Everything Soccer

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>FIFA's first post-World Cup rankings are out. The U.S. fell to No. 15: <a href="http://t.co/SMdIynuyrW">http://t.co/SMdIynuyrW</a></p>— Deadspin (@Deadspin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Deadspin/statuses/489787934875598848">July 17, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ACamp1900]

Still ahead of Mexico... I'm cool.

 

[GoldenDomer]

5 spots above England

 

[Whiskeyjack]

The WSJ just published an article titled Why College Football is Studying MLS. Here's the topic comment on it in /r/cfb (from an MSU fan):

The answers are relativley simple (though not super easy to implement):

1. Increase in-stadium experience: When you think about it; going ot a game sucks. You're overpaying for food and drink, sitting near strangers, in the elements, on a bleacher, with a view that is noticably inferior to at home. The experience, however, cannot be replicated at home. To get the casual fan, they need to compete better with at home viewing. Widen the seats, bring down concession prices, add wifi, make tailgating easier, allow limited alochol sales, etc.
2. Less shitty games: I understand that teams need to get 7 home games, but you can do 1 decent home and home every season. MSU is in a weird spot where both of our big OOC games were road games over the past two seasons, but a lot of schools purposefully have terrible OOC schedules.
3. Bring down the price of tickets: for all the reasons listed in one, going to a game (especially a noon game that the outcome is mostly pre-determined) is too expensive. I'm not saying $10 tickets, but it should be financially feasible for a family of four to go to a game. This problem is exacerbated by charging students a ton (looking at you Michigan). If you price students out of the game, you're killing your future revenue source.
4. Here's my big one. Embrace the fanatics: I'm going to be 28 in a few months. I haven't been able to sit in the student section for 6 years. I still like to stand at games, jingle my keys, yell myself horse, do the arm motions, and celebrate like a student. Yet, I can't sit with the students. At the Rose Bowl, our seats happened to be at the edge of the MSU student section, and we got to relive our student days, and it was amazing. Schools should embrace this, and have an "Alumni Student Section." It would basically be the anthesis of family sections at baseball games. For a slight premium over season ticket prices, you get a t-shirt, and the section has organized cheers, chants, stands for the games, swears, etc. Basically it would mirror the student section but for adults.

 

[ResLife Hero]

Here's my big one. Embrace the fanatics: I'm going to be 28 in a few months. I haven't been able to sit in the student section for 6 years. I still like to stand at games, jingle my keys, yell myself horse, do the arm motions, and celebrate like a student. Yet, I can't sit with the students. At the Rose Bowl, our seats happened to be at the edge of the MSU student section, and we got to relive our student days, and it was amazing. Schools should embrace this, and have an "Alumni Student Section." It would basically be the anthesis of family sections at baseball games. For a slight premium over season ticket prices, you get a t-shirt, and the section has organized cheers, chants, stands for the games, swears, etc. Basically it would mirror the student section but for adults.

I would ABSOLUTELY pay a premium for this!

 

[ACamp1900]

You know what sucks?? Realizing you made a 'date night' with your wife at the exact same time the Portland Timbers have a nationally televised home game..........

 

[NDinL.A.]

I would ABSOLUTELY pay a premium for this!

I mean, it would be awesome right? I know my wife and I would be down for that, 1000%. My brother was a part of one of the Galaxy fan groups, and sitting with them was fantastic.

I would be all for this...sadly, I turn 40 next month, so I'll probably be dead by the time I am allowed to even stand at a ND game...

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Arsenal have solved their right back problem -- Mathieu Debuchy is officially theirs. <a href="http://t.co/Wn9V7PTecf">http://t.co/Wn9V7PTecf</a></p>— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationSoccer/statuses/489839704288686081">July 17, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ResLife Hero]

I mean, it would be awesome right? I know my wife and I would be down for that, 1000%. My brother was a part of one of the Galaxy fan groups, and sitting with them was fantastic.

I would be all for this...sadly, I turn 40 next month, so I'll probably be dead by the time I am allowed to even stand at a ND game...

Last game I was at, there was a lady behind me who got mad when I stood up even because we scored so the usher actually asked my wife and I if we'd like to go sit in the student section instead. Not sure how common of an offer that is, but it was GREAT. We were with the juniors, and it was just as great as I remembered it. If we had a section for older fans that still wanted to get that way, we'd have fewer issues with fans, better noise at the stadium and a better gameday experience for everyone really.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Real Madrid just purchased Rodriguez from Monaco for $107m.

That didn't take long. Outrageous price tag, but he turned in the best performance at the WC by far, so might be worth it.

 

[notredomer23]

I would absolutely pay a premium once my days in the student section are over if it meant that there was a supporter group similar to the American Outlaws.

In tiny little Red Bull Stadium, which seats maybe 25,000, I had wayyyyyy more fun sitting with the American Outlaws for the Turkey game than I did for any Notre Dame football game. It was way louder too.

 

[Emcee77]

Real Madrid just purchased Rodriguez from Monaco for $107m.

That didn't take long. Outrageous price tag, but he turned in the best performance at the WC by far, so might be worth it.

