FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Don't vote yet!!!

The best hockey players in the world play in the U.S. but this country still doesn't care about the sport. If several all-time futbol greats in their prime came over, the popularity of the sport in this country will take off.

I thought you were going to say soccer, Denis.

I say Hockey also.

I will not vote yet though

This will be interesting...I shall withhold my vote until later...

SOCCER though i'll hold my vote

I think soccer will because indoor soccer is very exciting. it is a combination of soccer hockey and basketball and a little arena football.

Soccer.. its expanding into major cities such as SEATTLE .yeahhh

You mentioned it is played in northeast. Soccer is played by more kids than any sport. You have a base if you do it right. Never surpass the big 3 but definately more than hockey

neither

Soccer

NHL isn't the same after the strike and soccer has been growing in popularity in youth sports for the last decade. 10 years ago a high school soccer team was pretty uncommon...nowdays its uncommon for a HS to NOT have a soccer team.

Heck, the year before I started high school (1995) it was just a "club". The year I started HS (96) it was a sponsored sport.

well, how about this; yesterday and the day before (Tues. and Wed.) ESPN2 had on UEFA champions league soccer. they carried the MLS all year on Thursday nights, they showed the MLS on saturdays, and they will be showing the Euro 2008 and the World Cup 2010. i am an all sports fan, so i can talk stars, but not many other teams, and they show NHL on vs., which is only carried in 1/3 of all homes. sorry, but hockey is dying a slow painful death.

Soccer is too boring.

They call a foul every second.
The games are like 0-0, and 1-0.
There is not enough action like in hockey.
Hockey has hitting and fighting
Hockey is on ESPN
You kick a ball around and do nothing else
In Hockey, it is more face paced, more action, better to watch

Hockey is much better

Main problem with Hockey: you need a buttload of money just to particiate. All the equipment and rink time needed just turns kids off. Soccer is just a more friendly at the entry level.

More kids are playing soccer now than anything. Last time I checked there wasn't a demographic group known as "hockey moms". I personally prefer hockey, but as these kids grow up their going to follow the sport they grew up playing - soccer. I don't see the older generations being won over by it, but in time it seems inevitable.

Phillyman: hockey hasn't been on ESPN for, literally, years. Fighting is stupid and should be banned. And if they banned it, maybe they'd approach soccer in world popularity. I like hockey and I like soccer and hockey should be one of the best sports in the world. But Neanderthals and idiots ruin it.

As for the TD, #8 Denis24's reasons are flawed: #1: no, it's not even remotely the same as flipping a coin. And you forgot the 30 mins of OT they play before the shoot-out. #2: hockey is played, passionately and by kids who care and want to continue it, in the northeast, Michigan, and Colorado. Soccer is played in every state including, crucially, the west and southwest with its booming population. #3: an absurd overestimation. Really? 2/3 of the country? Including the 50 million Hispanics and however many people are in California, Texas, Florida, Chicago, New York, etc. who actively and fervently follow soccer? I'm pretty sure that's closer to 2/3 than your estimation.

#4 is about the only reason that's good. Hockey, as its finest is a game of speed and precision. Soccer has the same precision but about 2/3 (there's that number again) of the speed, except for the sustained periods of furious action.

What about goal celebrations? That alone makes soccer awesome. :-)

Soccer. cmon, not hockey

Yeah, there is one goal a game.

Soccer is not played here in Philly at all, hockey is much more popular here.

I've gotta go with soccer. Greatest sport- and I agree. Say if we could get some young stars (Robinho, Podolski...) to come over, the game would be bigger. Look, we add two washed up stars in Beckham and Blanco, and already they draw more attention.

Sorry Denis, but vote to Ed Reeed.

Got to vote for Ed Reed. I grew up loving Soccer, but of course it helps that my parents weren't born in this Country.

And that my Grandfather and Great Grandfather were well known for their skills in the game.

Hockey is already popular in this country, just in pockets. Vote to Dennis cuz Americans hardly even tune in when we are in the World Cup, let alone day to day soccer. No way soccer will ever field a 32-team type league. Hockey is HUGE in California. We got three teams, two of which are competitive every year(that would not be you LA Kings) Rabid fans in Anaheim and San Jose.