TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Olympic Soccer Still A Tough Sell
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Published: March 15, 2008
TAMPA - If you grew up playing soccer in the United States, you're probably accustomed to playing in front of sparse crowds. Even the top division of the game in this country, Major League Soccer, averaged less than 17,000 fans per game last season.
That must explain why most members of the U.S. under-23 men's soccer team don't seem too upset with the turnout for their first two matches of the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament at Raymond James Stadium.
Even though the venue can seat 65,857 fans, a trip to the Beijing Games is on the line and the Americans are taking on Cuba, Honduras and Panama in Hispanic-rich Tampa, less than 5,000 people have turned up for their first two matches.
"Obviously, the crowd wasn't what we were probably hoping for, but if we can put in a couple of good performances, maybe we can increase that crowd," said U.S. midfielder and Winter Park native Dax McCarty, who plays in MLS for FC Dallas. "All of us would like to have huge crowds, a full stadium to play in front of to showcase our skills but, unfortunately in the U.S., we just don't have the same kind of backing as places like Mexico, Europe and Asia."
That was never more evident than Thursday night at RJS, where the crowd for the United States' 1-0 victory over Panama was announced as 3,855. Even the Tampa Bay Mutiny averaged about 13,000 fans a game there. And when the full U.S. national men's team played Ecuador in a no-stakes friendly last spring, more than 31,000 people came to RJS.
For the 2004 CONCACAF Olympic qualifier, matches were played in Guadalajara, Mexico. For the semifinal showdown between the United States and Mexico, 60,000 fans turned up to see the Americans thrashed 4-0.
No one expected those kinds of numbers here, where marketing and promotions are usually needed to help sell soccer. The limited pre-tournament advertising that made it to television, however, featured U.S. striker Jozy Altidore and not the guy who once sold out stadiums as a 14-year-old sensation, Freddy Adu.
When asked about the attendance Thursday, U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati didn't seem too concerned. This is, he stressed, an under-23 tournament, and not one featuring the more recognizable names like Landon Donovan of the senior men's squad. Even during the 2004 qualifier in Guadalajara, games that didn't feature Mexico often drew fewer than 2,000 fans.
"Age group competitions in the United States are very hard to sell, as they are almost everywhere," Gulati said. "The attendances in L.A. will be better because of Mexico's participation and Guatemala's participation, and the attendances in Nashville for the semifinals will be better and the attendance this Saturday in Tampa will be better."
For the U.S. players, it doesn't seem to matter. Escaping group play is the first goal, then reaching the Beijing Olympics.
"That the Olympics is our focus and, for me personally, it's just cool to be in Raymond James Stadium where the Buccaneers play," said U.S. goalkeeper Dominic Cervi. "You have to remember I'm from the University of Tulsa. Our biggest home crowd was maybe 1,500."
Tribune reporter Bill Ward can
be reached at (813) 259-7456
or wward@tampatrib.com
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( Marcus65 ) on March 15, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
If it were the 70's this game would draw a much bigger crowd...Rowdies games drew 50 & 60,000 once upon a time. What happened to soccer in the US from then to now ?
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