Why do ESPN anchors hate soccer/futbol/football so much?

[ajiiiplatinum]

Sports Center anchors routinely scoff at matches with phony excitement, mispronounce names as if that was a sport in itself, and generally consider the game as a priority less than televised poker or ten year-old strongest man replays. I can only assume from its complete disregard for promoting soccer and the disrepectful way it treats soccer coverage (apart from the World Cup when literally the 'whole world is watching') that ESPN really wants soccer to fail in the US and is trying its best to make that happen.I have never understood how you can have ESPN spending millions on EPL and national team games, and then poking fun at the sport at night.People who dont like soccer have to go out of their way to disrespect the sport...why is that?I dont like hockey or tennis but i never talk the sports down. to each their own.

 

[noskey]

I dont think it's so much they hate it (some do, and their subtle shots aren't funny), but that the network as a whole thinks that America still hates it. When they think that, they ignore it or just show 10 seconds of Messi doing something with no regard to how big the soccer fanbase in the US actually is. I swear I've never seen one highlight of an MLS game outside of the Top Plays (where amazing goals get shuffled down the ladder behind a double-play or a routine, boring LeBron dunk).

 

[ajiiiplatinum]

Today At the end of sportscenter they brought up the man city and man u match for April 30th. The guy anchor said it is a big match because only 1 pt seperates them. He then said "you bet Linda (cohen) will be watching" she then said "i doubt it". Was that shot necessary. Linda by the well is the biggest hockey homer ever and has to give me 30min of hockey highlights today.

 

[parasight21]

Originally Posted by Noskey

I dont think it's so much they hate it (some do, and their subtle shots aren't funny), but that the network as a whole thinks that America still hates it. When they think that, they ignore it or just show 10 seconds of Messi doing something with no regard to how big the soccer fanbase in the US actually is. I swear I've never seen one highlight of an MLS game outside of the Top Plays (where amazing goals get shuffled down the ladder behind a double-play or a routine, boring LeBron dunk).

I kind of understand why they wouldn't cover MLS as much as they should because significant amount of broadcasting rights have gone to NBC/Universal. There were couple anchors who were genuinely passionate about the game (Josh Elliott in particular although he doesn't work there anymore). I agree with you for the most of part that these anchors somehow think that America still hates soccer when there are lot of MLS stadiums selling out in weekly basis (LA, Seattle, Portland). However, they do a pretty decent job on make soccer fans and the culture in Seattle and Portland something kinda cool. I like diving catches from time to time but I really don't want to see 7 diving catches in the row for top 10 plays during opening weeks of MLB when this is the best time for European soccer in general as all the leagues are winding down to an end.  
I'm Sounders fan forever but I gotta admit when those Timber fans sing national anthem in unison, that's pretty cool thing to watch. 

 

[dland24]

It gets disrespected on ESPN, but lets be honest.....most Americans disrespect the sport too. Its not as if there is this clamoring for Soccer by ESPN viewers, and the anchors just talk s*** about the sport that everyone is dying to see. Its a sport that most of the United States couldnt care less about, and the on air personalities' attitudes reflect that.

 

[bean pie slanga]

None of the anchors, except for maybe Van Pelt, seem like they know anything about any sport. They just read the prompter and interject their personality.

Steve Levy is the one who likes soccer.

 

[big j 33]

A few random jokes here and there towards soccer will make such an insignificant difference for the sports popularity. ESPN has no reason to see the sport fail.. I highly doubt there's office memos conspiring against soccer and instructing the anchors to make an occasional joke. Most likely? It's anchors who haven't been exposed to the sport so they'll respond with ignorance. Your average American sports fan will not be converted to soccer by watching a few extra highlights on Sportscenter. Why? Because if they don't like soccer then they'll change the channel.. same thing I do whenever Nascar is on. ESPN's best bet would be to advertise more and show more games.. but they can't make people watch it if they're uninterested.

I love soccer, but a lot of fans have like to complain about how much other people hate on the sport. Quite frankly, I haven't encountered too many people who go out of their way to make fun of it or mock soccer fans. If they do, so what? The sport's popularity speaks for itself.

 

[nycknicks105]

Originally Posted by dland24

It gets disrespected on ESPN, but lets be honest.....most Americans disrespect the sport too. Its not as if there is this clamoring for Soccer by ESPN viewers, and the anchors just talk s*** about the sport that everyone is dying to see. Its a sport that most of the United States couldnt care less about, and the on air personalities' attitudes reflect that.

