Do we have any Soccer fans on here?

[clob94]

Gonna break this to you dudes gently..... you ain't going to like it.

At the 2012 Olympics in London, NBC, the NFL and some owners met with Premier League official, BBC, sky, etc..... the topic was- moving an NFL team to London. The brits wanted, in exchange, a premier team to be based in NYC.

Both networks agreed that in order to do this, there would have to be a broadening of fan bases in both countries. So NBC agreed to start showing more soccer matches from England on their sports network, and the brits agreed to show more nfl games on theirs.

The nfl, to help, went from having 1-2 nfl games in London to having multiple. The premier league was already sending a few clubs over to the US to have sporadic "friendly" matches, but they agreed to ramp it up as well.

Now, something changed in between then and now---- concussions and the spotlight on the nfl, it's illegal activities with regard to beating wives etc--- murder by players, drugs, kneeling, protests---- just a bad light in general. Because of a combination of things, but primarily because of concussions, parents aren't letting their kids play football anymore.

It's happening in RECORD numbers. Pee wee, pop Warner and other youth leagues are seeing their lowest numbers in years. Now, where it's deceiving is, those numbers don't include kids playing non contact FLAG football. Some sources will tell you "youth football numbers aren't down", but youth contact football numbers are.

What sports are these kids opting for? Soccer and baseball. Give it another ten years and you will see the beginning of the end of top level talent in college and professional football.

Now take all this and couple it with other social and economic factors like the growth of the Latino population here, the vilification of aggressive, large, violent men, the concussions making you crazy and suicidal, and the general pussification of America, and soccer is playing the long game------- and winning.

 

[LonghornMM]

Gonna break this to you dudes gently..... you ain't going to like it.

At the 2012 Olympics in London, NBC, the NFL and some owners met with Premier League official, BBC, sky, etc..... the topic was- moving an NFL team to London. The brits wanted, in exchange, a premier team to be based in NYC.

Both networks agreed that in order to do this, there would have to be a broadening of fan bases in both countries. So NBC agreed to start showing more soccer matches from England on their sports network, and the brits agreed to show more nfl games on theirs.

The nfl, to help, went from having 1-2 nfl games in London to having multiple. The premier league was already sending a few clubs over to the US to have sporadic "friendly" matches, but they agreed to ramp it up as well.

Now, something changed in between then and now---- concussions and the spotlight on the nfl, it's illegal activities with regard to beating wives etc--- murder by players, drugs, kneeling, protests---- just a bad light in general. Because of a combination of things, but primarily because of concussions, parents aren't letting their kids play football anymore.

It's happening in RECORD numbers. Pee wee, pop Warner and other youth leagues are seeing their lowest numbers in years. Now, where it's deceiving is, those numbers don't include kids playing non contact FLAG football. Some sources will tell you "youth football numbers aren't down", but youth contact football numbers are.

What sports are these kids opting for? Soccer and baseball. Give it another ten years and you will see the beginning of the end of top level talent in college and professional football.

Now take all this and couple it with other social and economic factors like the growth of the Latino population here, the vilification of aggressive, large, violent men, the concussions making you crazy and suicidal, and the general pussification of America, and soccer is playing the long game------- and winning.

And if or when that happens, there will be a yawning epidemic in America like never seen before!

 

[westx]

I like watching the World Cup if Team USA is playing. That is about it.

 

[weevilcatch]

And if or when that happens, there will be a yawning epidemic in America like never seen before!

LOL, I think we'll be alright

 

[2300 Nueces]

Gonna break this to you dudes gently..... you ain't going to like it.

At the 2012 Olympics in London, NBC, the NFL and some owners met with Premier League official, BBC, sky, etc..... the topic was- moving an NFL team to London. The brits wanted, in exchange, a premier team to be based in NYC.

Both networks agreed that in order to do this, there would have to be a broadening of fan bases in both countries. So NBC agreed to start showing more soccer matches from England on their sports network, and the brits agreed to show more nfl games on theirs.

The nfl, to help, went from having 1-2 nfl games in London to having multiple. The premier league was already sending a few clubs over to the US to have sporadic "friendly" matches, but they agreed to ramp it up as well.

Now, something changed in between then and now---- concussions and the spotlight on the nfl, it's illegal activities with regard to beating wives etc--- murder by players, drugs, kneeling, protests---- just a bad light in general. Because of a combination of things, but primarily because of concussions, parents aren't letting their kids play football anymore.

