FIFA's Influence on Popularity of Soccer in the US

[ALVAREZ6]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/relegationzone/id/291?cc=5901

an article that supports what I've always speculated..and I'm sure many of you fellow FIFA players have thought similarly, that the game is spreading the popularity of the sport. Tons of my friends in the past few years started playing FIFA without ever following or even liking soccer at all.


http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=photo/2012/0920/soc_roger_graphic2_300.jpg
This map represents the most popular Support Your Club, state by state: Green (Barcelona), red (Man Utd.), blue (Chicago Fire), purple (Philadelphia Union), brown (Timbers).

[MannyIsGod]

:lol

The Chicago fire have a whole fucking state where there the favorite club? LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

[MannyIsGod]

Cool article. My first introduction into soccer was with FIFA back in 2002 although I played a lot of winning 11 too. All while watching the 2002 WC. The WC only came once every 4 years but Winning 11 and FIFA were something you could pick up all the time.

Now its different since the MLS is good and I'm a fan. We can watch a lot of Euro Soccer too and the Champions League is always broadcast. Its not just the WC anymore. But FIFA was still the game I was waiting the most for this year.

[symple19]

The takeover has been slowly happening for a long time. I'm 33, and it started for me in 3 phases

1. I started playing at age 5, and continued to play through high school (including club and indoor)

2. Went to 2 games when the World Cup was here in 94 (Orlando, saw Dutch lose to Belgium and beat Morocco)

3. Started following Arsenal in 98'


Other highlights were catching a few Olympic games in 96' in Birmingham and 2 more World Cup games when I was stationed in Korea.

It's the best sport in the World (best league is still the NFL, though). Others here in the states are finally figuring it out. Hopefully, eventually, I'll live to see the USA be an elite team and the MLS on par with the EPL and the other top Euro leagues. It could definitely happen.

The one thing it still needs in the states is for the big networks to get behind it. That's where the money is, and that's what will translate to more money being payed out to top talent. Plus, if it continues to gain fame, then more and more top players will start to be cultivated here in America...And America cultivates better athletes than anywhere else in the world

[symple19]

lulz...FIFA helps, but really wasn't the catalyst :lol

Here's the first soccer game I played consistently (video game)

SL6tLpMFi7U

[symple19]

Oh, and here's what still may be (for me) the most fun soccer game ever

gdRW85I2mXY

I used to rape motherfuckers with Argy

[DAF86]

Oh, and here's what still may be (for me) the most fun soccer game ever

gdRW85I2mXY

I used to rape motherfuckers with Argy

First PC game I ever owned. I used to score some beatiful goals with fat Ronaldo.

[ALVAREZ6]

:lol

The Chicago fire have a whole fucking state where there the favorite club? LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

and it's not even Illinois :lol

I guess it's not too outrageous once you put into perspective the total population of North Dakota (I think that's the state). 7 people follow the Chicago Fire? Well, that makes the team the majority favorite in the state :lol.

[ALVAREZ6]

I think one of the points they're making though and why this is happening is that FIFA is such a fun game that it draws tons of young people who have never played or followed the sport to play it (FIFA). I've noticed that you can probably say the same about EA's NHL game, but not nearly to the extent. As I've already touched on, I have several friends who now play or have played FIFA for extended periods of time, friends who never had any interest in soccer. Not all of them start to follow the sport, but a couple take more interest and definitely begin to appreciate and respect the sport..it all starts somewhere and for many the interest grows. All from a really fun game that happens to be soccer.

For people my age and Madden/NFL, the flow is opposite. Madden doesn't really do much to increase the popularity of the sport, all Madden players are already football fans in this country.


:tu FIFA
I love you

[Venti Quattro]

Americans should not be brainwashed to the filthy scum known as Manchester United.

[symple19]

I think one of the points they're making though and why this is happening is that FIFA is such a fun game that it draws tons of young people who have never played or followed the sport to play it (FIFA). I've noticed that you can probably say the same about EA's NHL game, but not nearly to the extent. As I've already touched on, I have several friends who now play or have played FIFA for extended periods of time, friends who never had any interest in soccer. Not all of them start to follow the sport, but a couple take more interest and definitely begin to appreciate and respect the sport..it all starts somewhere and for many the interest grows. All from a really fun game that happens to be soccer.

