USA World Cup/ Confederation Cup draws.

Damn you USSoccer... Damn you to hell.

 

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I'm on it like white on rice!

 

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I'm there and I'm up for some FUSA tailgating.

 

Jensers. :sigh: the proof is pretty self evident - look at the attendance numbers for the last three home WCQs for the USMNT. There were thousands of empty seats (tens of thousands in the case of the Cuba game at RFK).

Wishing for something and hoping for something doesn't make it plausbible reality.

 

This is a great decision by ussoccer.

I wish we could draw 50K US fans to a game, but Andy is right...wishing doesn't make it so. And the idea that "promoting it better" will make a difference rings hollow to me. We don't want a stadium full of idle curiosity seekers, lured in by advertisements. We want bleachers full of engaged, cheering FANS.

In terms of atmosphere, a FULL stadium is better than a half-full stadium. Period. End of story. Even if the half-full stadium has 30K screaming fans, it is still inferior to a sold-out crowd of "only" 18K. And holding this game in large stadium anywhere outside of Texas, Arizona or So Cal would almost certainly produce the half-filled scenario.

If I can figure out a way to get out of a conference I'm scheduled to attend in New Orleans, I hope to make the trip to Columbus. Seems unlikely, though.

 

I really want to attend this match but it is smack in the middle of our fiscal year closing. Here is to hoping things go smoothly and I can get a day off.

 

The Sons of Ben supporters group in Philly is getting a bus together. The Baltimore Brigade is planning on carpooling up to hitch a ride with them. Leave Tues evening, back Thu morning...no hotels, just overnights on the bus.

I figure the Screaming Eagles might put on something from DC, but I'll have to check. There will be at least one bus from NY going to the game as well.

 

Apples and Oranges, Andy.... Apples and Oranges.

Who were the last 3 opponents?

This is USA v Mexico. This is one of the greatest rivalries in all of international football.

And JP -
How in the Hell are we going to get Screaming USA fans if we dont bring in those that are, 'idle curiosity seekers,' as you say?

You think you are being realists, but you are in fact being pessimists.

Only a couple hundred Fulham supporters turned up for Fulham @ Stoke. There is no way they could fill a 50,000 seat stadium. They dont have the strong support of the other 'bigger' clubs in the league. They are not 'real' supporters anyway. Fulham is a nice little club, but nothing will ever come of them... They never have a real shot at winning anything.

What do you think about that Andy? Would you agree?

 

Jensers. Argentina was the #1 team in the world when we played them, in our #1 metro market, during the summer, on a Sunday afternoon...and we had maybe 20-25k diehard supporters at the game.

This game is in the the winter on a Wednesday evening.

If we can't get 50k for a weekend afternoon game, in the summer (when work and school schedules tend to be more agreeable) against the top team in the world, then we're not going to get that on a midweek winter evening, no matter who we're playing.

Sorry, this is just being realistic. I work for a research company and there are enough data points to easily trend this. Trends and Statistics aren't 100% certainty, but they're what businesses base decisions on, not wishful thinking.

As for the Fulham comment - no, Fulham couldn't fill a 50,000 seat stadium either, at least not at current state. They have good, loyal supporters, but you can tell by the marketing efforts to sell out the Craven Cottage that there isn't exactly a 6 month waiting list to get tickets (and you would need more than that to book a 50,000 seat stadium for the club).

Also, just to note: USA-Mexico is a big rivalry in CONCACAF, but it's not even the biggest in our Confederation (that title goes to Honduras-El Salvador). It doesn't even come close to being in the top 10 in the world. Have some perspective, please.

 

Jensers. Read this:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=857964

 

Perspective huh?

Ok - lets look at this match:

USA vs. Argentina
June 8th 2008
International Friendly
Giants Stadium

Attendance:
78,682

Yes - Sunday Afternoon.

School would not be out at this point - just as an FYI... Otherwise I would have been there.