It's happening in RECORD numbers. Pee wee, pop Warner and other youth leagues are seeing their lowest numbers in years. Now, where it's deceiving is, those numbers don't include kids playing non contact FLAG football. Some sources will tell you "youth football numbers aren't down", but youth contact football numbers are.

What sports are these kids opting for? Soccer and baseball. Give it another ten years and you will see the beginning of the end of top level talent in college and professional football.

Now take all this and couple it with other social and economic factors like the growth of the Latino population here, the vilification of aggressive, large, violent men, the concussions making you crazy and suicidal, and the general pussification of America, and soccer is playing the long game------- and winning.

Ya, soccer will prolly win in the long run but it's going to take a generation for it to phase out football. American's love their gladiators. Baseball will still be more popular but soccer lasts nearly all year in other countries.

 

[Metcalf #2]

Idgaf what anybody says. Kickball is this most boring sport ever. I've actually sat through curling and been mildly entertained at some point. Not kickball. Comparing it to the NFL for excitement is beyond ridiculous.

Now I've always said the movie "Idiocracy" is a prophecy. As a whole this society gets dumber and more pussified every year. So yeah kickball will probably end up winning, when humans finally reach the levels of stupid seen in that movie. Hell you can already have sightings of that level of stupidity. Usually around a kickball field.

 

[LongfellowDrew]

Ya, soccer will prolly win in the long run but it's going to take a generation for it to phase out football. American's love their gladiators. Baseball will still be more popular but soccer lasts nearly all year in other countries.

Every family I know with younger kids have them in baseball or soccer. Not one family I know has a young kid in pop warner they've pretty much said they'll wait until middle or high school.

 

[2300 Nueces]

And if or when that happens, there will be a yawning epidemic in America like never seen before!

That's what all the diving and faking is for, right? Without the hangnails and ouchies what would everyone do? I mean, they might have to get drunk, sing songs, and fight over tripping and such.

 

[LonghornMM]

I have a question for kickball fan. Why does the ref, time keeper, or whatever he's called, walk around the field holding what looks like a giant watch above his head with the time on it? Why don't they have the time on the big scoreboard in the stadium like they do for all normal sports? That, and the way they decide to keep the clock running or stop it, and then at their own discretion, decide to add more time at the end of the game. Goofy stuff with the watch and don't even get me started on all of the flopping going on.

 

[weevilcatch]

Idgaf what anybody says. Kickball is this most boring sport ever. I've actually sat through curling and been mildly entertained at some point. Not kickball. Comparing it to the NFL for excitement is beyond ridiculous.

Now I've always said the movie "Idiocracy" is a prophecy. As a whole this society gets dumber and more pussified every year. So yeah kickball will probably end up winning, when humans finally reach the levels of stupid seen in that movie. Hell you can already have sightings of that level of stupidity. Usually around a kickball field.

Boring is relative, but saying Curling is more entertaining than Soccer is just plain silly. How many Browns-Bengals games you sit through? I've got to tell ya, when I want to be entertained I watch the old Nebraska...handoffs for a 3 yard gain are a freaking blast!. That's why I watch so many Georgia Tech and Navy games now. I love watching an average athlete that plays fullback carry the ball for 1.5 yards. Freaking exhilerating.

If all you base your soccer knowledge off of is a highlight of a latin player rolling around trying to draw a card then I can't help you. But have at your opinion that you think soccer is apart of the "pussification" of America (which is propaganda) It's a incredibly obtuse one, but no biggie to me.

Idiocracy is an awesome movie btw! I see it in class just about every day, lol.

 

[weevilcatch]

I have a question for kickball fan. Why does the ref, time keeper, or whatever he's called, walk around the field holding what looks like a giant watch above his head with the time on it? Why don't they have the time on the big scoreboard in the stadium like they do for all normal sports? That, and the way they decide to keep the clock running or stop it, and then at their own discretion, decide to add more time at the end of the game. Goofy stuff with the watch and don't even get me started on all of the flopping going on.

Ref keeps the time on the field. Ref then tells 4th official of added time. They keep the clock running on the big stadium. Ref stops the clock for goals, cards, injuries, etc. These "normal" sports as you call them have clock issues quite a bit. Play clock doesn't work. Time keeper doesn't stop or start the clock at the right time. Scoreboard goes out. Not like that is a full proof way of doing it.

