by Kevin McCauley

I’m a regular listener to Bill Simmons’ B.S. Report. Regardless of the subject matter, which ranges from traditional American sports to reality television, it’s always worth a listen. Yesterday, Bill’s guest was Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio and ESPN2’s SportsNation.

I’ll be honest, he’s a guy that I know very little about, but there are two things that I hear about him consistently. One, that he has a large and devoted audience, and two, that he’s a colossal blowhard. Well, imagine my surprise when Bill Simmons, who has largely ignored soccer since the 2006 World Cup outside of the occasional commentary from Rob Stone on his show, started talking about how much he loves soccer and how big he thinks it will become. This, even more surprisingly, was set off by the revelation that Cowherd is having a party at the custom sports bar in his basement for the USA-Mexico World Cup qualifier. This led to a tangent for a couple of minutes where Simmons and Cowherd talked about why international and European soccer is going to become massive in the United States in the next few years, and why MLS just won’t work in its current state.

Honestly, I agree with their opinions on both issues. La Liga, the English Premier League, and international football are likely to see slow but steady increases in viewership in the United States over the next few years, and I think MLS essentially needs a systemic overhaul. However, what’s important isn’t the fact that a couple of guys who follow the traditional American sports have valid opinions on the game.

What’s important is that guys like Simmons and Cowherd care.

Every time the United States men’s national team puts out a poor performance or MLS screws something up colossally, the old guard is there with columns, along with television and radio rants, absolutely berating the game. These columns and verbal rants are essentially “Mad Libs”; pre-written with some fill-in-the-blank spots for changing teams, dates, and competitions. Soccer is boring, America will never embrace it, the United States men’s national team will never be good, and soccer is a game for little kids. It’s just for those silly Europeans. This is America, goshdarnit! We like baseball and guns, not soccer! We’ve heard it all a million times.

Thankfully, as this site’s proprietor has mentioned both on his podcast and mine, these guys are dying out. A lot of these columns are written either by old guys who wouldn’t embrace the game if Lionel Messi was an American and we were a World Cup favorite, or by guys who have a minimal readership that are trying to make a name for themselves by bashing something. Bill Simmons and Colin Cowherd are both far from either of those things.

Simmons is 40 and Cowherd is 45, and over the last 5 years, Cowherd has become one of America’s biggest sports radio personalities and Simmons has become, beyond any shadow of a doubt, the most popular sports writer on the internet. These are a couple of guys who have massive followings with people between the ages of 13 and 30. It’s very likely that over a million people in that age range read Bill Simmons and/or listen to Colin Cowherd, and you don’t continue to listen to or read someone who you don’t like. If Simmons and Cowherd are talking about soccer, and they have these massive followings of younger people, then there’s probably a gigantic segment of the under-30 population that is, at the very worst, on the fence about whether or not soccer is something they could enjoy.

Now, if you know anything about how television works, you know two things for sure. One: That how much ad revenue a show can generate is what keeps a show on the air. Two: That how much companies are willing to pay for ad slots is the number of viewers you pull in between the ages of 18 and 49. Why 18-49? Because most companies speculate that once you’ve hit the age of 50, your tastes are determined. It’s unlikely that, after that period of time, advertising will be able to convince you to change what brand of beer, toothpaste, or car you purchase. Therefore, if soccer games have reasonably low Nielson ratings, but almost none of the viewership is over the age of 50, who cares?

This is why the likes of Cowherd and Simmons caring about this sport and telling their readers, listeners, and viewers how much they like the sport matters. The people who follow them are young. I don’t have numbers in front of me, and I doubt ESPN would give them to me, but it’s fairly obvious that people over the age of 50 make up microscopic portions of Simmons and Cowherd’s audiences. For every person they turn on to the sport, that’s a person that FSC or ESPN can use to make a sales pitch to an advertiser. If an old columnist at a newspaper convinces someone to turn the game off, the person they’re reaching is likely over the age of 50 and, therefore, that person turning it off is unlikely to affect the ad revenue for soccer broadcasts.

If advertisers are willing to pay good money for time during soccer broadcasts, then FSC and ESPN can bid more money for more packages, increasing our access to top-notch football in this country, which we all want as fans of the game. This, to me, is the biggest reason why it matters when Bill Simmons and Colin Cowherd speak out on behalf of the game, and why it means virtually nothing when the old guard trashes it.

Kevin McCauley is the host of the All Things Footy podcast, and weekly contributor to MFUSA. You listen to his podcast here, and follow him on Twitter here>.

In what is quickly becoming a MFUSA staple, here are some quick hitters on an ugly Thursday morning.

United stadium backlash

The first anti-stadium salvo has been fired in D.C. United's direction by Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher. This is standard operating procedure for Fisher, but expect more on this front in the not-too-distant future.

It's hard to dispute anything he mentions; the economic environment is certainly a problem for any large scale building project. My only issue with the column is the spotlight he shines on the ethnic makeup of United's fan base versus that of Prince George's County; I'm not really sure what one has to be with the other. If United can't draw from outside of the county, then there's no reason to build the stadium in the first place.

