Readers put me in my place re U.S. Soccer article

I could lose my little journalists badge for admitting this, but I can never remember which of my heroes said this about our profession: "It’s more of an art than a science, and on our best days we still get some of it wrong."

So it was, a bit at least, with my ESPN.com piece over the weekend. I wrote about the sluggish ticket sales for the upcoming qualifier in Salt Lake City (Saturday against El Salvador.) It’s a match with super-sized implications. A loss leaves the United States, as I like to say, with one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.

I talked to U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati for the piece. He’s confident that it will eventually sell out the 20,000-seat Rio Tinto Stadium. So am I. But I wrote about the complex factors involved in it all, in the selection process and in the whys and where-fors of a slowish sales pace.

And it struck a chord. I got shotgun blast of email response and a few good remarks in the "comments" section below the ESPN.com text. (The comments section is always a mixed bag; there are some well developed, reasonable thoughts mixed in with incoherent dribble from people who, I would imagine, are doing well to get both shoes tied in the morning. But it is what it is, I suppose.)

I think it goes to show that these things are quite complex. I understand that and attempted to portray it that way – but maybe I hit a slow roller to the shortstop on this one, or maybe just a little dribbler single that barely snuck through. It sure wasn’t a home run.

Some people thought I was being a little insensitive about the sucky economy, and to the fact that traveling to these qualifiers, so spread across our vast land, just requires too much scratch.

Others tossed a little of the shame and blame toward U.S. Soccer. And it is true that the suits from Chicago could sometimes do better in promoting these matches.

From Chris in Salt Lake City: "The big issue I think is also the marketing of the match. I really haven't seen anything in SLC market to let anyone know there is a HUGE match this Saturday. Sure a few stories in the local paper and such, but for sure I thought US Soccer would promote the hell out of this. There was much more advertising and promotion for the last WC qualifier here in SLC against Costa Rica back in 2005."

"Dan" reminded me that sometimes things can be over-thought, that sometimes the explanations are simpler than we think. "You overlooked that its Labor Day weekend.  I for one would have made the trek to SLC from LA if it weren't but most people have family obligations that weekend."

Someone else pointed out that it’s also the opening weekend of college football. Fair points, to be sure. So was the point Mike made:

"I think the reason the US has problems filling up their home games is because it's simply a much bigger country than all the rest! I mean, from Portland, OR to Salt Lake City it's an 11.5 hr drive - is any place in England or France an 11.5?! Almost every other country in the world is more densely populated than the US, so the games are closer to more people. I think it's as simple as that."

My man Rick put me in my place with his passionate words: "From my perspective, I was laid off at the end of January, so I can't afford the $700 or $800 it would take me to travel out there. … Next thing is the ticket prices. I have no idea what US Soccer is charging for these matches, but in the past the prices have been very high compared to MLS and they are going into a market which has never seen the prices that they are being asked to pay."

He said something about Salt Lake City and support, but I think he might have forgotten about the 40,000-plus good crowd there for the 2005 match against Costa Rica, when Kasey Keller saved the U.S. bacon until somebody ran out to the team bus and grabbed the offense that had been left out there.

Then he put it out there, as a card carrying U.S. Soccer true blue: "I know many fans who don’t go and it pisses me off. I am not one of them. My first game was US vs. Brasil at the Yale bowl prior to 94. I was at the game in Foxboro when Keller face planted the Mexican forward for a goal. Also there the day we played Jamaica when the game was taken off the air because of our invasion on Afghanistan. I was at Crew Stadium for 2-0 redux. Lesser notes include the loss to Honduras when Earnie missed the PK. … I was up at 3AM to watch the US stun Portugal, my wife was not happy with my yelling."

Well played, man.

Some people lamented the recent U.S. performance and said they weren’t interested in paying to see the product.

Hmmm. I’m not sure I’m buying that one. I see these sentiments all the time. The United States isn’t a world beater. The American side is mid-level in the global game, and anybody who thinks otherwise may be letting patriotism get in the way of objective thinking. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, and fans certainly have the right to protest performance with their wallets, especially now. I just think some folks expect too much sometime. Maybe I’m wrong about that, too. But I thought being a fan was, well, being a fan.

A fellow named Auggie wondered about the lack of unification between various supporters groups, and how much that hampered sales efforts. He also pointed out that a number of qualifiers are in places that aren’t easy in terms of travel, venues like Birmingham, Alabama, or Nashville or Columbus.

I can tell you that U.S. Soccer officials aren’t without sympathy on that issue. But to have these matches in larger markets is to invite a "home field advantage" for the opponents.

Still, as Auggie said, "I just feel left out as when ever the qualifier comes around I need to drop $1000 for each one."

I don’t know this guy, but I have never met a dude named Auggie who wasn’t someone I wanted to have a beer with.

I guess it just won’t be in Salt Lake City this weekend.