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Season Preview on espn.com


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#16
The Metrologist

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This whole post was insightful and on the mark. But re: the Cosmos/NY2 'attracting hipsters' look carefully at the parts I italicized. Who do you guys think you are in the grand scheme of things? People attracted to something that the mainstream deems too foreign and esoteric? That deviates from the standard formula? Hipsters for sure, if you're going to use that almost-meaningless-by-now term.

That's just what you are if you're hardcore supporting a pro soccer organization in the US. If by 'hipsters' you're thinking aesthetically, and mean people sporting some particular kind of (probably stereotyped) clothing/fashion style, well, then you're always going to see just what you want to see. And you'll call it what you want to call it. I'm sure I could go to Harrison any old weekend and see plenty of people who look like they just came from the tUnE-yArDs/Das Racist show at McCarran Pool.

This league and this franchise in particular has always attracted and survived upon hipsters-in-spirit - without them there'd be absolutely nothing interesting (or extant) about modern US soccer culture. Because MLS has deliberately steered clear of the old history of the game here, as well as the ethnic influence (past and present). Who else is going to make a sport/club culture here?

Absolutely, but what is "fully accepted" anyway? The Cosmos will attract a lot of hipsters, some soccer-world celebrities to their games, but the city will never embrace them the way they do the Knicks or Rangers. It's just not American culture.

As for Red Bull, as much as we pee on Harrabie for saying it, the brand has a lot to do with the team's "foreignness" to most New Yorkers. Americans are barely used to having a sports team that doesn't follow the generic formula City_Animal Plural. To expect NYC to embrace something that not only deviates from the standard formula, but then introduces an Austrian corporate brand as the name of the team itself...it is way too esoteric for most people's tastes. I'm not complaining, it's absolutely fine by me, but I happen to enjoy the sport. To expect a team of walking billboards playing an unpopular sport to captivate a city with the most other entertainment options in America... is a little far fetched.


No one makes TV commercials to get people to look at their billboards.

#17
Telegraphed

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Wrong.

One of the biggest myths is that NY is a great sports town. It is not. What NY is is a great WINNING sports town.

Out to dinner with friends last night and the conversation turned to the Knicks. They are glued to the TV all of a sudden due to this Linsanity thing, but admitted they hadn't seen a game since Ewing. New Yorkers are fair weather fans. But if this team starts winning they will turn out in droves. NY loves anything hot.

There are ethnic restaurants from literally every part of the globe here. They will come to see ( notice I don't use the term support) anything if it is a winner. Soccer is not too esoteric, NY'ers pride themselves on liking esoteric things. "We are so sophisticated." what they won't do is fill the stadium through thick and thin. Real supportes are a minority despite the city's size. That's why you hear all these ultimatums and threats: "They better win this year or else", "anything less than victory is an epic fail"' etc.

This town does not have the patience for a losing enterprise. Chances are this team will not win the cup this year. I say right now to all of you who can't stomach that prospect, leave now and save your money for something else. Don't claim you are a fan of the RedBulls, you are not. You are a fan of winning. The positive memory of the Cosmos is because they were winners. If they had been a second rate team their resurection would not be desired by anyone.

That is the NY way. True supporters who will bitch, moan and groan, but still come out to cheer on the losers in crummy weather, despite all the inadequacies, are few and far between, but to me they are a precious lot to honor.

Just accept that we will probably lose, stop the whining and get out there and enjoy the experience.

One of these years they will win it, then the stands will get crowded and your ticket prices will go through the roof, because that is the NY way.

V.O.R.


I can't argue with the fact that winning will turn out more people, especially in a "what's now" sports town like NY. I think you and I differ on our projections of how far that turnout will reach. Can RBA be a consistently sold out venue? Yeah absolutely. But no matter the success, soccer in America will always have that latent vibe: the whole, "oh, that's cute" snobbery, even from people who casually attend the games. The brand association only furthers that sense of foreignness, so that even in a consistently winning environment that Red Bulls will never be considered on an emotional par with NY teams in the other major sports.

Put in another way, the year is 2016, the 3 time defending champion Red Bulls are playing an April game against DCU at a sold out RBA (20 consecutive sellouts running). How many of the non-southward fans in attendance would trade that day for equivalent seats to see a middling Knicks team host the Celtics that night? Or the non-playoff bound Rangers hosting the Bruins? 50%? 40%? The fact that we can even discuss a figure so high is preposterous.

Winning will get people in the seats, but it won't get them emotionally invested, and won't change the majority impression of soccer in this town as a cute secondary diversion to pass the time waiting for the real teams to play. Perhaps I'm wrong. Unfortunately I don't think we'll ever get to find out.

#18
DP3

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I can't argue with the fact that winning will turn out more people, especially in a "what's now" sports town like NY. I think you and I differ on our projections of how far that turnout will reach. Can RBA be a consistently sold out venue? Yeah absolutely. But no matter the success, soccer in America will always have that latent vibe: the whole, "oh, that's cute" snobbery, even from people who casually attend the games. The brand association only furthers that sense of foreignness, so that even in a consistently winning environment that Red Bulls will never be considered on an emotional par with NY teams in the other major sports.


I think you are right for the near term, but soccer is growing in popularity and I could see it rivaling sports such as hockey (and maybe even basketball or baseball) within our lifetimes. By 2016? No way, but I don't think soccer will always have the "'oh, that's cute' snobbery" forever. :pint: :pint:

#19
jroke

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I think you are right for the near term, but soccer is growing in popularity and I could see it rivaling sports such as hockey (and maybe even basketball or baseball) within our lifetimes. By 2016? No way, but I don't think soccer will always have the "'oh, that's cute' snobbery" forever. :pint: :pint:



soccer is popular here, I have no idea what people are talking about. the only reason this team isn't successful is because for one reason or another they are constantly fucking up. it's comical, it really is. My belief is that people want to like this team but every time they take one step forward, they take 8 back. each and every year, and it hasn't mattered who is the coach/director. it's hard to take the team seriously

#20
iced1776

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He said that Back has suggested that we may move to a 4-3-3, does anyone know where this quote actually claim from? I wouldn't be surprised given our current striker pool and lack of depth at outside mid, but has Backe actually said anything to back it up?




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