My desire to see MLS teams in dedicated soccer facilities effects my ability to empathize with the tax payers of PG County, and I think these type of projects will always have their detractors. No matter how put-together these plans might be, there will always be people on the other side deriding the use of public funds for what is essentially a private endeavor. Let's hope that United, Prince George's County, and the Maryland Stadium Authority are diligent in their planning and implementation of that plan, because there is still a lot that can go wrong before shovel hits soil in the name of the Black & Red.

Another item making the rounds related to the United stadium effort is a Q&A with Kevin Payne, the team's president and CEO.

Nakamura mulling future

Shunsuke Nakamura is considering his options with his Celtic contract set to run out in the summer. The story mentions that he may actually choose to remain with the Old Firm club, and his apparently inevitable return to Japan is mentioned several times. If Nakamura is available on a free transfer, even if it appears certain he will return to Yokohama Marinos, MLS would be crazy not to make a run at him (as I've mentioned before). Perhaps he could be enticed to play one or two years here; any investment made in the Japanese star would be justified by the international marketing return.

Galaxy win without stars

For some reason, I didn't get to sleep until late last night, so I was able to catch (endure?) most of the Galaxy's win over Oita Trinita in the Pan-Pacific Championship. There was nothing special, and nothing of import can truly be gleaned from a glorified friendly, but I will say that the Galaxy managed to control the game reasonably well. I still don't understand how Edson Buddle scores goals; he always looks so out-of-control on the ball.

I don't know what could have been expected for a pre-season match, even if Beckham was in the squad, but the emptiness of the stadium depressed me. Although those that did show up made their feelings known on the Beckham-to-Milan issue. Good for them, and I suspect we'll see this all over MLS this year, even if a deal is worked out and Beckham isn't even in the States to bear the brunt of the backlash.

Amazingly, something stupid is said on Fox News

The American soccer blogging community has been alerted to the insidious, ridiculous, and inflammatory comments by people masquerading as comedians on a Fox News show called "Red Eye". While I was not even aware of the show before this little incident, I would be shirking my duty as a promoter of soccer in the U.S. if I didn't help draw attention to what can only be described as unfunny idiocy.



Now, it is attempted comedy. I don't want to get over-excited about what is essentially a bunch of misguided American clowns playing to the soccer-haters in their audience (which I can't imagine is very large). Take from it what you will, and decide on your own if it's worth contacting Fox about, as I've been asked to do.

Relevant contact information:
http://www.newscorp.com/management/foxcablenetworks.html
President of Fox News Channel (and chairman of Fox Television Stations Group),
roger.ailes@fox.com
Management / Executives:
http://www.newscorp.com/management/index.html

This is the open letter I promised in Media Watch #2, a missive to the newspaper editors of America to cover tomorrow's game. I'm not asking for a lot, and I expect that most of you would agree that the request the latter makes is both fair and realistic. While it is an open-letter, there is surely no harm in sending it along to the listed email addresses for editors (and specifically sports editors) of major newspapers across the country. I realize that my reach here is limited, so if you feel the urge, or believe the letter makes a good case for covering the game, please forward to your heart's content.


Dear Sir or Madam:

As the editor of a major news outlet, you are in uniquely powerful position. With the choices you make, you directly impact the individual focuses of millions of Americans everyday. It is the undeniable influence you wield, and the impact that influence can have, that is the reason for this letter.

Believe it or not, soccer is a rapidly growing American sport, with millions of fans spread all across the country. Though often marginalized, rarely taken seriously, and never in the forefront of the American sports consciousness, the game nonetheless continues to grow at a rapid pace. Major League Soccer, the top tier American competition, has expanded significantly over the past few years, and ticket demand, despite a flagging economy, has outpaced most predictions. While television viewership has been less than stellar for the domestic product, broadcasts of European matches have drawn respectable ratings. A significant and ever-growing Internet community of passionate soccer supporters exists, and new fans are gravitating to the sport everyday.

Unfortunately, the sport, and the grassroots movement behind it, continues to be largely ignored by the mainstream American media. While a few major dailies have dedicated a modicum of their resources to the sport, the reporters assigned to cover soccer often do so only on a part-time basis. Even this coverage comes with a caveat, as it is generally relegated to the back pages of the sports section, or to areas of websites that are difficult to get to or are simply beyond the normal path of the average reader.

If you were not already aware, the United States Men’s National Team is facing Mexico in a crucial match tomorrow night in Columbus, Ohio. For American soccer fans, the game against Mexico is the highlight of the National Team’s annual schedule, and tomorrow’s match comes with the added excitement of being a World Cup qualifier. The USA-Mexico soccer rivalry is as intriguing as any on the current American sports landscape, with a rich recent history and an intensity level that meets or exceeds that of any of the most celebrated head-to-head match-ups.

