anti soccer Vancouver media

[lefoot]

A few weeks ago there was an article in the Georgia Straight denouncing the need for a new stadium in downtown Vancouver. Ironically, a few pages later there was a travel piece on how cool it is to go to England and watch Queens Park Rangers, not just relying on the high-priced Premereship experience. The ignorance is rampant!!! I wrote a response to the sportswriter, although in his defence he responded he is not anti-soccer. How can someone not want a cool new downtown stadium!??

[Leafs]

Its par for the course. Media in Canada are afraid of soccer. It's the # 1 sport in the world and they know nothing about it. They fear it.

[Leafs]

Its par for the course. Media in Canada are afraid of soccer. It's the # 1 sport in the world and they know nothing about it. They fear it.

[Calgary Boomer]

That was Jeff Patterson, who I would very loosely call "media". He's a complete tool and a hopeless broadcaster. I wrote him a huge e-mail outlining why I thought he was so off-base and his retort was childish and defensive...which just goes to prove he's a total lightweight and utterly incompetant in the ways of soccer.

I'm glad you did the same.

[Calgary Boomer]

That was Jeff Patterson, who I would very loosely call "media". He's a complete tool and a hopeless broadcaster. I wrote him a huge e-mail outlining why I thought he was so off-base and his retort was childish and defensive...which just goes to prove he's a total lightweight and utterly incompetant in the ways of soccer.

I'm glad you did the same.

[piltdownman]

quote:Originally posted by Leafs

Its par for the course. Media in Canada are afraid of soccer. It's the # 1 sport in the world and they know nothing about it. They fear it.

I agree with this. The problem is most of the sports media don't understand soccer so its easier to just make fun of it or slam it as borring than to actually learn the game. As for the media in Vancouver, I have actually found them to be pretty positive about the stadium. Mostly the province and the Team 1040, which just happen to be whitecaps partners. Sure MOJO sports radio, bctv news and I guess now the Georgia Straight are against the stadium. But thats ok becuase I'm pretty sure that most people realize that they only really understand hockey and football and are out to lunch about everything else.

[piltdownman]

quote:Originally posted by Leafs

Its par for the course. Media in Canada are afraid of soccer. It's the # 1 sport in the world and they know nothing about it. They fear it.

I agree with this. The problem is most of the sports media don't understand soccer so its easier to just make fun of it or slam it as borring than to actually learn the game. As for the media in Vancouver, I have actually found them to be pretty positive about the stadium. Mostly the province and the Team 1040, which just happen to be whitecaps partners. Sure MOJO sports radio, bctv news and I guess now the Georgia Straight are against the stadium. But thats ok becuase I'm pretty sure that most people realize that they only really understand hockey and football and are out to lunch about everything else.

[Richard]

These media types may well be ignorant and afraid of what they don't know or understand, they may be prejudiced against soccer for their own reasons or just plain foolish, but they have their anti-soccer, anti-stadium scribblings published. The only way around this is to keep lobbying City Hall to ensure the stadium approvals happen and cultivate those media types who are supportive - and they do exist.

[john tv]

Richard I know to well what these guys have in mind and it ain't good for soccer. I have made my feelings known on this board and others and I was made out to be the bad boy. In fact I was surprised so many seem to be against me while not one agreed with me. My biggest critique was Ben Knight.I guess he must have some second thoughts after the Toronto media led by the Star put up one hell of a fight against this stadium. So even on this board we have some serious problems when it comes to the media. I must admit that the way some of the Toronto media reacted against our stadium did made me smile and gave me that I told you so feeling.

Yes the media is scared..... you know what and if they ever grow up life would be a hell of a lot easier for our soccer promotors,sponsors and foremost the CSA and the National Team.

Maybe there is a nationwide feeling among these media types, anyway I hope that you get your stadium and also the MSL franchise,since B.C is one of the strong and founding fathers of our game.

Some day some one is going to do an extensive article about soccer and the media, which will clearly show how big this problem really is.

I tried to get Alfons to do this story but he said that the organizing bodies were the real culprits.

Your suggestion to go through the elected fathers is the correct one and one that makes a lot of sense.Good Luck from the East.

P.S I was born in Western Holland

[dbailey62]

quote:Originally posted by Leafs

Its par for the course. Media in Canada are afraid of soccer. It's the # 1 sport in the world and they know nothing about it. They fear it.

