Men's Soccer?

C

CGHawk

Well-Known Member
I was looking at the Hawkeye Official Athletic site, because I was curious as to what men's sports Iowa has instead of Men's Soccer.

I noticed we have a Men's gymnastics team and I guess it shocked me a little bit that we have that, but not soccer.

I'm a pretty big soccer fan and I try to watch B1G soccer whenever it is on TV, but it stinks that Iowa doesn't have a team to cheer for.

Anyone know why Iowa decided to not have a Men's soccer team? Or if there is any chance they will have one in the somewhat-near-future?

I know that a lot of the other B1G schools do and our conference is pretty good overall nationally if I'm not mistaken.
 
Athletic departments have to keep scholarship numbers equal between men's and women's sports. So to add a Men's soccer team, and 15-20 scholarships, you would either have to add another non-revenue generating women's sport or you'd have to drop an existing men's sport.

But I agree, with the popularity of soccer among younger kids, having a men's soccer team would be more fan friendly than any of the other non-revenue generating men's sports (gymnastics, swimming, tennis, etc.).
 
Obviously I would feel bad for saying we should cut *insert sport here* so that we can have soccer, but I just think that with Soccer's growing popularity that it would be good to get the program started now (sooner, rather than later).

Who knows, maybe down the road... Soccer ticket sales could make it not very costly. Probably wishful thinking, but regardless, I hope Iowa gets a men's soccer team. I would love watching/following the team on BTN.
 
One thing they did at my small D3 school to comply with Title IX regulations was to cut men's indoor track. They then adjusted the outdoor competition schedule so that the men's track program participated in the same number of meets, but it counted as one team instead of two. Iowa has competes in both men's indoor and outdoor track, so perhaps something similar would be an option in order to accommodate another sport at some point, although cutting the indoor program at a D1 school probably hurts recruiting more than it did at my D3 school.
 
I am not a huge fan of Hockey either, I'll watch Team USA in the Olympics. But Iowa is picking up steam in Hockey as there are quite a few High School teams and the USHL is one of the biggest player development leagues around. You would think Iowa would have an edge in recruiting if they had a team.

But if you started either sport you would have to offer a new womens sport to balance the scholarships. In Hockey that is easy as you start a team in both mens & womens but with soccer there is already a womens team. A lot of schools use womens soccer to balance the scholarships.
 
Men's soccer will gain a foothold as it becomes more of a professional revenue sport in the US.

Then it will replace non-revenue sports. However, we will still need some conferences to maintain Olympic sports, such as wrestling, gymnastics, etc.
 
CAARHawk said:
Men's soccer will gain a foothold as it becomes more of a professional revenue sport in the US.

Then it will replace non-revenue sports. However, we will still need some conferences to maintain Olympic sports, such as wrestling, gymnastics, etc.
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I just cannot see this happening. In this country football is the main sport just like football (we call soccer) is the main sport in foreign countries. While my kids love to play it they would never sit through a game. We tried to watch a little of the World Cup and they just could not get into it.
 
CGHawk said:
I was looking at the Hawkeye Official Athletic site, because I was curious as to what men's sports Iowa has instead of Men's Soccer.I noticed we have a Men's gymnastics team and I guess it shocked me a little bit that we have that, but not soccer.I'm a pretty big soccer fan and I try to watch B1G soccer whenever it is on TV, but it stinks that Iowa doesn't have a team to cheer for.Anyone know why Iowa decided to not have a Men's soccer team? Or if there is any chance they will have one in the somewhat-near-future?I know that a lot of the other B1G schools do and our conference is pretty good overall nationally if I'm not mistaken.
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I found your problem....You openly admit to being a soccer fan
 
ssckelley said:
I just cannot see this happening. In this country football is the main sport just like football (we call soccer) is the main sport in foreign countries. While my kids love to play it they would never sit through a game. We tried to watch a little of the World Cup and they just could not get into it.
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+1, I went to Germany vs someone back when I was younger when I believe it was the World Cup was here. Anyway game was in Chicago and was exciting to be there but it was also a big game. I cannot see it taking off here as it hasn't in the past, and its like Kelley said in a round about way its not the same to watch as it is to play.

(too many grown men rolling around acting like they got hurt to get a free kick, p***ies)
 
Soccer is a cheap sport, easy to get started, this why the popularity is growing with the younger kids, I don't see it being a popular sport in the US...ever.

They got Beckham and ratings have done virtually nothing in the professional ranks, it is nothing more than a filler sport for the youth.
 
This just in...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xLn-X8YJRg]Soccer Officially Announces It Is Gay - YouTube[/ame]
 
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