Flopping happens in NFL and NBA too. I've seen a DL being held and he falls like a sack of potatoes. NBA big man tries to take a charge in the low post. NBA player does the arm wave after a faux elbow. Hell, Colt was notorious for drawing late hit penalties by flopping. NFL DL player goes down with a "cramp" to slow down the other teams offense. Soccer player flops to draw a penalty. Soccer player flops to draw a card. It happens. It's dumb, but we ignore it in basketball and football for some reason I don't know.

 

[LonghornMM]

Wouldn't it make more sense to have a time keeper in the press box keep the time for soccer games than a guy running around on the field with a giant wrist watch? If the ref wasn't trying to keep the clock on the field he could watch those floppers better and differentiate whether a blade of grass made a guy fall down or if it was another kickball player who "tackled" him. Ah, gotta just love kickball, lol.

 

[2300 Nueces]

I played soccer and football. Both are fun to play but the problem with soccer selling in the US is the flopping and diving. It won't sell. If soccer is going to sell in the US, the crybaby stuff has to end. I shattered my right big toe on a 50/50 ball in a soccer game once and I continued to play for 10 minutes. I left because I could feel my toe pressing on the outer leather of the shoe. Most Euros would have been carted to the nearest hospital..... I never went... it was a toe and there was nothing I could do for it. Anyway, the training I received from playing football, otherwise known as "playing with pain" is what helped me ignore the pain as well as help me drive home.

Soccer needs to toughen up a bit.

 

[weevilcatch]

Wouldn't it make more sense to have a time keeper in the press box keep the time for soccer games than a guy running around on the field with a giant wrist watch? If the ref wasn't trying to keep the clock on the field he could watch those floppers better and differentiate whether a blade of grass made a guy fall down or if it was another kickball player who "tackled" him. Ah, gotta just love kickball, lol.

Time, I actually like the way they do it. Who stops and starts the clock in football? The guy in the white hat. How many times have they had to stop the game and reset the clock...or go to commercial while they have a review to look at how much time should be on the clock, etc., etc.

In football it makes more sense because you have 3 minute commercials during a change of possession...everyone comes off the field from one side and 11 come on from the other. So having extra time added by the ref wouldn't make sense at all.

In soccer, it is a continuous sport that doesn't sub, doesn't have timeouts, etc. It makes more sense for the ref on the field to keep the time. He knows when the clock should stop and he doesn't have to count on someone else to pay attention.

I'm sure your comment is tongue in cheek, but the wristwatch and time keeping has nothing to do with calling fouls or not calling fouls.

You act like a player in soccer falls down because he is some kind of "pussy." It is to try and draw a foul, card, or penalty. I don't like it and I wish FIFA would start fining guys for "acting." But it is such a small part of the game. I don't like when a overweight bath plug has to fall down because the offense is moving too fast, but it happens. I don't like when players would throw themselves into the first row because Shaq was backing them down, but it happens.

Look MM, I don't care if people like soccer or not. I don't care if other people like baseball or not. I love them all. But the reasons people claim to dislike soccer are illogical.

Don't like it because 1-0. Not every game is 1-0. 7 of 8 Champions League QF games saw at least 3 goals scored. That's 21+ points in throw ball, without getting "points" for corner kicks, hitting the cross bar, etc. And soccer doesn't have the benefit of a field goal for 3 points.

Don't like it because you don't know how much time is left. The game is continuous. Stopping/starting the clock on a scoreboard in soccer doesn't make sense.

Don't like it because the flopping. Flopping happens in at least two of the major US sports. Getting kicked in the ankle hurts like a mother trucker. Taking cleats to bare skin on a bad challenge hurts like a mother trucker. Taking a 50mph soccer ball to the nuts hurts like a mother trucker. With that said, the flopping to draw a foul, card or penalty is inexcusable and there is no excuse for it.

 

[weevilcatch]

I played soccer and football. Both are fun to play but the problem with soccer selling in the US is the flopping and diving. It won't sell. If soccer is going to sell in the US, the crybaby stuff has to end. I shattered my right big toe on a 50/50 ball in a soccer game once and I continued to play for 10 minutes. I left because I could feel my toe pressing on the outer leather of the shoe. Most Euros would have been carted to the nearest hospital..... I never went... it was a toe and there was nothing I could do for it. Anyway, the training I received from playing football, otherwise known as "playing with pain" is what helped me ignore the pain as well as help me drive home.

