PJ Media

@Coisty,

” Nobody really cares who wins a corporate event like a baseball game. Most of the fans have no idea who the players are and are too busy slobbing out to pay much attention to what is happening. Maybe some people take soccer too seriously but at least at the international level it is not a mere consumer product like baseball. They even refer to teams as “franchises”.

I don’t know where you live but your implication that soccer is non-corporate vs sports in the US are corporate is utter nonsense. (see Warren’s comment).
Also, baseball fans, football fans here etc are just as passionate about their teams as soccer fans are ( not that I personally get the sports crazes of any kind…….)and ‘know’ who the players are (go to any party, high school and ask about the local teams…….) The nice thing however is that here in the US you can generally feel pretty safe and comfortable taking your family to any minor or major sports event of any kind. You can sit peacefully next to a fan of the opposing team of say the Buffalo Bills in a stadium of 80.000 people.

Having been born and raised in the Netherlands, emigrated to the US when I was late twenties, I can tell you that soccer hooliganism is a long time phenonemon in Europe. Not only between countries during European matches but also between towns during national matches. I remember vividly the gangs that would take trains apart after visiting an opposing team, decked out with the mandatory bicycle chains. I also know that most people are thouroughly disgusted by these punks and feel it gives the sport a bad name.