OT: Copa America

[Sean Miller Fan]

On one of the other boards I told some football Meathead that last nights game at Bank of America had more attendance, passion and excitement than anything in that stadiums history. While I don’t know that to be true, I can’t think of anything that comes even close. And I’m a Pitt fan who saw an ACC championship there.

Although I also saw an MLS game there a month ago and it was the most boring sporting event I’ve ever been to…other than a typical MLB game.

Did you go?

I wouldn't doubt that it was the best atmosphere in that stadium's history.

I dont get Colombia fans though. There's a sizeable portion of people from every country in the US, but are there enough Colombian immigrants to pack NFL stadiums? Doesn't seem so. Are they coming from Colombia?

I remember USSF was chastised for playing the home version of a U23 Olympic play-in 2 leg series vs Colombia at FC Dallas. The place was packed with Colombia fans. For a U23 game. Another dumb move by US Soccer but they aren't the brightest bulbs. Remember when they gave Costa Rica a home game in North Jersey late in qualifying? They won and we didnt make the WC. Any time you need a home crowd, you play in the midwest but not Chicago.

 

[brdst11]

Colombia might literally have the world's best traveling fanbase and no one talks about it. They have packed stadiums all over the US and have contributed to Sunday's Copa America ticket being more expensive on the secondary market than the Euro 2024 final. Right now, the cheapest ticket after fees to get into the Euro final is $1570. The cheapest Copa ticket is $1970. This is incredible considering English fans are notoriously fanatical and are within rail distance or driving after the chunnel. And of course, Spain is right there on the continent.

Big Argentina ex pat community in Miami plus Messi fans, and the Colombian fan base, so that makes sense.

Also that should be a great game. Colombia hasn't lost a game in over 2 years but they've only won the Copa once and Argentina is trying to stake their claim as an all time great team.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Big Argentina ex pat community in Miami plus Messi fans, and the Colombian fan base, so that makes sense.

Also that should be a great game. Colombia hasn't lost a game in over 2 years but they've only won the Copa once and Argentina is trying to stake their claim as an all time great team.

I get all that but should it be a more expensive ticket than the Euros with 2 fanbases within rail distance?

 

[noelr]

that was one of the best games last night in any sport i've ever seen. absolutely riveting.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

that was one of the best games last night in any sport i've ever seen. absolutely riveting.

Funny thing is, with all the fouls and stoppages and dirty play, it was a tough watch at one point. But as every minute passed, it got better and better.

The US needs to play in this thing as much as possible. We don’t have the talent to win Euros and world cups. And we don’t have the toughness to win Copa. But playing in it is good for our boys. But sadly this year we got one game vs a tough SA team.

 

[noelr]

Funny thing is, with all the fouls and stoppages and dirty play, it was a tough watch at one point. But as every minute passed, it got better and better.

The US needs to play in this thing as much as possible. We don’t have the talent to win Euros and world cups. And we don’t have the toughness to win Copa. But playing in it is good for our boys. But sadly this year we got one game vs a tough SA team.

columbia pressing and winning with 10
men after a dumber red card than weah. that's mental toughness and coaching which the us sorely lacks.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

On one of the other boards I told some football Meathead that last nights game at Bank of America had more attendance, passion and excitement than anything in that stadiums history. While I don’t know that to be true, I can’t think of anything that comes even close.

Well we know it's not the most attended game in stadium history, because there have been Carolina Panther games with more people at them.

One of those games was a playoff game against the Cowboys in the second year of franchise history. Another was a few years after that when they again beat the Cowboys in a playoff game. And then two playoff games, including the NFC championship game, in 2015 that both had about 4,000 more people in attendance than last night's game.

I don't know what the atmosphere was in the stadiums for those games, but I would imagine it was pretty good.

Plus I was there for the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl, and let me tell you, the place was jumpin' that night!

 

[brdst11]

I get all that but should it be a more expensive ticket than the Euros with 2 fanbases within rail distance?

I don't know enough about ticketing and demand in Europe but it's pretty clear there's a ton of interest here for the Copa final

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Charlotte FC tweeted that fans from 50 states and 60 countries were represented. Doesn't mean they traveled from those states or countries. Could have lived locally but those were the addresses of their credit card, I'd think.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

These Colombian fans are insane. Cheapest price now for the nosebleeds is $2500 after fees. What are the cheapest Super Bowl tickets on the secondary market?

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Well we know it's not the most attended game in stadium history, because there have been Carolina Panther games with more people at them.

One of those games was a playoff game against the Cowboys in the second year of franchise history. Another was a few years after that when they again beat the Cowboys in a playoff game. And then two playoff games, including the NFC championship game, in 2015 that both had about 4,000 more people in attendance than last night's game.

I don't know what the atmosphere was in the stadiums for those games, but I would imagine it was pretty good.

Plus I was there for the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl, and let me tell you, the place was jumpin' that night!

Yeah I considered the NFC Championship game and a college exhibition game. But even the most ravenous NFL crowds might approach 40% of what that crowd was the other night. Not even the same universe frankly.