And they're picking up Toni Kroos too (not to mention Keylor Navas after Casillas's embarrassing World Cup). Kroos and Rodriguez playing behind Ronaldo, Benzema and Gareth Bale. How'd you like to have to play defense against that crew? Just crazy.

 

[Huntr]

Sad to see Kroos go, but not really for the price he was asking and particularly not if he doesn't want to play center back.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

And they're picking up Toni Kroos too (not to mention Keylor Navas after Casillas's embarrassing World Cup). Kroos and Rodriguez playing behind Ronaldo, Benzema and Gareth Bale. How'd you like to have to play defense against that crew? Just crazy.

Los Galacticos have always been good at spending money on splashy transfers. Integrating those transfers into a coherent system and getting them all to play like a team? Not so much.

Sad to see Kroos go, but not really for the price he was asking and particularly not if he doesn't want to play center back.

Same here. Would have liked to keep him, but he wanted to be paid similarly to Schweinsteiger and Lahm. For a relative newcomer who hasn't produced much for die Roten, that's just wasn't in the cards. And it's not like Bayern's hurting for midfielders.

 

[ACamp1900]

Real Madrid just purchased Rodriguez from Monaco for $107m.

That didn't take long. Outrageous price tag, but he turned in the best performance at the WC by far, so might be worth it.

smh... and we complain about the Yankees here in the states... this freakin team literally buys EVERYONE.

 

[ResLife Hero]

smh... and we complain about the Yankees here in the states... this freakin team literally buys EVERYONE.

And they do it in a league with this problem:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>194 players are reportedly owed unpaid wages in the top two tiers of Spanish football. It adds up to €23 million. <a href="http://t.co/QDCggZKfuM">http://t.co/QDCggZKfuM</a></p>— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationSoccer/statuses/489829974220619776">July 17, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[notredomer23]

Yeah, Barcelona at least has a good development system.

Who on Madrid's starting XI actually developed in their development system?

Quick glance, Daniel Carvajal and Casillas(lol).

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Newcastle have their replacement for Mathieu Debuchy. They signed Daryl Janmaat from Feyenoord <a href="http://t.co/8MhRpB7l8p">http://t.co/8MhRpB7l8p</a></p>— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationSoccer/statuses/489862461982392320">July 17, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USMNT?src=hash">#USMNT</a> vs. Ecuador? The Ecuador FA says it's going to happen this October on American soil. <a href="http://t.co/o3yehEHtWd">http://t.co/o3yehEHtWd</a></p>— Stars and Stripes FC (@StarsStripesFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarsStripesFC/statuses/489888239868579840">July 17, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Roma have added to their attacking talent, signing Juan Manuel Iturbe from Hellas Verona <a href="http://t.co/UfUZfygvhw">http://t.co/UfUZfygvhw</a></p>— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationSoccer/statuses/489891538776780801">July 17, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[NoJusticeNoPeace]

I'm hoping for a Midwest game for the Ecuador friendly but it'll probably be at Red Bull Arena.

 

[GoldenDomer]

That friendly is a pretty good matchup.

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Chelsea got back what they paid for Demba Ba <a href="http://t.co/wS4a6G6ifK">http://t.co/wS4a6G6ifK</a></p>— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationSoccer/statuses/490107000869904384">July 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Philipp Lahm has retired from Germany duty <a href="http://t.co/3n9Dpgq8Xm">http://t.co/3n9Dpgq8Xm</a></p>— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationSoccer/statuses/490130323028447232">July 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ACamp1900]

If Newcastle is interested in scoring a goal at any point this season they'd better get some strikers... Fast

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Matt Besler likely to choose Sporting KC extension over European move <a href="http://t.co/mMFid1mioF">http://t.co/mMFid1mioF</a></p>— Stars and Stripes FC (@StarsStripesFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarsStripesFC/statuses/490169488873365504">July 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Bummer. Wanted him to get EPL experience.

 

[GoldenDomer]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Matt Besler likely to choose Sporting KC extension over European move <a href="http://t.co/mMFid1mioF">http://t.co/mMFid1mioF</a></p>— Stars and Stripes FC (@StarsStripesFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarsStripesFC/statuses/490169488873365504">July 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Bummer. Wanted him to get EPL experience.

Same. Good for SKC though.

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Confirmed: Morata joins Juve for 18M€, we talked to his agent, who confirmed Morata is travelling to Turin. <a href="http://t.co/xbleRDXwba">http://t.co/xbleRDXwba</a></p>— Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) <a href="https://twitter.com/managingmadrid/statuses/490212877492842496">July 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ResLife Hero]

Watched this live and thought it was really really cool:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Sounders' Make-A-Wish for Xander Bailey was SO COOL. Check it out: <a href="http://t.co/Y6B6xQNITu">http://t.co/Y6B6xQNITu</a></p>— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationSoccer/statuses/490599855572525056">July 19, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Matt Besler and Graham Zusi aren't going to Europe. They signed extensions with Sporting KC to be Designated Players. <a href="http://t.co/EyChb5ouGn">http://t.co/EyChb5ouGn</a></p>— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationSoccer/statuses/490604962800340992">July 19, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Booooo