Soccer needs to toughen up a bit.

It's a culture thing. Most euros would be fine. Latin countries are notorious for flopping, diving, rolling around, etc. You don't see the Germans, Belgians, British, Americans, Scottish, any African nation, etc., etc. doing that. Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, and even Spain and Italy a bit do that crap.

 

[clob94]

Ho leee fvck balls.

When I was a little kid, if I ever even thought about crying, my father would say "boy, i'll give you something to cry about!"

If I played soccer, I wouldn't last past however long it took for the first guy to fake his falling down shit. Because when he got up, I'd kick his fvcking a$$.

That's what all the diving and faking is for, right? Without the hangnails and ouchies what would everyone do? I mean, they might have to get drunk, sing songs, and fight over tripping and such.

View embedded media

 

[BringBackRoyal]

 

[DrinkToIt]

Gonna break this to you dudes gently..... you ain't going to like it.

At the 2012 Olympics in London, NBC, the NFL and some owners met with Premier League official, BBC, sky, etc..... the topic was- moving an NFL team to London. The brits wanted, in exchange, a premier team to be based in NYC.

Both networks agreed that in order to do this, there would have to be a broadening of fan bases in both countries. So NBC agreed to start showing more soccer matches from England on their sports network, and the brits agreed to show more nfl games on theirs.

You don't just add an EPL team. There are 20 spots available. And there are at least 3 lower divisions competing to move up to get 3 of those spots every year while the bottom 3 in the EPL get bumped down.

So the EPL will never just add a team from NY by any sort of "deal." Nonsense.

 

[DrinkToIt]

I played soccer and football. Both are fun to play but the problem with soccer selling in the US is the flopping and diving. It won't sell. If soccer is going to sell in the US, the crybaby stuff has to end. I shattered my right big toe on a 50/50 ball in a soccer game once and I continued to play for 10 minutes. I left because I could feel my toe pressing on the outer leather of the shoe. Most Euros would have been carted to the nearest hospital..... I never went... it was a toe and there was nothing I could do for it. Anyway, the training I received from playing football, otherwise known as "playing with pain" is what helped me ignore the pain as well as help me drive home.

Soccer needs to toughen up a bit.

Since you played you know what it's like to have steel toed cleats smash into your ankle with the full force of someone's body behind it. You also know what it's like to not get a break and be subbed in and out because you're winded.

Saying soccer players need to toughen up a bit makes me question if you actually played. If you did you weren't very good otherwise you'd never make that statement. Soccer is plenty tough and soccer players are as well.

LeBron James flops when he can get away with it. Maybe he needs to toughen up right?

 

[2300 Nueces]

It's not only the flops and rolling on the ground but it's the constant arguing with the referee that turns Americans away. It's the stereotypical prissy attitude that Americans see in a lot of foreign men. I like the way Americans and Ozzies play the game but we tend to get penalized for rough play while the dainty finesse dudes roll around.

 

[LonghornMM]

It's not only the flops and rolling on the ground but it's the constant arguing with the referee that turns Americans away. It's the stereotypical prissy attitude that Americans see in a lot of foreign men. I like the way Americans and Ozzies play the game but we tend to get penalized for rough play while the dainty finesse dudes roll around.

No, Americans who don't like kickball don't like it because its an incredibly boring game to watch, not for the reasons that you mention.

 

[clob94]

Homie, they wouldn't be "adding" a team. They would simply transfer an existing team to new York. The nfl proposed transferring a team to London. The team (at the time) that was proposed was the Jaguars..... because the jags were sucking a$$ at the time and the British ppl could relate to jaguars because.... they make the dang cars.

But don't take my word for it----- ask a guy that was in the room.

Dan Patrick talked at length about it after the Olympics. He was in the room.

You don't just add an EPL team. There are 20 spots available. And there are at least 3 lower divisions competing to move up to get 3 of those spots every year while the bottom 3 in the EPL get bumped down.

So the EPL will never just add a team from NY by any sort of "deal." Nonsense.