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

Funny thing is, with all the fouls and stoppages and dirty play, it was a tough watch at one point. But as every minute passed, it got better and better.

The US needs to play in this thing as much as possible. We don’t have the talent to win Euros and world cups. And we don’t have the toughness to win Copa. But playing in it is good for our boys. But sadly this year we got one game vs a tough SA team.

I know you guys may not want to hear this from the part time soccer fan. But I follow the US nationally, both men's and women's and try to watch every match. I don't know the ins and outs, especially players from other countries. But.....here's the whole thing.

The US Men's team are a bunch of pussies. Always have been save for a Clint Dempsey and a few others.

 

[noelr]

I know you guys may not want to hear this from the part time soccer fan. But I follow the US nationally, both men's and women's and try to watch every match. I don't know the ins and outs, especially players from other countries. But.....here's the whole thing.

The US Men's team are a bunch of pussies. Always have been save for a Clint Dempsey and a few others.

it's weird. those clint dempsey landon donovan teams were also labeled the same for not ditching their sunday bbqs and being too soft to learn a new language and leave mommy.

 

[Pitt79]

it's weird. those clint dempsey landon donovan teams were also labeled the same for not ditching their sunday bbqs and being too soft to learn a new language and leave mommy.

There's something wrong with a Sunday BBQ? WTF are you talking about? to be good at a sport you can't have a BBQ?

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

it's weird. those clint dempsey landon donovan teams were also labeled the same for not ditching their sunday bbqs and being too soft to learn a new language and leave mommy.

Dempsey is a bad example because he was a bad MF'er. Tough as nails. Warrior. Came from a lower to middle class blue collar Texas family who couldn't afford to do the pay for play thing. But he said as tragic as this is, when his sister died, it freed up money for them to afford his soccer because she was an apsiring tennis player taking expensive tennis lessons. Dempsey is EXACTLY what this team needs.

Donovan was too comfortable in MLS and California and was a different type of cat but he was so good, you forgave that. This team needs a Dempsey and Donovan, especially Dempsey

 

[Pitt79]

Donovan was too comfortable in MLS and California and was a different type of cat but he was so good, you forgave that.

You can't blame him at all! If you can make more money, live in a great place that happens to be your home area, why choose making less to live in some dreary English or German city? I remember when MLS started, Americans playing pro overseas where overjoyed that they could now choose to play at home if they wanted to.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

You can't blame him at all! If you can make more money, live in a great place that happens to be your home area, why choose making less to live in some dreary English or German city? I remember when MLS started, Americans playing pro overseas where overjoyed that they could now choose to play at home if they wanted to.

Donovan could have made far, far more money in Europe than he made in MLS. In MLS he made "enough" money so that he could be comfortable. But the notion that San Jose or LA could or were paying him as much as someone like Everton could is silly.

 

[Pitt79]

Donovan could have made far, far more money in Europe than he made in MLS. In MLS he made "enough" money so that he could be comfortable. But the notion that San Jose or LA could or were paying him as much as someone like Everton could is silly.

I don't know those details, do you? Or are you just assuming? I'm not sure about back then, but I think today that if someone like Pulisic wanted to play in the USA an MLS team could possibly pay him more than he gets in Europe. Even if he made less, making 7 figures to live in a place you're comfortable with isn't a bad gig. And I don't know what he made with LA, but he had enough money to be an owner of a USL team later, so it must've been significant.

 

[brdst11]

Di Maria always scores in finals. He may be the difference tonight in his last game for Argentina

 

[noelr]

i would not want to be working concessions tonight in miami

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I don't know those details, do you? Or are you just assuming? I'm not sure about back then, but I think today that if someone like Pulisic wanted to play in the USA an MLS team could possibly pay him more than he gets in Europe. Even if he made less, making 7 figures to live in a place you're comfortable with isn't a bad gig. And I don't know what he made with LA, but he had enough money to be an owner of a USL team later, so it must've been significant.

Do I know if teams in the Premier League paid more than teams in MLS 20 years ago? Yeah, I do know that. If you don't know that, perhaps this isn't a conversation you should be taking part in.

Right now, Christian Pulisic's salary in Italy would make him the third highest paid player in MLS. And one of the two ahead of him would be Leo Messi. who they broke the rules for to sign him. He makes more than twice as much as the 10th highest paid player in MLS. Soccer players in Europe make more money than MLS players. They always have. They still do.

And a USL team can be had for less than $1 million. The fact that he had enough money to buy one of those might be an indicator that he has more money than you or I, but it's certainly not proof that he's super rich.

 

[brdst11]

Game pushed back to 830 because of issues with the crowd getting in the game. I have a bad feeling about this.

 

[noelr]

Game pushed back to 830 because of issues with the crowd getting in the game. I have a bad feeling about this.

yes. more deaths than goals. not good.

 

[noelr]

don't make this the euros 2020 part 2

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Donovan could have made far, far more money in Europe than he made in MLS. In MLS he made "enough" money so that he could be comfortable. But the notion that San Jose or LA could or were paying him as much as someone like Everton could is silly.