For people my age and Madden/NFL, the flow is opposite. Madden doesn't really do much to increase the popularity of the sport, all Madden players are already football fans in this country.


:tu FIFA
I love you

I mos def agree...whatever gets more people into it is fine with me :tu

[ALVAREZ6]

I mos def agree...whatever gets more people into it is fine with me :tu

Exactly, and as the popularity grows we can only expect to see more European games televised here.

[velik_m]

You are all a bunch of noobs...

My first soccer game was Match day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_Day)

Sensible soccer was also great:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HAciEe5m0S8/TelKPOn-oaI/AAAAAAAAADU/rKM8A357woc/s1600/sensible_soccer.png

[ElNono]

The first soccer game I played was Championship (Pele) Soccer for the Atari 2600. That was circa 1980.

http://videogamecritic.net/images/2600/pele's_championship_soccer.png

It sucked donkey balls, that's why the very first fun soccer game I recall playing was Exciting Soccer, circa 1983, in the arcades:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Exciting_Soccer.png

From the early days, a few notables for me were:

Kickoff series - Amiga
http://www.dazeland.com/images/Kick-Off-2.png

Tehkan world cup - Arcade
http://pacult.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/tehkan_world_cup_1.jpg

[lefty]

Kickoff series - Amiga
http://www.dazeland.com/images/Kick-Off-2.png


Elnono with the goods :worthy:


Kick Off was the FIRST ever realistic soccer game, where the ball wasnt glued to the player's feet

As mentioned by Velik , Sensible Soccer was great too

[DAF86]

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4286/captaintsubasa21dk6.jpg

Who knows this gem of a game?

[ElNono]

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4286/captaintsubasa21dk6.jpg

Who knows this gem of a game?

Wasn't this based off a tv series?

[DAF86]

Yeah, "Captain Tsubasa", "Supercampeones" for us. I loved the game and the series.

[TDMVPDPOY]

lulz...FIFA helps, but really wasn't the catalyst :lol

Here's the first soccer game I played consistently (video game)

SL6tLpMFi7U

lol whoever made this game, the character design is the same in their other game Street Gangs...fkn there was a bug in that game, couldnt get to the final boss....good times

[TDMVPDPOY]

Americans should not be brainwashed to the filthy scum known as Manchester United.

go get fcked wanker

glazers destroyed manutd...fck them clowns

[NASpurs]

^^

:lmao :lmao :lmao

[Brazil]

Yeah, "Captain Tsubasa", "Supercampeones" for us. I loved the game and the series.

I think for the French it was Olive et Tom

Crazy stuff the dudes were running like 10000 miles before reaching the goal keeper, during the period you had 2 interruptions for ads and the guy had time to dribble 25 guys.

[lefty]

I think for the French it was Olive et Tom

Crazy stuff the dudes were running like 10000 miles before reaching the goal keeper, during the period you had 2 interruptions for ads and the guy had time to dribble 25 guys.
Olive et Tom, I confirm


Where it took 3 episodes to score a goal

[scott]

lol whoever made this game, the character design is the same in their other game Street Gangs...fkn there was a bug in that game, couldnt get to the final boss....good times

Also exact same design as Super Dodgeball, all the way down to the way the ball moves

[resistanze]

I don't remember playing any soccer games for NES.

First I remember was FIFA 96 for PC, then FIFA: Road to World Cup 98. Then FIFA 2000, 2001...Then the Winning Eleven Era kicked in tbh.

...Then WE/PES fell off for next-gen consoles and FIFA made a comeback.

[DAF86]

I think for the French it was Olive et Tom

Crazy stuff the dudes were running like 10000 miles before reaching the goal keeper, during the period you had 2 interruptions for ads and the guy had time to dribble 25 guys.

And remember his entire life through memories.

GOAT sports cartoon :cry