Swans4ever wrote:post_hoc wrote:Swans4ever wrote:post_hoc wrote:Swans4ever wrote:post_hoc wrote:Swans4ever wrote:post_hoc wrote:http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 8df6c52fac
extracts
here are now 5500 female soccer participants in the Sutherland Shire – which is more than rugby league, rugby union and AFL combined for both male and female players.
While league’s junior numbers are falling, the extraordinary growth in soccer has now forced the sport to restrict registration numbers because there are not enough fields to play on.
The growth rate in the past 10 years is more than 32 per cent.
Every weekend there are 800 games (male and female) on 61 different fields in the Shire.
There are now 27 clubs and 460 teams in females alone ranging from under-6s to open age. A mixture of mums, teenagers and little girls in MiniRoo teams
My comment
How long until the other codes will have to start forgoing grounds to accommodate Football.
I think Rugby League or Union is worse off in this respect (not because of numbers) but simply due to the fields being the same size. But it would be very hard for the AFL to argue to get any more grounds.
Good for you - so when are they going to reduce registration fees? Like AFL, RL and RU pay a quarter of what it costs to play soccer - is that because they are proping up the A League???? Or are they really really corrupt? I mean someone must be bennifiting - also like in my area I suspect that soccer is getting local council to give them more ovals thru political pressure - personally it will always be the most popular participation wise but it will never be regarded as the number one sport because it's very boring.
so even with higher rego fees, more people want to play Football than AFL, I guess they know a premium product and are willing to pay for it.
I think you need to work on your argument you complain that the fees are high yet more people keep flocking to play the game, you complain it's boring yet more people are flocking to play the game. Do you think for a moment that it's actually AFL who are virtually paying kids in western Sydney to come play yet have got nothing to show for it, that might be the boring part?
I don't know, maybe you should ask yourself.
So how do you get this number 1 sport bit? Which sport is number 1, because if you change the metrics looks like a few sports have a shot.
Football clearly number 1 sport for participation
Rugby league clearly number 1 sport in two of the three largest states
AFL biggest crowds in 3 states
We could go on shifting the metrics to suit what ever you want.
Whilst your right with many of your arguments - the problem for soccer is well soccer, just because mums are scared for little Johnny so he plays soccer doesn't mean little Johnny will stick with it. The reality is there is a massive drop off in participation u14 up - AFL experiences a drop top but not as great as soccer and that's because mum and dad aren't making them so they leave because the sport is boring - it doesn't translate to the tv or the crowds or sponsors again because it is boring. Lastly the point about fee's is it is a corrupt sport from FIFA down to the junior clubs corrupt. No matter how many kinda centres they try and buy their way into (my 4 yrs old kinda wanted me to sign her up and I laughed and said no).
Wow fantasy land. Huge drop off at 14? Bullshit, no more no less than any others
Corrupt? Big call evidence?
Boring sport? Fuck That is a stupid comment, how can a sport claimed to be so boring is played and watched by more people in 1 week around the world than your sport has had people watch and play it in its entire history.
I think your confusing popularity with excitement the fact it's the most popular world wide just means they either don't get exposed to other sports or culturally that's the one their parents followed - doesn't making the game exciting. Because it just ain't FFS they clap when they miss a goal what does that tell you!
That they are applauding a great play, you seem to be confusing lots of goals with excitement, in life the more rare a thing is, the more it is valued, FFS you give a point for missing.
I love this argument they only like football because they don't know better. Well then take your game to the world mate, surely you can convince them. oh yea I forgot you tried that, and they laughed
Well let's see - SA, NZ grew up on RU = favourite sport RU, USA, Canada grow up on American football or ice hockey - favourite sport, Australia RL , AFL = are you seeing the pattern here you moron - AFL has not been taken to the world not like soccer is shoved down everyone's throats every 5 min's and it still doesn't sell out every game nor does it rate well - but it is propped up by kids playing the game which seems to me to be taking advantage of those poor soccer mums! As for scoring well there's plenty of sports that have different methods and give points in different ways the fact you highlight this makes you even more narrow minded and ignorant but no one claps scoring a behind, a specky maybe or a great tackle but not for almost doing something - but in soccer that's the only opportunity you get - that's why flares, damaging seats, fighting with other fans and being a moron is the only way scum dwelling morons (and that's not every supporter only those that engage in this behaviour) who follow this sport resort to. Enough said - it's a boring, corrupt and blood sucking sport who have some of the worst fans known to mankind! You must be very proud

Mate punctuation can be your friend, would make a rant like that easier to read.
I think you will find Football is the biggest sport in South Africa, not Rugby. Hockey biggest in Canada and baseball biggest in the US. Beyond that not really sure what you were trying to say there.
The scoring bit, you highlighted, I simply pointed out your stupidity, and once again you have simply supported that view.
Back to the boring bit again, you are like a dog with a bone, I'll give you a bit of an insight, 2.2 billion people were watching 1 game in 2010, but according to you those 2.2 billion people don't know any better, they don't know they are watching a boring sport. I know of hubris in my life but that one takes the cake, 2.2 billion people are wrong and little swans fan is the only one who can see how boring it is. I have to ask, because the weight of evidence really isn't with you, so. Do you think the problem might be you and not those 2.2billion people? Do you think that YOU might find it boring but the rest of humanity find it interesting?