Comments on: MLS’ (Un)Popularity: A Scientific Sampling

By: Emily Jones

Emily Jones — Fri, 21 May 2010 05:08:45 +0000

i love to Figure Skate, and this has been my favorite sport ever since i was a kid.:~;

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:48:41 +0000

Or, you could look at the headline and read the last paragraph before the methodology. Up to you.

What else is it supposed to be?

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 02:59:11 +0000

It would be great if everybody read the description of the poll before running off calling bullshit because it’s not something that it never claimed to be.

By: John C

John C — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:38:26 +0000

Those numbers don’t make any sence, NHRA ahead of MLS, figure skating ahead of NASCAR????? NAscar is the most attended sport in the country and have HIGH ratings, these numbers prove that this study is total garbage. Don’t worry MLS fans, the league is doing very well, 13 years and knocking on the NHL’s door for #4 sport in America.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 03:40:13 +0000

I call BS. This poll makes no sense. I am a firm believer, for example, that the NBA is ‘popular’ because our media tells us it is. Look at ESPN (which, not coincidentally, holds part of the league TV contract). All Sports Center IS is the wintertime is the NBA, and some college basketball between commercials. It’s ridiculous. Meanwhile, the NBA plays to stadiums that are one-third empty all over the country.

The WNBA is dying. To somehow suggest that at it’s all-time high, more people were interested in it than are currently interested in the NBA beggars belief. Figure skating is the most popular ‘sport’ on the planet for two weeks every four years, during the Winter Olympics. Other than that, it’s not even on the radar and though it’s wildly popular among women during that time, I don’t see too many guys in my circle of friends wondering who the gold medal favorite is.

Full disclosure: I have absolutely no interest in seven of the ‘top ten’ sports listed here (just the top three). I’ve also got virtually no interest in MLS, mainly because there isn’t a team within eight hours’ drive of where I live and European football is a much better product.

I’d take gentle issue with Alex above regarding a league close to my heart, the NHL. The league wants to grow in the South — the north and Canada hasn’t mattered to Gary Bettman for years. Yes, where the NHL and NBA go head to head, the NHL often wins in terms of attendance, but despite a great game, their marketing is Godawful.

By: jon

jon — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:08:31 +0000

thanks alot

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:08:55 +0000

Hopefully a significantly increased minimum salary in the next few years will improve the quality of play and generate more interest nationally.

By: Alex Usher

Alex Usher — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:51:04 +0000

This is a poll meant to inform advertisers. Advertisers won’t even look at the headline numbers – they’ll look at specific markets and demographics. Hockey might get bad national numbers, but in the big northern cities, they’ll be closer to basketball’s numbers.

My guess is that soccer’s support base skews considerably younger than some of the other sports, and that would matter to advertisers.

By: Michał

Michał — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:48:56 +0000

Guys, not being American and not living in your country I have to say that to the eyes of a stranger football in your country is developing amazingly fast! And it’s great, so don’t let some ratings get you down and keep doing your thing.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:16:53 +0000

Also, as for this:

“And, like rw says, I don’t particularly care about those who don’t like it and never will. That’s fine, move along.”

I get the general sentiment. At some point you can’t spend your life being dragged down by the haters anymore.

But there IS a valid reason we should all care about soccer’s popularity in this country: The bigger the sport is, the better our national team and our domestic league will become. Personally, I’d like to see a top-performing men’s national team in my lifetime. I’d like to see an MLS with top-level action week in and week out. That stuff will happen only with growth, with better opportunities, with more respect.

So it’s fine to say, “Hey, I don’t care if we’re always a little niche.” But if so, be prepared to accept lesser results on other fronts, too.