We understand that perhaps you did not grow up or cut your journalistic teeth in an environment in which soccer was a relevant sport. We understand that soccer has a long way to go before it can be listed among Americans’ most popular sporting passions. We also understand that the support for the game in the United States is neither obvious nor overwhelming. Despite these understandings, we believe that soccer has both a strong base and a bright future here, and as such should be given a higher profile in our mass media outlets.

Therefore, our request is a simple one; please include a story, a preview, or a simple note on either your newspaper’s main web page or the main sports page focusing on the USA-Mexico World Cup Qualifier. Even if you don’t believe the item will appeal to a majority of your readers, there is no doubting the attractiveness of the rivalry. American sports fans are addicted to rivalry, and we believe ours to be one of the best; so give the sport a chance to shine on the one day that it is at its best, the one day that it should truly be among America's biggest sports stories.


Regards,

America's Soccer Supporters

Day two of the media watch, with thirty-four hours to go and there is a modicum of improvement. And when I say "modicum", I mean "as small an amount as is physically possible".

The broadcast promo is obviously still running on ESPN, but I haven't noticed an increase in frequency. ESPN.com's includes a small banner on the bottom half of their main page advertising said broadcast, which links the the U.S. soccer page. Small victories, I guess.

SI.com has no eye-catching images for the game, but does have a link to a story in "The Scorecard" section which outlines the rivalry and the veterans who have experience in the battle.

FoxSports.com has nothing. NOTHING.

CBSSports.com has nothing, but does have a story on the Beanpot-winning Boston University hockey team in their "Headlines" section. I mention this not only because I had a brief stint at BU, but also because it indicates how low on the awareness meter soccer registers. I don't mind hocky generally speaking, and I obviously have a connection to BU that makes me more likely than the average guy to read the story, but I can't believe that a niche sport like college hockey has more mass appeal than the biggest soccer match (to date) on the National Team calendar.

I'm not encouraged by this. In fact, if I wasn't so incensed about it, I'd probably be depressed. Still, none of this changes that the game is going to happen, that it's going to be on ESPN2HD, and that I'm going to watch it.

As a direct result of the media watch and it's results, I've decide to write an open letter to the web editors of America's major news outlets. Stay tuned.

Also, if you'd like to read another perspective on the lack of hype, check out my buddy Brian's lamet at House of Soccer.

This is the first in a series of media watch posts I'll be doing over the next three days as an attempt to frame how the mainstream sports media is covering the match in Columbus.

With USA-Mexico only two days away, and soccer fans in two countries buzzing with excitement, the sports media hype machine should be at full throttle. While the dedicated soccer outlets, a litany of bloggers, and a minority of sports fans are paying rapt attention to events in Columbus, it seems America's sports media giants are ignoring soccer once again.

While I am admittedly biased, I find it hard to understand why this game is receiving so little attention. It's especially baffling on the part of ESPN, which is not only the organization with the most resources, but also the network broadcasting the game (Wednesday, 7 ET ESPN2). Although there is at least one commercial running to publicize the match, it looks to be a rather pedestrian effort. Plugs for upcoming games on their network is standard fare on the part of ESPN during their Sportscenter broadcasts, but I have yet to see this happen for USA-Mexico. In addition to the paltry push and dearth of coverage (a preview piece less than a week before the match does not seem like too much to ask) on television, ESPN also seems to be neglecting the game on their main web page. A quick scan of the page this morning reveals one link to anything related to USA-Mexico; a story by Frank Dell'Apa on the efforts of both countries to bring in national team reinforcements through the naturalization process. Even this nod to the game is buried at the bottom of the page, where the average surfer would more than likely not normally go (looks like space filler to me).

For the other major sports media outlets, television concerns don't apply. Sports Illustrated, CBS, Fox; these organizations would only need to cover the USA-Mexico match as they would any other sports story. Yet, a review of their main web pages shows no stories on the match, the buildup, the rosters, or even the rivalry (the aspect that would seem to me to be the most appealing to the mainstream media). The obvious argument for the lack of main page links is the amount of news to be covered in American other major sports, and the currently running MLB steroid story certainly deserved top-billing. That being said, all of these outlets have chosen to link to stories that are clearly secondary to American sports fans: the birth of Tiger Woods' second child just to name one example.

American soccer fans have come to expect this type of treatment. Beaten down by years of neglect, it appears that we've come to accept our fate, we either dig deeper, or go elsewhere for our soccer news. While this is certainly a practical approach, the lack of pressure on the mainstream media outlets to cover the sport only serves to continue the cycle. Add to this (mostly) silent group to any new fans of the game "ashamed" to be identified as such, and the results speak for themselves.

That last thought just occurred to me for the first time in the midst of writing this, so I'm not quite sure if such a thing exists. It wouldn't surprise me though; the ratings for Euro 2008 and Premier League matches can't just be due to Euro snobs and ex-pats. There's bound to be some newer fans of the sport out there who are turned off by MLS for whatever reason, and aren't active on the Internet, the only place where soccer fans can really go for news/interaction.

I don't expect that much will change tomorrow, but I'll be back to take another look at things. If there are other major media outlets I'm missing that you guys think should be covering the match, even if just a little, let me know.