That's not true. Maybe earlier in his career, he could have made more money in Europe but when he became a household name, he got a big MLS salary. He was the face of the league until Beckham got there and was paid like it.

The truth is that recognizable Americans make more in MLS than in Europe and many blamed guys like Dempsey, Bradley, Altidore, etc for taking the money an easier level for not qualifying and there's worry that McKennie is going to come to MLS for a big payday. A guy like Pulisic can easily make more in MLS.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

don't make this the euros 2020 part 2

I watched that documentary on Netflix. Didnt realize they had a storming of the gates. Reminded me of January 6. As I've said all tournament, Colombia might have the best traveling fanbase in the world. As you see in this game, its 80% Colombia fans. You would have thought CONMEBOL would have realized that they could have a Euro 2021 situation given this is the biggest night in Colombia history and Im not talking about sports.

 

[brdst11]

There's video of fans sneaking in through ac ducts

 

[noelr]

There's video of fans sneaking in through ac ducts

link?

 

[brdst11]

link?

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

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I am not sure what adjective is appropriate but out of all world fanbases, they are that in regards for the devotion to their team. USA 2026 better take precautions.

Also, CONMEBOL, why do you play in a 65K seat stadium in scorching heat when East Rutherford, Arlington, SoFi, and the Rose Bowl are available?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

That's not true. Maybe earlier in his career, he could have made more money in Europe but when he became a household name, he got a big MLS salary. He was the face of the league until Beckham got there and was paid like it.

One time in his entire career Donovan made more than $2.5 million for a season. If you don't think the top players at the best clubs in Europe were making more than that then you probably shouldn't be participating in the conversation either.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

One time in his entire career Donovan made more than $2.5 million for a season. If you don't think the top players at the best clubs in Europe were making more than that then you probably shouldn't be participating in the conversation either.

That's the thing. He wasnt anywhere close to being a top player at a top Euro club. He wouldn't even make the roster at those clubs. He had a nice loan spell with Everton. That's the level he would have been at. He and other Americans like Dempsey, Altidore, and Bradley got an American premium to come home. Funny thing is Altidore and Bradley went to Canada but their owners went on a big spending spree at the time and Bradley/Altidore were household names in Canada.

 

[HOF Coach]

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[Joe the Panther Fan]

That's the thing. He wasnt anywhere close to being a top player at a top Euro club. He wouldn't even make the roster at those clubs. He had a nice loan spell with Everton. That's the level he would have been at. He and other Americans like Dempsey, Altidore, and Bradley got an American premium to come home. Funny thing is Altidore and Bradley went to Canada but their owners went on a big spending spree at the time and Bradley/Altidore were household names in Canada.

He spent loan spells at Everton where he was the best player on the team. He could have been one of the highest paid players on a "second tier" European teams, and the notion that anyone in the US at that time was making as much as those guys were is ridiculous.

Guys like Altidore and Bradley came back to the US because they FAILED in Europe. They were worth more money to an MLS team because they could be the best player on their team there. They not only weren't that in Europe, they weren't even close to that. Hell, Altidore had a hard time getting on the field for Sunderland when they were in the process of getting relegated. He couldn't score to save his, well, not life, but certainly his career there.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

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Better than coming up through the sewage system. Maybe Pitt should schedule a game vs Colombia at Acrisure

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

He spent loan spells at Everton where he was the best player on the team. He could have been one of the highest paid players on a "second tier" European teams, and the notion that anyone in the US at that time was making as much as those guys were is ridiculous.

Guys like Altidore and Bradley came back to the US because they FAILED in Europe. They were worth more money to an MLS team because they could be the best player on their team there. They not only weren't that in Europe, they weren't even close to that. Hell, Altidore had a hard time getting on the field for Sunderland when they were in the process of getting relegated. He couldn't score to save his, well, not life, but certainly his career there.

You are sidestepping that Dempsey came to MLS because Seattle outbid Europe and he took a lot of heat for that. And Donovan wasnt the best player on that team. That was Tim Howard and Tim Cahill. Also that crazy hair Fellaini dude who was a starter in Belgium's golden generation. He could have been a Top 6-8 player at a mid-table club. He would have been a top player at a lower-table club.

As for Altidore/Dempsey, the fact that they could make more in MLS after failing in Europe is sort of the point. You get an American premium in MLS.

 

[brdst11]

Great finish by Lautaro Martinez for the winning goal in extra time.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Great finish by Lautaro Martinez for the winning goal in extra time.

That's why you dont go straight to deciding the champ by a coin flip after regulation

 

[brdst11]

That's why you dont go straight to deciding the champ by a coin flip after regulation

I just learned this week that they actually did use actual coin clips to determine a winner after extra time in knockout rounds in the predecessor to the Champions League.

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

What an outright total embarrassment from the US's performance on the field, to the finals, the fans, the shitshows, the friggin border like stomping (these people are pros at this). Why would the US want to be associated with this?