 

[DrinkToIt]

Homie, they wouldn't be "adding" a team. They would simply transfer an existing team to new York. The nfl proposed transferring a team to London. The team (at the time) that was proposed was the Jaguars..... because the jags were sucking a$$ at the time and the British ppl could relate to jaguars because.... they make the dang cars.

But don't take my word for it----- ask a guy that was in the room.

Dan Patrick talked at length about it after the Olympics. He was in the room.

Homie,

Nonsense. You are much smarter than this. I'd really like to see Arsenal or Tottenham or Chelsea or Liverpool or Man U or any other team that's a top 10 fixture in the EPL literally get up and move to New York. There would be literal riots in the streets.

If you are talking about a team that is consistently fighting for the 11 to 17 spot then you run the risk of that team being relegated to the championship division and there is no way in hell that the FA is going to have a team with a long history in England just up and leaving its fans and traditions to go to New York. Newcastle United is not going to allow themselves to be moved across the pond. Not even Sheffield United or Aston Villa or some other team currently in the Championship division would do that. We aren't talking about the Montreal Expos here.

Complete load of shit.

 

[DrinkToIt]

No, Americans who don't like kickball don't like it because its an incredibly boring game to watch, not for the reasons that you mention.

You have a very selective memory. You must not watch professional American sports because players and coaches argue with the referees all the damn time. And as far is being boring you clearly have not spent any time watching a soccer game, particularly in person. I can't even go to an American football game anymore, especially if it's televised, because 90% of the time nothing is happening. I love my Longhorns but I am not going to sit out in that 100 degree heat in September when for the better part of 3 and a half hours nothing is actually happening on the field. You are just arguing for the sake of arguing.

 

[DrinkToIt]

Homie, they wouldn't be "adding" a team. They would simply transfer an existing team to new York. The nfl proposed transferring a team to London. The team (at the time) that was proposed was the Jaguars..... because the jags were sucking a$$ at the time and the British ppl could relate to jaguars because.... they make the dang cars.

But don't take my word for it----- ask a guy that was in the room.

Dan Patrick talked at length about it after the Olympics. He was in the room.

The only way a team from the US is going to be in the Premier league is if New York City FC starts competing in the 3rd division and works their way up into the EPL. Heck maybe even the 4th division. All of those lower divisions are constantly competing to move up to have an opportunity to try and get into the EPL and so you are going to have to find a spot for the team in New York at the expense of another team that's been there for a 100 years and I just don't see that happening. And the leagues over there are not set up like the are here where you can just have an expansion team. They all play the exact same schedule home and away so you have to have an even number and they are not likely to want to add more games to their season schedule just to accommodate a team based in the US.

The EPL is an internatonal league already. They don't need a team in New York one iota. Frankly the idea of an NFL team in London is stupid. It doesn't need it.

Maybe Dan Patrick talked about it on his radio show and maybe there was a meeting but whoever floated the idea of moving a team from England to New York was probably laughed out of the room.

 

[RoboCocks21]

Watch Green Street Hooligans that is all I'm going to say.

 

[LonghornMM]

You have a very selective memory. You must not watch professional American sports because players and coaches argue with the referees all the damn time. And as far is being boring you clearly have not spent any time watching a soccer game, particularly in person. I can't even go to an American football game anymore, especially if it's televised, because 90% of the time nothing is happening. I love my Longhorns but I am not going to sit out in that 100 degree heat in September when for the better part of 3 and a half hours nothing is actually happening on the field. You are just arguing for the sake of arguing.

I watch a LOT of sports. I get it. Yes, there is a lot of dead time, but if it is a sport that you like, you accept that. It is what it is with televised games.

No, I don't like soccer and I would never waste my time to go watch it in person. Its a boring sport. I have no desire to do that. So, would you sit in 100 degree heat to watch a soccer game, but not a Texas Longhorn football game?

 

[Longyac]

I always thought it was a pan-Euro, socialist attempt to subvert good American sporting values....I do admit to watching World Cup once, but I was in Mexico at the time and it was the only damn thing they would put on the TV in the bar....

Did you mean pan-world minus USA?

Doesn't watching soccer fall under the fat chicks/mopeds guidelines?