Ohmigod! Are JohnTV and Leafs the same person? JohnTV has Leafs' season tickets!

Apologies if I'm wrong but it just could be?

db

[john tv]

Miss tiny little minute Ball the great media defender. Get lost jerk!

[analyst]

quote:Originally posted by Leafs

Its par for the course. Media in Canada are afraid of soccer. It's the # 1 sport in the world and they know nothing about it. They fear it.

This statement and the title of this thread are amusing. There's no conspiracy to keep soccer out of the media. If soccer in North America were as big busineess as the NHL or CFL and NFL, then soccer would get more publicity. The media are in the business of selling ads.

Apparently the Poker TV shows have higher ratings than soccer and a lot of other sports.

People involved in other sports complain about the lack of coverage they get. Rugby players, swimmers, divers, track and field athletes, don't get more coverage than soccer. They all compete unfavourably against hockey, baseball, football and basketball for entertainment dollars and coverage.

[Guest speedmonk42]

quote:Originally posted by analyst

This statement and the title of this thread are amusing. There's no conspiracy to keep soccer out of the media. If soccer in North America were as big busineess as the NHL or CFL and NFL, then soccer would get more publicity. The media are in the business of selling ads.

Apparently the Poker TV shows have higher ratings than soccer and a lot of other sports.

People involved in other sports complain about the lack of coverage they get. Rugby players, swimmers, divers, track and field athletes, don't get more coverage than soccer. They all compete unfavourably against hockey, baseball, football and basketball for entertainment dollars and coverage.

What is business BUT a conspiracy? The difference is what? They fear soccer because the media are in the business of DEFINING what is popular and what they like to define are things that are profitable.

Darts can jam how many ads/hour into the show? Soccer?

Its all about money, no hate of soccer. When I say they 'hate' it I mean in a profit money making sense.

Soccer does not cowtow to the media and change the rules for them AKA every other major sport.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by analyst

There's no conspiracy to keep soccer out of the media.

True, but while I can't comment on Vancouver, "anti-soccer" members of the media do still exist in Toronto. That was made abundantly clear recently during the stadium debates recently. The fact that one legitimate member of the media, Stephen Brunt felt the need to call other members of the media here as being "hostile to soccer" in his article is quite telling. Its also a positive sign for the future IMO as the article by Brunt is something I can not recall seeing from a high-profile member of the media in the days of the NASL.

No conspiracy, but the odd anti-soccer dinosaur still exists in Toronto. Thankfully, I think they are going to suffer the same fate as their fellow pea-brained animals.

[dbailey62]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

True, but while I can't comment on Vancouver, "anti-soccer" members of the media do still exist in Toronto. That was made abundantly clear recently during the stadium debates recently. The fact that one legitimate member of the media, Stephen Brunt felt the need to call other members of the media here as being "hostile to soccer" in his article is quite telling. Its also a positive sign for the future IMO as the article by Brunt is something I can not recall seeing from a high-profile member of the media in the days of the NASL.

No conspiracy, but the odd anti-soccer dinosaur still exists in Toronto. Thankfully, I think they are going to suffer the same fate as their fellow pea-brained animals.

Yes, they do exist but thankfully there are the Brunt's, Molinaro's, Mallet's and so on.

It really is up to use to prove them wrong. We have to put good numbers into that stadium and show them that this team, this stadium concept, and this sport are for real.

Nothing will shut them up faster than 15k people in the seats on a game-by-game basis.

db

[dbailey62]

quote:Originally posted by john tv

Miss tiny little minute Ball the great media defender. Get lost jerk!

I have no idea what you are trying to say. Do you?

db

[Calgary Boomer]

I can give several examples of media types who hate soccer. Or should I say, aren't clever enough to pick up the subtleties of the game, and so pick on soccer because "all they do is dive and roll around".

Jim Rome is the worst. A close second would be Rogers Sportsnet, who despite having the rights to soccer, subject us to Gerry Dobson, who only a few years ago was telling everyone how much he hated soccer. Until, Sportsnet told him it was his only option. So we're stuck with the uninformed geek. Sportsnet also refused to broadcast Whitecaps games, or even their half-hour show because they claimed "The Whitecaps and soccer don't get ratings out here".

The Jeff Patterson's of the world are just too stupid to form their own opinion, so they just steal Jim Rome's.

