November 15th, 2009 01:59am
Just wondering about soccer….
by padecky
If soccer is the big-time sport in our area, then why were the stands at Santa Rosa High School just half-full Saturday night for the NCS final game between the Montgomery-Casa Grande girls?
Yes, I know high school soccer doesn’t carry the same following at club soccer. Yes, I know college scouts spend more time at club soccer games than high school games.
Still, if the sport itself is supposed to be so hugely popular, then why in the biggest high school match of the year, the stands has fewer people in them than at a Santa Rosa High football game?
Just wondering.
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Bob Padecky goes beyond the headlines on the local sports scene. He will edit all blogs responses upon their arrival, reserving the right to delete those entries which are offensive, inappropriate, blatantly inaccurate or otherwise mean-spirited. Because blog entries must be edited and finally approved before being published on the blog page, there will be a delay in their public posting.
Because the level of play sucks…..high school arournd here is a joke.
by Principal On Special Assignment
compare girls soccer playoff crowds against girls volleyball crowds….girls sports overall are less valued (nto saying that’s right)……several boys soccer playoffs have drawn large crowds over the years
by observing
The Marquis Draw would have been having the Div I Boys Championship at Nevers Field as well. Marin Catholic has a nice facility for sure, but when the Boys Div I final has been at Nevers Field the last two years, the stands have been packed solid. Even more so if the Panthers were playing at home. SRHS put more fans in the stands at Marin Catholic than MC did… Just sayin’
by Panther
$9 per person. My family came to see the game and it cost $108 for my daughters relatives to come see the game. Now don’t compare that to other entertainment like most will (movie or dinner) I love my nephews and nieces but $108 to see my brothers kids play forget it.
by Oh really
There may be half the people present, but there are more people actually watching the contest than high school football games which are just social events for students. By the way SR fans packed the stands in Marin.
by by the way
Bob it was nice to see you near the goal covering soccer playoffs. The difference is football is still the premier sport in the US and soccer is third or fourth around here. After speaking with a couple of the photographers the general consensus is that in the world of soccer the only way to get a ride is with travel clubs thus less importance at the HS level. Not so with Football and Baseball however Basketball is starting to go down the same road. And yes the admission at NCS playoffs is to high.
by COTTERSTONE
Good for SRHS! they certainly can have the most fun with their school colors! I have found lots of their students to be very spirited over the years! Monty could use a little more team spirit from their studentbody and alumni for all the years they have been around and successful. Both Ursuline and Cardinal Newman seem to get more support and spirit from parents and alums than from current student body?
by fan of soccer
Look back in the history of soccer in the empire. There were so many good players who were recognized. There were players continuing on to play at D1 colleges from numerous schools not just one or two like the past couple years. In other words the depth of talent in the leagues the last couple years has dwindled. If you look at the crowds that were at the championships in 2003-2006 they were huge. It is as simple as the level of widespread talent in the last couple years.
by fred
I think there is only 1 guy committed to d1 this year (Austin Meyer of Carrillo to Stanford!) and maybe 3 or so on girls side? To be fair some of the d2 players who had d1 offers chose to play d2 due to economics as well as being realistic as they watch their predecessors sit more often than play.
by fan of soccer
same two teams the last 3 years. no surprises or drama between these teams. its like watching a rerun on television.
congrats to monty.
by NEWOLDCOACH
There a dozen girls from this senior class committed to d1 schools. The smaller than expected crowd was a surprise. Having the boys at the same locale like last year would have helped. The largest crowd for any girls event probably. Look at major womens college games – there seem to be only a few hundred fans. The admission fee is ridiculously high
by pcd
the simple reality is soccer is/has never drawn much of a crowd in comparison to football, basketball and even baseball.
As much as I like soccer, I can’t see that reality changing in my life time.
by sports fan
the other interesting observation is the gate admission fee is the same whether its soccer, footbal or basketball at all levels – league, NCS or regional.
The pricing isn’t an issue at football or basketball games . . . why is it such an issue w/ soccer fans?
by sports fan
The last NCS girls basketball game I went to (admittedly in the first round in Alameda) had way fewer fans than were at the championship soccer match. I do think that the admission price is an issue for the NCS now that it increased to $9 (from $7 last year) in terms of getting large crowds of non-parents to the games.
If the exact question is “why weren’t more fans at the girls soccer championship compared to a regular season SR High football game (which is in fact the question Bob asked to begin with) the answers are a) football is more popular than soccer b) students typically don’t have to pay AT ALL to regular season games of any kind and it is a social event c) compared to other NCS girls events this WAS a large crowd.
by pcd