the seattle times makes the grade, but the pi falls short, again.

The Trib screwed the pooch on this too.

I bet you’d find SZ in The Stranger LoL!

I don’t think there’s much sense in worrying about where — and how — major media outlets and personalities cover soccer.

I love soccer, and have since I was old enough to wear cleats. The Sounders have already sold 18,000-plus season tickets. I play, along with dozens and dozens of others, on weeknights at Cal Anderson Park. Soccer doesn’t need major media attention. It’s “here.”

If it’s not “there,” on the front page, or on PTI’s up coming list, or on KJR’s radar screen, that doesn’t really bother me.

Hell, I just want to make sure the Times covers City Hall. The way things are going, we’ll be lucky to keep that much-needed service.

Why is prominent soccer coverage so important to you, poster? (Sorry I don’t know your name). ((I’m Chris)).

m___s

i understand what you are saying… what does the opinion of the major media outlets actually mean to me as a fan shouldn’t matter. and in one respect, it doesn’t. i love the game NO MATTER what their shortcomings are covering the sounders… in fact, even if there was great coverage, i probably wouldn’t get my information from them. smaller fan sites and blogs are usually more entertaining and ‘real’ if you will.

but the reason for my gripes are b/c i recognize and really  care the impact on those potential and bandwagon fans. it matters how much, or in this case how little, they are hearing about things. i don’t truly know how to measure how important that impact is, but i know for a fact that it is there.
the fact that espn doesn’t cover anything in soccer other than beckham and the world cup is painfully dissapointing. yes, they own soccernet, but your average sports nut will not go there. they will go to espn. they put soccer in a corner on another site. they don’t do that with baseball, football or basketball.

i have a big fear (and hopefully i am very wrong) that after season one, if we don’t make the playoffs, and that is a very real possibility, that the 18,000+ fans will drop off dramatically. there is a good portion of that fan base that likes soccer, but doesn’t love it. this is a trial run. it is also a trial run to those that will watch on the tv and make up their minds if they want to go to the games or buy season tickets next year.

i don’t think it is the mainstream medias role to hype up a sport…. but i DO think it is their role to cover equally.

I have actually noticed more soccer coverage on ESPN other than Just the 30 second once week ESPN Deportes soccer Highlights, the other day they had the Man Utd. Vs Wigan score up on the ticker, to me thats a huge deal. Just a regular premier league match. I am curious to know what was the Avg. Attendance like for the NASL Sounders games?

you are right gee. over the last 8 years it has gotten better. there is not doubt… but i am looking for MUCH better

First, I agree whole-heartedly with your premise (playoffs seem unlikely) and your fear (that 18k-plus go away). But I think we’d do well to temper our own fears. I mean, those 18k season ticket holders didn’t buy tickets because of coverage in the Seattle Times.

Maybe I’m forgetting a major media blast, but I don’t think the Sounders faithful are “here” because of media coverage.

I’m only 27, so I don’t personally remember the days of the New York Cosmos. But my reading of the failure of that team, and that league, is that expectations grew, coverage grew, and then — bam! — the whole thing imploded. There wasn’t a base to support the sport, and in less than a decade, soccer had practically disappeared from the US.

In a weird way, then, I’m more comfortable with the sport flying low-profile for a while. I’d prefer media outlets come at their own pace, slightly behind the curve, rather than at the cutting edge.

With media coverage of soccer, I’d much rather “never love” than “love and lose.”

point very well made m____S

if you don’t mind, i am still going to hate on them when i feel like it b/c… well, it is also fun

sucks i have to go uk based sites to get news that freddie is doing better than expected….

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_4803653,00.html

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=610270&cc=5901

yes, espn owns soccernet, but most of their reporters are in the UK

I write too much and too long. It embarrasses me.

Good work from you guys here on gosounders.com. It’s my favorite Sounders site on the Intertubes.

Cheers,