hour cricket match? Just keep playing dammit!

No. Not even remotely.

I also don't like NBA basketball, I'll only watch the last period. Men's college basketball is much better IMO.

Bit of an oxymoron, it's the same sport just played at different levels. You watch the entire college basketball but only the last quarter of the NBA. Very odd.

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For me, NBA basketball is to college basketball, what Men's professional tennis is to Women's professional tennis. The ladies will have several returns and volleys back and forth, the guys just blast the damn ball like a missile...

I do prefer American football at the NFL level over college.

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I also don't watch the NBA anymore, but college basketball is more exciting.

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The New York Giants and Washington Commanders tied on Sunday, why don’t they play on until there is a winner?

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That was a regular season game. World Cup is playoff. In NFL playoffs they continue playing until someone gets a higher score.

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