He hit the nail on the head. If America showed more interest for the sport, the anchors would follow suit. Remember when the World Cup was happening and people thought the US had a shot to do anything?

I rememeber ESPN would cover soccer more that time than any other time i've seen before. It's sad to say this, but once Team USA does something significant in the World Cup--ESPN and America will not like Soccer. This country doesn't like anything we're not good at or currently good at. 

Remember the 1996-2000 Olympics when we excelled in Track and Field? I remember that's all NBC would show. They'd never show swimming or any of the other sports. Maybe some gymnastics here and there, but once Usain Bolt came along and started to murk everything in T&F NBC stopped showing it and focused on swimming because Phelps was gonna win everything. That's our problem in sportscasting. 

 

[bigtomdawg]

because we're in America.

 

[physicx]

youre being a tad sensitive here

 

[Peep Game]

Not gonna lie, Colin Cowherd's faux excitement when talking about soccer (and sometimes baseball) kills me

 

[mr marcus]

No lie I used to disrespect soccer but I've become a fan...Ronaldo kinda peaked my interest cause I would always see his highlights...but I've been watching a lot of the epl...never realized how exciting soccer is...

 

[trasoul82]

They pretend to hate soccer the same way they pretend to love baseball. Pandering to their audience.

 

[nooera]

Id rather watch the World Series of Poker or Nascar or Golf than watch a bunch of dudes flopping around, running in circles, and not scoring goals

+ growing up in Boston, soccer was for girls

The boys were busy playing football baseball and hockey *shrugs*

 

[toughmoney]

Originally Posted by Bigtomdawg

because we're in America.

 

[shogun]

Because ESPN is an American company and the anchors are American.
I like futbol but the only time I watch it is during the World Cup, a few minutes of UEFA games or when they show early morning Premier League games on ESPN2.

TheWorld Cup is the greatest sporting event to watch though.  It's awesome.

 

[trelvis tha thrilla]

I just think if you are in a position of being a SC anchor or a sports reporter, you should not be butchering names like they do with soccer players. How hard is it to ask a coworker or go to youtube and pull up a highlight to see how a name is pronounced? Really no excuse for it.

 

[winged wheel]

Originally Posted by AJIIIpLATINum

Linda by the well is the biggest hockey homer ever and has to give me 30min of hockey highlights today.

Not here to defend Linda, but the Stanley Cup playoffs are going on. ESPN tends to only give coverage to sports that they have contracts with too; I'm surprised they even mention Hockey.

 

[jada2001retro]

Originally Posted by NooEra

Id rather watch the World Series of Poker or Nascar or Golf than watch a bunch of dudes flopping around, running in circles, and not scoring goals

+ growing up in Boston, soccer was for girls

The boys were busy playing football baseball and hockey *shrugs*

You sound ******ed.

 

[jada2001retro]

Originally Posted by Winged Wheel

Originally Posted by AJIIIpLATINum

Linda by the well is the biggest hockey homer ever and has to give me 30min of hockey highlights today.

Not here to defend Linda, but the Stanley Cup playoffs are going on. ESPN tends to only give coverage to sports that they have contracts with too; I'm surprised they even mention Hockey.

The hell are you talking about?ESPN has a contract with various soccer leagues, almost every Saturday/Sunday there is soccer on either ESPN2 or ESPN Deportes.They also own rights to the World Cup & Euro Championships.

 

[nooera]

Originally Posted by Jada2001Retro

Originally Posted by NooEra

Id rather watch the World Series of Poker or Nascar or Golf than watch a bunch of dudes flopping around, running in circles, and not scoring goals

+ growing up in Boston, soccer was for girls

The boys were busy playing football baseball and hockey *shrugs*

You sound ******ed.

And you sound salty + mad

__________ > Soccer

 

[needsomejays]

honestly, who cares, sports center is pretty bad these days 

 

[demps]

Originally Posted by NooEra

The boys were busy baseball *shrugs*

but baseballs a non contact sport.

 

[jada2001retro]

Son said the boys were busy playing baseball...

Yep...the non-athletic fat ones, oh wait...those kind of men do too.

 

[nooera]

Originally Posted by Jada2001Retro

Son said the boys were busy playing baseball...



Yep...the non-athletic fat ones, oh wait...those kind of men do too.

No ones denying soccer players are athletic . Female gymnasts are athletic too . But that doesn't change the fact that they're feminine.

I was just offering my perspective on the subject. Where I grew up, where sports are king to the youth in the area, soccer was designated as a female sport. You can take it for what it's worth or get all extra defensive

I see you chose the latter option though