[Franky]

anti-soccer media is very common here in T.O., prety much used to it. i find it comical because, for one, they are clowns. two, i'm sure a majrity of them grew up in certain neighbourhoods that had soccer as a prevelant sport all the kids played, aside from street hockey. Basically, they knew absolutely nothing about, they stunk at it and probably the EYE-talian kids knocked them around to boot.

yup, media types that really put a negative spin on the sport is the norm here, we just ignore it now, it usually goes away quickly.

[john tv]

I am glad to see that there are some of us who indeed realize that some of the media and those that are high profile have a didstinct dislike of our game. These individuals are a danger and have been a danger for many years and have been succesfull in holding soccer back.We are slowly seeing a change and I hope this change is contegious.Soccer is simply to big to hold back and to many kids are involved.Canadian soccer is showing some succes and led by the girls we are now in a phase that will no longer allow these characters to continue fighting this war.I do not agree that the Sportsnet and Gerry Dobson are bad for the game. I know Gerry very well and he has done a great job for our game. he even calls it football on his show.So we have to keep on fighting for recognition of our sport in the media. Soccer is just not a sport it is the sport in the whole world.Yesterday while watching M.U and Chelsea I could not help wondering if we ever will have this kind of drama, athmosphere and pure enjoyment in the stands. I don't think anyone wanted to see goals or were disappointed by the lack of goals. this was suspense at it's highest levels.The singing of the crowds is what we want over here. We know how dramatic soccer can be.It is a completely totally different world which some of us have been exposed to.Maybe that's what the media seem to be against,this totally different world.Well at least I feel a lot better seing some of you finally agreeing with me.The next step is to keep this momentum and build on this I believe finally rosy future.

[Danny Boy]

Why are we complaining about an article in the Straight??? It's a leftist Hippie paper. They'd rather support pot and shelters for homeless. It totally fits into their vibe. The ironic thing is that eventually it will be listing Whitecaps games as something to do.

If I wanna see a band or a movie I read the straight. If I want news I read the sun. Hell I'm screwed either way as it is.

[masster]

quote:Originally posted by Calgary Boomer

I can give several examples of media types who hate soccer. Or should I say, aren't clever enough to pick up the subtleties of the game, and so pick on soccer because "all they do is dive and roll around".

Jim Rome is the worst. A close second would be Rogers Sportsnet, who despite having the rights to soccer, subject us to Gerry Dobson, who only a few years ago was telling everyone how much he hated soccer. Until, Sportsnet told him it was his only option. So we're stuck with the uninformed geek. Sportsnet also refused to broadcast Whitecaps games, or even their half-hour show because they claimed "The Whitecaps and soccer don't get ratings out here".

The Jeff Patterson's of the world are just too stupid to form their own opinion, so they just steal Jim Rome's.

If the Whitecaps don't get ratings, how does one explain their decision to show CIS Canada West Football? The Whitecaps draw an average of 5,000 fans per game. The UBC Thunderbirds get about 1,000. Shouldn't that be all you need to know about support? Some times their decisions make no sense.

[RealGooner]

quote:Originally posted by Calgary Boomer

[

Jim Rome is the worst. A close second would be Rogers Sportsnet, who despite having the rights to soccer, subject us to Gerry Dobson, who only a few years ago was telling everyone how much he hated soccer. Until, Sportsnet told him it was his only option. So we're stuck with the uninformed geek. Sportsnet also refused to broadcast Whitecaps games, or even their half-hour show because they claimed "The Whitecaps and soccer don't get ratings out here".

The Jeff Patterson's of the world are just too stupid to form their own opinion, so they just steal Jim Rome's.

LOL, I didnt know that about gerry Dobson. Always thought that Craig Forrest carried the team anyway. The Score seems to be an unusually soccer friendly network, by Canadian standards. Non-stop soccer score tickers, EPL, Sportsworld, sportscasters who have a clue what they are talking about soccer-wise etc. During the build-up to the Toronto stadium deal they had Neil Davidson on Sportsworld, but I havn't seen any anti-stadium rants from any other sportscasters on there. So maybe the mass media is beginning to get a clue. If the anti-stadium movement in Vancouver starts to move perhaps one might want to email James Sharman of Sportsworld to see if he can get a pro-stadium viewpoint aired?