Soccer really sucks, doesn't it?

[Wezil]

Well I'll let you guys sort that one out.

[a.kitman]

beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[RGBVideo]

the player may now be sent off for a lesser infraction than a non-carded player, or suspended for a lesser infraction

was the first mention of anything resembling a punishment in that there is now a lower standard for that player relative to others in the future (not just doing the same thing twice). Unless of course this provided information is incorrect...

re-read the quote. it's the definition of a yellow card, offered many times before in this thread.

look, medium rule infractions: yellow card. major rule infractions: red card. both cards are followed by the loss of ball and a free kick to the other team (free kicks alone come from minor infractions or offsides).

when you have a yellow card, second yellow nets you a red card. so a "probationary sentence", yes. a warning.

[OzzyKP]

So what we're saying is that hockey is as insignificant as, say, Canada...?

I think that's fair.

I'm having trouble finding comprehensive TV ratings, but this bit about size of TV contracts is telling:

Comparing the sizes of television contracts, the NFL is by far the largest (reportedly $2.2 billion US for the 2012 season), with the NBA and MLB second and third ($500 million and $479 million respectively). The NHL is in fourth place ($120 million).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_professional_sports_leagues_in_the_United_States_and_Canada#Television_exposure

Someone complained that hockey is on VS. instead of a real network and blamed that for lack of viewers. Obviously the price tag for the contract is pretty low and no one wants it.

[OzzyKP]

Since there is a raging debate over the rules of soccer, this may help:

http://www.theonion.com/interactive/the-onion-sports-introduction-to-world-cup-soccer,17558/

[MOBIUS]

So how long before MLS takes over from NHL as America's 4th sport?

[MikeH]

Show me where that argument has been made Mike.

Quote or apologise.

I (and I think some others) honestly thought you were just making a troll about language not just too stupid to understand the point.

[OzzyKP]

So how long before MLS takes over from NHL as America's 4th sport?

Not soon. But it'll get there.

[Imran Siddiqui]

So what we're saying is that hockey is as insignificant as, say, Canada...?

Yes

I used to be into hockey, but I just can't be bothered nowadays.

Someone complained that hockey is on VS. instead of a real network and blamed that for lack of viewers. Obviously the price tag for the contract is pretty low and no one wants it.

Recall that VS's contract totally blew away what ESPN was willing to offer, which is why the NHL went with VS's (and why just simply going after money in TV contracts for back end cable channels is so utterly stupid).

[OzzyKP]

Well if ESPN thought it was worth it, they would have paid more. But obviously they figured they'd make more money off of women's softball and Sportscenter.

[MikeH]

I guess not enough Canadians in the US to make it worth while.

[Drake Tungsten]

The USA vs England match drew a 6.1 National TV rating... which was better than the Stanley Cup final game.
Quite a surprise.

I'll bet both USA vs. Canada hockey games at the Olympics outdrew that. Try comparing apples to apples.

edit:

The last event of the Vancouver games turned into one of the biggest (non-N.F.L.) sports events in recent television history. The Canada-U.S.A. gold medal hockey game was seen by a huge audience of 27.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched hockey game on American television since two games in the 1980 games from Lake Placid, headed by the famous U.S. upset over the Soviet Union.

The 27.6 million viewers put the game ahead of such recent high-profile sports contests as the Masters golf tournament (14.3 million), the Daytona 500 (16 million viewers), the top game from last year’s N.B.A. Finals (16 million), the N.C.A.A. basketball final (17.6 million), Game 4 (the most watched) of the 2009 World Series (22.8 million) and the 2010 Rose Bowl (24 million).

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/olympic-hockey-finale-drew-huge-ratings/

[MikeH]

If the first match was an early group game it could be comparable. What was the rating for that?

[MOBIUS]

I guess not enough Canadians in the US to make it worth while.

Well they already have to prop up all the US teams by playing for them...

[Drake Tungsten]

If the first match was an early group game it could be comparable.

It was.

What was the rating for that?

Don't know.