So you are going to tell me that there were only MAYBE 20-25,000 USA fans in a stadium filled with 78,682 people?

Poppycock! Where are the numbers to prove this? You say you work for a 'Research Company.' I hope that you dont think that entitles you to some extraordinary power of estimation.

Our #1 Metro Market? They cant - and wont even support their MLS team! New York may be the largest market by population, but it is not the #1 soccer friendly market. That title would have to go to Chicago.

Business decisions are not made on wishful thinking? Hmmm... Sit down and talk that idea over with a successful entrepreneur. Business is based on Wishful thinking! That is why most of them fail... But some also make it.

You are interested in telling everyone why something CANT happen. I am interested in telling people why it CAN.

I am the HULL City of USSoccer fans.

As to the rivalry... Honduras and El Salvador?

You mean the Honduras and El Salvador that have not qualified for a World Cup in 26 years?

Yeah - thats a HUGE match!

 

Hahahahaha... Its a good one:

Poppycock - Anglicized form of the Dutch pappekak, which literally means soft dung or diarrhea (from Dutch pap pap + kak dung) - is an interjection meaning "nonsense" or "balderdash".

At any rate,

I went back and read my posts... Andy - I hear what you are saying.

We are on the same team - there are some questions as to the tipping point for USMNT support. I think we are there - but I can see an argument claiming that we are not quite there as well...

The great thing is that we can have this argument. This would be a non-issue 10-12 years ago...

 

US-Mex in Columbus

Jensers, yes businessmen take risks and base decisions on wishful thinking sometimes...

But this is NOT the game to be taking those risks. This is NOT the game to be recruiting new, casual fans. Do all that when we're playing Honduras or T&T. Put THIS game in the venue where we are most likely to have an atmosphere that might be intimidating to an opponent.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Re: RE: re: USA-Mex

I was there. I'd say we were outnumbered 4 or 5 to 1. The Sam's Army crew may have showed up well on tv, but that was the only clearly red section in the stadium. The lower decks seemed to be fairly evenly split but the upper decks were almost entirely green.

 

RE: Re: RE: re: USA-Mex

4 or 5 to 1 would mean there were only ~ 12-15,000 USA fans out of 70,000.

??

I called Reliant and US Soccer and they could not tell me (Reliant Would Not Tell me because they said they were not authorized to do so, and US Soccer didnt know) the seating breakdown for each of the tiers. Meaning the total number of seats in each level.

So I will have to guess:

The 600 and 700 level seating would have to be around 17,500 leaving 52,500 seats for the lower tiers. If the 600 and 700 level seats were exclusively Pro-Mexico, and the lower tiers were evenly split, you would be looking at 26,250 USA supporters.

Now obviously the upper bowl has some USA fans...

The point is, based on your description - wouldnt it have to be closer to 2-1 or 3-1?

 

Don't go counting seats on my recollection from Feb. Maybe my guess at lower 1/2 being 50/50 was generous. I just know that walking into and out of the stadium and standing in line in the restrooms, the breakdown was about 20-25% US.

 

From what I can see in the pictures from Feb, and what I saw on TV - I would say 60/40.

So around 28,000 - which would fall in line with your recollections of the lower Tiers.

Going back to the comments on 'promotion.' Every local Spanish language radio station (In Central Washington) has been talking match location for weeks now.

You should have heard the buzz surrounding the Mexico-China match!

How much attention has it been getting in the English Speaking Columbus media?

I am sure the answer is - very little... It is off the radar - and we still will fill the place.

Get it on the radar, Bill it as a cultural war, Play up the political and emotional angle. Get people there who dont know anything about soccer, but what they do know - is that they dont like Mexico...

You dont think this is how it is billed from the Mexican side? You think they are worried about being PC? Its about sticking it to the MAN! And we are THE MAN.

Someone hire Don King. Lets start throwing some mud! Call in the Riot Police!