Don't let anyone tell you that people don't come out to watch soccer in this country.
Tickets for the US men's National Team vs. Argentina on June 8 at the Meadowlands went on sale on April 14. As of today (May 7), our NY Times friend Jack Bell writes, 40,000 have sold (and I own one of them). Tickets aren't cheap either--you can sit in nosebleed for $35, and close enough to see the sweat fly for $195. In fact, the nationalism for this match is so intense, there will be separate seating sections: Argentina, USA, and mixed/neutral.
On the flip side, the US women's national team played a couple of friendlies vs. Australia in the last two weeks. Remember, this is an Olympic year, so "fan fire" should be flamed. There was an audience of about 3,600 at the first game (Carey, NC) and an advertised 5,000 for the second (Birmingham, AL). Wassup with that?!
We need to connect the dots. OK. No overnight miracles. You've heard this argument before (worldwide football vs. USA soccer). Maybe Lionel Messi and Landon Donovan have caught fire because this is a in a "man's world." But can we hope, with the international players coming to WPS, we can capitalize on what feeds the flames of fandom?
Sky Blue had about two weeks to organize the game v. the National Team of China last June. It poured rain, but almost 4,000 came out to Rutgers stadium. Among them was a huge contingent of Chinese from the nearby area, which turns out to be one of the largest Chinese communities in the State. And they were families: men, women and children.
Women's soccer in other countries is rapidly improving. Our appreciation of the international passion for the game, and our nurturing of it, has got to be a key to our success. Let's hope so, anyway. And let's hope this league, and Sky Blue, is part of it.
SBS Blogger
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