If you didn't grow up playing soccer you likely don't understand all the games(winning the ball and passing to create space to get it down field for a shot on goal) within the game and get to LMM's boring conclusion

 

[clob94]

I never said it would work, wouldn't work or would be a good or bad idea. I simply said

1."the conversation was had by these executives, owners and broadcasters"
2. Dan Patrick was in the room when it happened
3. He talked about it for a half an hour on his show.
I'm familiar with the teams and the league and how the bottom dwellers of the league get moved down to the B league and the top guys in the B league move up to the top league. I have a friend and his wife who live in knutsford just south of manchester and I've attended my fair share of united games-- not my sort of thing. Would the premier leauge work in the US? Who knows. But the NFL needs new viewership, the Premier League needs more viewers, and all of Europe already has well established leagues of their own so growing their base in Europe won't work. Canada's population is too low and loves hockey. The oly logical choice for expansion is the US. The NFL is in the same boat. They need more viewers. Mexico is tapped out-- they are either cowboys or raiders fans (mostly). Canada already has their own football league and football in Europe failed the first time (NFL europe) and the teams that are there now are basically pulling high school attendance numbers.

England is the only logical choice for the NFL to expand in. Would it work? Who knows. But billionaires getting together to discuss the possibility is definitely NOT out of the realm of reality.

Unless Dan Patrick is just a huge liar, liar pants on fire.

The only way a team from the US is going to be in the Premier league is if New York City FC starts competing in the 3rd division and works their way up into the EPL. Heck maybe even the 4th division. All of those lower divisions are constantly competing to move up to have an opportunity to try and get into the EPL and so you are going to have to find a spot for the team in New York at the expense of another team that's been there for a 100 years and I just don't see that happening. And the leagues over there are not set up like the are here where you can just have an expansion team. They all play the exact same schedule home and away so you have to have an even number and they are not likely to want to add more games to their season schedule just to accommodate a team based in the US.

The EPL is an internatonal league already. They don't need a team in New York one iota. Frankly the idea of an NFL team in London is stupid. It doesn't need it.

Maybe Dan Patrick talked about it on his radio show and maybe there was a meeting but whoever floated the idea of moving a team from England to New York was probably laughed out of the room.

 

[DrinkToIt]

I never said it would work, wouldn't work or would be a good or bad idea. I simply said

1."the conversation was had by these executives, owners and broadcasters"
2. Dan Patrick was in the room when it happened
3. He talked about it for a half an hour on his show.
I'm familiar with the teams and the league and how the bottom dwellers of the league get moved down to the B league and the top guys in the B league move up to the top league. I have a friend and his wife who live in knutsford just south of manchester and I've attended my fair share of united games-- not my sort of thing. Would the premier leauge work in the US? Who knows. But the NFL needs new viewership, the Premier League needs more viewers, and all of Europe already has well established leagues of their own so growing their base in Europe won't work. Canada's population is too low and loves hockey. The oly logical choice for expansion is the US. The NFL is in the same boat. They need more viewers. Mexico is tapped out-- they are either cowboys or raiders fans (mostly). Canada already has their own football league and football in Europe failed the first time (NFL europe) and the teams that are there now are basically pulling high school attendance numbers.

England is the only logical choice for the NFL to expand in. Would it work? Who knows. But billionaires getting together to discuss the possibility is definitely NOT out of the realm of reality.

Unless Dan Patrick is just a huge liar, liar pants on fire.

The EPL continues to gain more and more of viewers in the United States without a team located here. I don't know any soccer fan that actually wants a team in the US competing in the EPL in order for them to care about or want to watch the EPL. We have the MLS which is a growing league and US Soccer won't allow for a foreign league to threaten MLS anyway. Every country has its own professional league or multiple leagues so it just doesn't make any sense. I don't fault Dan Patrick floating the idea on his show but whoever suggested it didn't know what they were talking about.

As you know there are Manchester United fans and Chelsea fans and Liverpool fans all over the United States. The eyeballs are already here. The NFL has a much different problem and that is that American football by and large just is not very popular anywhere else in the world. Putting an NFL team in London makes more sense for the NFL then putting an EPL team in the US.

Also with the NFL you can add 1 team or 2 teams or 3 teams without disrupting the rest of the league. As we have already gone over because of the promotion/relegation system and the fact that all teams play identical schedules every year you can't just add 1 team. You have to add 2 and that means adding more games to the length of the season which in Europe just doesn't make sense when you factor in the league cup, the FA cup, and the Champions and Europa leagues interspersed throughout the season. European soccer seasons are already pushing 9 months as it is.