Archive for the ‘Professional Sports’ Category:
Soccer-mania, Man!
Maybe soccer won’t simply become a fad of the summer. Maybe Sunday’s impressive turnout in Kansas City could show FIFA execs that soccer could become a viable sports in the United States.
Sunday, the Kansas City Wizards hosted the world’s most well-known soccer club — Manchester United. The game was big enough, with the Wizards (which are a meager 4-8-4 in the MLS season) pulling a 2-1 upset while playing most of the game one man down.
But more impressive was the turnout. A record 52,342 — the biggest for Manchester United on its North American tour so far — showed up at Arrowhead Stadium to eclipse the 37,319 who witnessed a World Cup qualifier in Kansas City in 2001.
But that’s not where it ends. It was reported Monday that the Wizards sold 700 season tickets after the exhibition as Rob Thomson, a team spokesman, said the new tickets were sold as the team opened the 2,011 season tickets for next year to sales following the victory. In June of 2011, the Wizards are scheduled to move into a new $200 million, 18,500-seat stadium under construction in the Kansas City area.
The United States is currently pushing for the World Cup to return to the United States for either the 2018 or 2022 event — the 2014 World Cup is already slated to be in Brazil. Sunday’s turnout could be a big boost to the United States trying to bring the world event back for the first time since 1994. In the bid, Kansas City is in consideration for being a host city during the World Cup.
Subscribe to the comments for this postGrowing Expectations
Soccer fever continues to grow. But I’m not just talking about the 24 million U.S. veiwers that tuned in to watch the World Cup final — even though the U.S. had been bounced weeks earlier.
I’m talking about what the World Cup has done for video sales of soccer. FIFA 10 has been on the rise since the interest in soccer as grown exponentially. The game has sold more than 10 million copies (two of which can be accounted for by yours truly and Telegram Web Editor Daniel Sato — and we are still trying to get News Editor Derek Thompson to buy in to the trend since he’s just as hooked to the game as us). That number places second only to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — yet another game Sato, Thompson and myself have helped build the impressive numbers by owning copies of.
All this is good reason for the MLS to come out and say last week that they have no plans to let go of U.S. Soccer Superstar Landon Donovan. The World’s game is finally starting to come to the shores of the United States, via World Cup, video games and (possibly) a growing interest in the MLS.
LET THEM PLAY! LET THEM PLAY! LET THEM PLAY!
Unbelievable! Those crazy Brits never cease to amaze. On the first day of The Open Championship, they were complaining about the lack of wind on The Old Course at St. Andrews. On the second day, it’s too windy?!?!
This morning, the second round of golf was suspended due to 40 mph gusts ambushing the course. Reports were that golf balls were being blown off the greens. Big deal, that’s part of the game! I don’t see football games being postponed due to high winds or baseball games at Wrigley Field being put on hold to wait for the lake winds to subside.
Mother Nature is part of playing sports outdoors. If there is going to be a problem, why don’t you just build a golf course in a dome and play inside all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a golf purist myself. But if you are complaining about not enough wind on way day and then can’t handle it the next day, then maybe you should reconsider some things.
In the words of many infamous sports movies: LET THEM PLAY! Of course, this is easy for me to say since I’m not having to play in those conditions. But at the same time, I’m not the one earning millions of dollars to do so.
The SportsPod — Episode 5
In this edition of The SportsPod, Telegram sports reporter Jason Elmquist and Telegram assistant sports editor Mike Kessinger talk tennis. Is Roger Federer’s loss a sign of things to come? Does Serena Williams have a clear path to another Wimbledon title? The Telegram sports department shares their views.
USA! USA! USA!
Holy, Moly!
United States' Landon Donovan, partially visible at right, kicks the ball to score a goal past Algeria goalkeeper Rais M'Bolhi, center, during the World Cup group C soccer match between the United States and Algeria at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, June 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
If you didn’t see it…………. well, you missed something special. The United States’ chances of advancing into the World Cup round of 16 looked dim. Then Landon Donovan came to the rescue and Team USA beat Algeria 1-0 in the stoppage time added on at the end of regulation. Wow!
By scoring the winning goal USA not only advances along with England, who beat Slovenia 1-0, but ends up being a the Group C winner.
It’s a good day for Team USA
United States' Landon Donovan, front left, celebrates after scoring a goal with fellow team members United States' Clint Dempsey, back left, and United States' Edson Buddle, front right, during the World