Why do Americans hate football(soccer) so much?

[KeyMaster45]

We do? When the hell did that happen?

My thoughts exactly, saying we hate it is just wrong. Soccer just isn't as popular over here as football (rugby for pansies) and baseball. Lack of popularity does not equal hate, and I rather resent the blanket statement you (that is the OP) made pertaining to it. I don't know where you are hearing hate for the World Cup but the only hate I've heard about it pertains to those horns people keep blowing.

 

[lightsier]

I personally think it's boring to watch, but I also think Baseball is boring too. A lot of Americans do like to watch it.

Like many sports, boring to watch, very fun to actual play.

 

[Dana22]

To me, it's just a bunch of people briskly running up and down a field, while some guy occasionally kicks a ball

You sir, just described how American Football looks like.

 

[300lb. Samoan]

Actually, could someone explain why Italy is so special? It seems like 90% of soccer memorabilia I see sold around here says Italia on it.

Because Italia fans are CRAZY, and it is awesome. Look up Italia anthem on youtube, watch those people sing their national song and you'll get why people are nuts for Italia. The pride is overflowing.

 

[rt052192]

Believe me most Americans love the World Cup, but that's about it. It is soccer on its grandest stage, but after that the MLS is a joke and we're not exposed to that much quality soccer matches. Also, the belief in America is that soccer is a "pussy" sport. Most people prefer american football because it's "manlier" but more than half of those people have never even touched a soccer ball and have no idea just how rigorous the sport actually is.

 

[crudus]

Rawr! Need more violence! Soccer is too pansy of a sport! Moar violence equals moar better!

Yeah America, that's what you sound like

Jeez you folks from across the pond sure love generalizing us thats okay though we all think you sound like hairy potter.

EDIT: forgot to add this

/irony

I did forget to add that I am American. It is ok. I can make fun of us.

 

[FoOd77]

To me, it's just a bunch of people briskly running up and down a field, while some guy occasionally kicks a ball

You sir, just described how American Football looks like.

Ah, but in American football, they THROW it, and then somebody has to catch it, and then everybody has to smack the shit out of the guy with the ball. And also, these people are all inhuman monsters jacked up on 'roids. Much more interesting than soccer.

 

[Wordslinger]

Because teams can go as long as 90 minutes without even attempting a goal. It's intensely boring compared to something like baseball (which is pretty boring itself).

 

[unoleian]

America does NOT hate soccer.

We simply have other more popular professional sports, aka NBA, NHL, and NFL, but soccer is an incredibly popular pick-up game, and intramural leagues are very popular as well. Several of my good friends play yearly on an amateur league, and many played it in high school as well.

I mean, just think. The dubious concept of the 'soccer mom' wasn't born out of a dislike for the sport, a lot of people are downright rabid about it. Just, not professionally.

 

[Mcupobob]

Rawr! Need more violence! Soccer is too pansy of a sport! Moar violence equals moar better!

Yeah America, that's what you sound like

Jeez you folks from across the pond sure love generalizing us thats okay though we all think you sound like hairy potter.

EDIT: forgot to add this

/irony

I did forget to add that I am American. It is ok. I can make fun of us.

Oh then I forgot to add that Americans like to generalize other Americans to, which is funny because I often hear things like from my fellow Americans "were all stupid gun wielding hicks I want out of this country" or "Were all become abunch of commie-loving fascist hippes" I live in rural Califonia so I get worst of both worlds. So to end this before it becomes a rant
"Differnet strokes for different folks"

 

[Hashime]

I'm Canadian, and just don't care. Soccer is also a British term, so it baffles me when they rip on us for using it.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I don't think we hate the sport. We just don't care about it. Well, I assume so...I can see some people getting pissed off (That ain't Football! This here is football!!) but every group has extremes. Personally I don't care but, I feel the same about all sports equally.

 

[Mariakitten]

Im American and I like soccer very much, and I know plenty of people who like it as well. So please dont generalize about my country.

 

[oppp7]

I personally don't hate it. Neither does anyone in my family.

I don't love it, but I don't really love any sports.

 

[Jonluw]

As an American, I believe that people (including me) would rather watch a more violent sport like tackle football.

Soccer is just a bunch of guys kicking a ball into a net.

But then why do you like basketball so much? Or baseball for that matter.

Edit: On topic: I don't think all Americans dislike football, it just never got to fasten its grip on the Americans.
My personal theory is that European football splitting into rugby and football happened at about the same time as one of the major immigration waves to the US; and for some reason (poverty I suspect, rugby was more popular with the working class I think), most of the immigrants were into rugby, and it evolved from there.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

The problem with (real) Football is that the average American sports male some how thinks that it isn't "an adult game," and that "kicking a ball around can't be hardcore!" They some how feel that (American) football is better with beafer men, being able to touch the ball with your hands (I think the handegg suggestion would be a better name actually) and that people can ram into each other. Some how this triggers the part of the brain that makes Americans like Michel Bay movies.

Of course if you think about it, Football is really a slow turn based strategy game between the couches.

So much for "not a nerdy" sport.

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

Apparently, most Americans need a sport where a team gets to score dozens of points per match, or where the players get to pretend to hit each other.

Their attention span doesn't allow room for anything that doesn't have something interesting happen every other minute.

 

[ImprovizoR]

Plain and simple because they suck at it. If they were good at it like they're good at basketball and baseball they'll be talking about the World Cup all day long.

 

[Nemu]

Most Americans I know don't hate it, they just "don't get" a sport with games that can end in a tie. They want wins and losses.

Plus a lot of folks don't think it has enough action. *shrugs* I'll take footie over an "action-packed" game of baseball with commercial breaks every 7 minutes...

 

[Deacon Cole]

Still, I'm pretty sure the only ones who hate football are the loud ones. Most people probably don't care.

This.

It probably doesn't help that some soccer (football) fans are quite loud. What are they called? Hooligans? Your team wins so you riot in the streets, setting fire to cars? What's that all about?

That and in America, soccer is a girl's game.