Soccer City, USA

[Loyal1]

Anybody see this yet?

Soccer City, USA

[Aero]

Originally Posted by Loyal1

Anybody see this yet?

Soccer City, USA

Sounds about right to me. Good job everyone making this weekend absolutely spectacular. You all did great!

[Rover]

Originally Posted by Loyal1

Anybody see this yet?

Soccer City, USA

Yes, I posted it here: http://realsaltlake.org/forums/showthread.php?p=16674#post16674

But it's good enough for a second read!

Bill Urban was not sold on RSL at first, so this article is more evidence that June 4th was a turning point for many observers in how they view soccer in Utah.

Where have they been?

[Jim Umber]

It WAS great! And it SHOULD be a turning point to a lot of opinions in the media and elsewhere. The only thing that could have been better, would have been to sell out the stadium. But it was close enough!. And the crowd was excited and involved! What more can you say? It was just great.

[Old Ska]

Honestly, the praise is excellent and well deserved for this match but some of the more outlandish statements are, well, premature.

Part of it comes from the fact that original expectations were very very low, and so they were greatly exceeded. Lets not forget that Chicago drew about 7,000 more people to a friendly than at this one. I'm guessing that if these kinds of games came more frequently to Utah we would see a pretty dramatic drop in attendance. Some people are making a deal over the fact that the match didn't sell out (5,000 or so short) but that doesn't concern me that much to be honest...although for a double header at a great price it is a little surprizing. Sam's Army traveled really well too, but knowing the mentality of many of those guys they might pass the next time a match like this comes to SLC in order to go to something in a city they haven't been in yet. Also, oddly enough, I think the Dallas/RSL match was a draw for a lot of SA because they got to see the new expansion team play (which many have not been able to see live yet) and in their home stadium.

I say work SLC into a regular rotation of cities for these kinds of games. It is great for it. But the label "Soccer City USA"? No way. Look at all the trouble they have to go to just to find an appropriate place to practice.

[StarsOnSunday]

Originally Posted by Old Ska

I say work SLC into a regular rotation of cities for these kinds of games. It is great for it. But the label "Soccer City USA"? No way. Look at all the trouble they have to go to just to find an appropriate place to practice.

With the highest number per capita of youth soccer players and the second highest attendance figures in all of MLS, who would you say is Soccer City, USA?

[Stucki]

Originally Posted by StarsOnSunday

With the highest number per capita of youth soccer players and the second highest attendance figures in all of MLS, who would you say is Soccer City, USA?

Wait until we sell out our new stadium regularly with all of those kids who grew up playing the game adding to a 15,000 season ticket base making a new larger stadium necessary.

Or wait until every team in MLS has a native Utahn on the roster.

I would still give that title to St. Louis even without an MLS franchise.

[Old Ska]

Originally Posted by StarsOnSunday

With the highest number per capita of youth soccer players and the second highest attendance figures in all of MLS, who would you say is Soccer City, USA?

Depends. I have seen the per capita youth soccer thing about Utah before, but never seen a source. DO you have one? Anyhow, as a per capita stat, that is more of a reflection of the fact that 1. Utah has a very small population that is 2. composed of large families with many kids. Utah has like what, 1% of the total population of the country? Basically that amounts to a statistical anomoly. We are in the first season of the Utah MLS team. While I think it will be successful, and the ownership seems to be doing everything right, I think it is pretty ridiculous to go around calling it "Soccer City, USA" after 2 months. How many current pro players are from Utah (Including MLS, MISL, A-League, foreign, etc.)? How many NCAA soccer teams are in Utah? How many soccer federation certified refs are in Utah? Why can we not find 1, just one, acceptable training ground?

Look, a case can be made for SLC being a great soccer city, and espeically considering the geographic and cultural isolation of it, but really, let's not go overboard.

[Aerick]

Originally Posted by Old Ska

Depends. I have seen the per capita youth soccer thing about Utah before, but never seen a source. DO you have one? Anyhow, as a per capita stat, that is more of a reflection of the fact that 1. Utah has a very small population that is 2. composed of large families with many kids. Utah has like what, 1% of the total population of the country? Basically that amounts to a statistical anomoly. We are in the first season of the Utah MLS team. While I think it will be successful, and the ownership seems to be doing everything right, I think it is pretty ridiculous to go around calling it "Soccer City, USA" after 2 months. How many current pro players are from Utah (Including MLS, MISL, A-League, foreign, etc.)? How many NCAA soccer teams are in Utah? How many soccer federation certified refs are in Utah? Why can we not find 1, just one, acceptable training ground?

Look, a case can be made for SLC being a great soccer city, and espeically considering the geographic and cultural isolation of it, but really, let's not go overboard.

It sounds like some of us have higher standards of a "Soccer Town, USA" than what SLC fits right now. But I, like the previous poster, would like to know which town IS Soccer Town, USA. If St. Louis, why? If somewhere else, why? Perhaps by bestowing a title early, a particular city (not necessarily SLC) might grow nicely into it. I have a feeling that SLC is one such candidate. There's a certain sense of fierce determination, on the sporting front here, to be recognized as significant by the rest of the nation. We beamed with pride when the Jazz went the finals - and the whole community of SLC and surrounding areas banded together and felt a strong sense of pride in their accomplishment. It was SLC, and we were on the sporting map after being scorned by the rest of the nation for so long (and continuing to be scorned). We again felt proud when the Olympics came knocking. The Wasatch Front, and perhaps all of Utah, feel we have something to prove to the rest of the nation in regards to sports. We want to be acknowledged as a significant sports community - the biggest little city of sports in the country. I think that a title like "Soccer Town, USA" could really rally the people here and focus a lot of our sports energy into something significant.

I do agree that a true "Soccer Town, USA" is more than what SLC is right now. But believe we can be.

My two cents.

[beaveman]

Originally Posted by Old Ska

I'm guessing that if these kinds of games came more frequently to Utah we would see a pretty dramatic drop in attendance.

I disagree. From what I could see, the fans that came out had a great time (thank SA and the Loyalists their help keeping everyone involved). Most of them (other than the Costa Ricans) loved the game and the atmosphere and would love to come to another game. Those in attendance go home and tell their friends how they had a great time, encouraging those who stayed at home to come to future matches so they don't miss out. The media has also helped a lot with their positive game day and post game coverage. I think any future games with the MNT will probably sell out.