World Football Thread VIII - The beautiful game?

[DanS]

By way of comparison and contrast, the Washington Redskins have the largest NFL stadium at 92,000. They pack in several thousand more in marginal seats at some events. All seats, no benches. The size of most new NFL stadiums besides the Redskin's stadium has settled into the 65,000 - 80,000 range. The Redskins have 92,000 season ticket holders and a 100,000 name long waiting list. There are 8 home games each season plus playoffs, if applicable that year.

The University of Michigan has the largest college football stadium at about 108,000. They pack in a couple thousand more for the Notre Dame and Ohio State games. Mostly benches, I think. This and most other large college football stadiums were built in the 1920s. The season ticket waiting list is about 10,000 names long. There are 6 or 7 home games each season.

There are lots of differences between football and soccer, such as the number of home games and the tailgating parties in huge parking lots in the US (you wouldn't have spare parking lots or farm fields available in Europe). But as a practical matter, filling large sporting venues regularly isn't unheard of. And if done right, it's great stuff.

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by DanS
But as a practical matter, filling large sporting venues regularly isn't unheard of.

Except in the IRL, where apart from the Indy 500 there are almost more cars than fans. I'm not knocking the IRL, even if Tony George is the sonofab1tch people say he is, and I enjoy watching the racing, but until it reunites with Champcars, US open-wheel racing will be a poor relation of Nascar, which is a shame, as I'm a (armchair & satellite dish) US open-wheeler fan, and think Nascar sucks. I don't see what 300,000 people per race see in it. Maybe the grid girls are ultra-hot.

[reds4ever]

Cort.

It's not a competition, Liverpool couldn't fill 80,000 every week. Neither could Arsenal though. Given similar success on the pitch, 65,000 stadia would be realistic for both clubs. Good atmosphere and full every week.

[DanS]

I don't see what 300,000 people per race see in it. Maybe the grid girls are ultra-hot.

Having never been to a race, I don't know. My guess is that people go for the tailgate parties. Drink lots of beer. Eat lots of good food. Socialize.

I don't think that tailgate parties are a well-known phenomenon in Europe. Even DC United, my very humble hometown pro soccer team, has loads of tailgaters.

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by DanS
92,000. ... 65,000 - 80,000 ... 92,000... 108,000

But here's the rub :

There are 8 home games each season plus playoffs, if applicable that year.

8 home games is nothing. Arsenal & Liverpool played 6 games at home en route to the European Cup final alone in the last two years, even before 19 home league games and then domestic cup games on top of that.

This is what we mean by filling stadiiums every week. With home games as rare as hens teeth and a landmass nearly the size of a continent and populated by well-off people, such events will be a big draw.

92,000 * 8 = 736,000 total gate for the year. A top English club will probably play ~25 home games a season. Let's take Liverpool, now with the fourth-largest capacity of a modest 44,000, thats still 44,000 * 25 = 1,100,000.

So, selling 90,000 tickets 8 times a year is not as many as selling 44,000 tickets 25 times a year. And in a country with a fraction of the population and disposable income. OK, so there is distance in the US but you guys aren't phased by that.

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by DanS
I don't think that tailgate parties are a well-known phenomenon in Europe. Even DC United, my very humble hometown pro soccer team, has loads of tailgaters.

Er, yeah, what are tailgaters? In my language they are people that drive too close behind you on motorways....

[DanS]

Throw some chairs, a couple coolers full of beer, all sorts of good food, maybe a grill, etc. in your car trunk/truck/RV/van. Go to the parking lot of the stadium several hours before game time and sit there and party for the morning/afternoon. Go to the game after that.

Really, it's loads of fun.

[DanS]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
So, selling 90,000 tickets 8 times a year is not as many as selling 44,000 tickets 25 times a year. And in a country with a fraction of the population and disposable income. OK, so there is distance in the US but you guys aren't phased by that.

No doubt they are different sports, but they are weekend sports mostly, right? Compare/contrast to baseball, an everyday sport, where most of the baseball stadiums are 44,000 or larger and where you have 81 home games a year. Not by any means the same atmosphere of a football/soccer game, though. Different scene entirely.

[Cort Haus]

baseball .... 81 home games a year

Now, that is a lot of games.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Esteban scores the 3 - 0 in stoppage time, there I am running to congratulate him

[Cort Haus]

Celebrating with the fans is a yellow card.

[MikeH]

0 days 05 hours 28 minutes to go...

[Locutus]

Exactly an hour to go to the opening ceremony, 2 hours 37 minutes to kick off!

Jetz geht looos!!!

[MikeH]

I have scientifically devised the list of countries for the world cup in order of who I'm supporting. When any team in this table plays another I'll be supporting the one that appears higher in the list.

What's your list?

And yes, I really am that bored.

England
Ivory Coast
Trinidad & Tobago
Holland
Czech Republic
Brazil
Togo
South Korea
Ghana
Angola
Serbia & Montenegro
Portugal
Spain
Japan
Costa Rica
Mexico
USA
Ecuador
Croatia
Tunisia
Ukraine
Sweden
Switzerland
Iran
Saudi Arabia
Paraguay
Poland
Australia
Italy
France
Germany
Argentina

This means today I'm supporting Costa Rica and Ecuador. The system works!

[Locutus]

Netherlands
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Australia
T&T
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South Korea

That's pretty much it I generally support whoever plays the best football, or any team that plays against Germany or Italy (which is usually the same thing). So today I'm supporting Costa Rica and whoever plays the best football in the Poland vs Ecuador match (I have a sneaking suspicion that will be neither but we'll see).