Quote SmokeyTA="SmokeyTA"The nasl didn’t have a huge profile, big crowds or international stars. There was a short period of time in the mid 70’s that the league splashed out to bring some household names in to try and gain a profile but it didn’t work its best league averages were 13k. For the last few years it was a joke league that even had the US mens national side playing in it at one point. It collapsed in 1984 and the US was without a professional league for 12 years before the MLS was set up.'"
I never said it was huge from inception to demise. The NASL grew organically and with investment and obtained reasonable attendances for a fledgling sport. But the arrival of Pele in 1975 was a truly huge media event across the US and indeed the world. 10 million in the US alone watched his debut game - still an American TV record for 'soccer', and not an audience that can be achieved without interest in the game. It doesn't get much more high profile than that. The arrivals of other big names helped the momentum.
So, for a time it had massive exposure including a TV audience of 10 million, a record crowd of 77,691 (and many above 30,40,50 and 60,000) and some of the biggest names in football history (Pele, Cruyff, Best, Eusebio, Hurst, Moore, Banks, Carlos Alberto, Beckenbauer, Oscar, Muller...and plenty more). It appears that I was correct. High profile, big crowds and international stars.
Yes, after 8 good seasons it petered out eventually but the seeds had been planted and the main point is that 'soccer' has been played across the US in parks and schools ever since. I went to the US in 1989 and 1991 and saw 'soccer' being played in schools on the East Coast (Baltimore, New York and Washington iirc). There was an undercurrent of interest but no local teams for kids to follow as they do in the UK and nothing after High School.
Quote SmokeyTAIs RL realistically going to become the new NFL? No, probably not, certainly not in the next 50 years. Could within 10-15 years the US have a strong healthy pro game which matches the traditional big 3? Yes.
There are thousands of athletes in the US that could be stars in our game that simply will never play competitive sport again after high-school never mind college. There is a clear window in the market for a contact sport during the US summer. The fact is that even without getting to MLS levels of support and visibility, the US could have a competitive, stable, professional RL league, which could compete with the big three.'"
No, it never will be the next NFL. American Football, Baseball and Basketball are ingrained in American society in a way almost unique to the US and nothing could supplant that. The best we could hope for is gradual growth with an increase in amateur and semi-pro leagues eventually. I doubt the game will ever get into schools but I fully agree there is an untapped opportunity for RL to develop into a thriving, if second-tier, sport - millions of athletic young men who suddenly have little or no contact sport open to them.
