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Can Cricket Take Over Soccer?

Can Cricket Take Over Soccer?

  • Yea ofcourse, but I won't be alive to see it.

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Yea, pretty soon.

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Not a chance.

    Votes: 45 90.0%
  • Who wants it to take over Soccer?

    Votes: 3 6.0%

  • Total voters
    50

Turbinator

Cricketer Of The Year
As we all know, Soccer, undoubtedly, is the world's most popular sport. It is a sport that spans the entire globe. It is a sport so accessible that you'll see even little African kids running around playing it barefeet. People, no matter what background (even in North America, where Soccer doesn't hold much respect), don't fail to tune into to one of the most popular sporting event in the world, the FIFA Soccer World Cup which is watched by twice as many people as the Summer Olympics.

On the contrary, Cricket does not have the luxury of being accessible to a wide range of people. Cricket is an expensive sport to play, therefore, it has not found a home in many third world countries. Also, Cricket is mainly popular in Commonwealth nations and doesn't enjoy the same status as Soccer does around the world.

But can this beautiful sport, Cricket, ever takeover Soccer as the number one sport in the world. One market that Cricket lacks is the Asian market, excluding South Asia. While Soccer's popularity is now quickly rising in the Asian and North American countries, the ICC is having a tough time introducing Cricket beyond the Commonwealth countries. As a fact, according to FIFA, over 240 million people regularly play football in more than 200 countries in every part of the world. And the number one reason for this is the fact that it barely uses any equipment and has very simple rules, two things which Cricket lacks.

However, there is hope, as we all know Cricket touches every continent except Antarctica. Now only if we can spread this all accross each continent.

So the big question lies in front of us...Can Cricket ever take over Soccer and become the world's number one most popular sport?
 
Last edited:

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Not a chance. It requires too much attention, and you need to really get into it to enjoy cricket. Its hard to get into the game as an outsider, so it will never have the popular appeal of Soccer.
 

Smudge

Hall of Fame Member
No.

Soccer's major beauty is its simplicity. All you really need is a ball, or something that resembles a ball, and a pair of shoes for each set of goalposts - and the rules can be dumbed down to the bare basics.
 

Loots

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
The fact that there are only 10 major international teams (And in England, cricket is still the secondary sport) compared to the swathes of International football teams proves that football has a greater appeal across the World than the sound of leather on willow. As Voltman said, it's simplicity will keep it ahead of Cricket for a long, long time.
 

adharcric

International Coach
It may yet grow a great deal, but like soccer ... NO.
Cricket is my personal favorite, but I still rate it as the #2 sport worldwide behind soccer (tennis in contention as well).
 

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Soccer is such a simple, basic and enjoyable game. That's the reason its popularity will always be more than a sport like cricket which is more complicated and harder to get into if you are an outsider.
 

shortpitched713

International Captain
Voltman said:
No.

Soccer's major beauty is its simplicity. All you really need is a ball, or something that resembles a ball, and a pair of shoes for each set of goalposts - and the rules can be dumbed down to the bare basics.
All you need to play cricket is a stick of rhubarb and an onion.

So there.
 

Xuhaib

International Coach
Cricket can never be the top dog but i still think it is one of the high profile world sports in terms of media coverage and interest and has the potential to grow even more.
 

Langeveldt

Soutie
Nope, I think Cricket can overtake Rugby, Tennis and Golf (if it hasn't already), but Football is the world's universal game
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
"With football even if you're not keen, you'll watch if it's on, but if they were playing Cricket in my garden I'd shut the curtains."

That's why cricket will never overtake footy - because the casual watcher will enjoy their Football, but Cricket is for the Cricket fans. If that makes any sense.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
As Voltman said, with soccer all you need is a ball (anything that can be used to substitute a ball) and then something to make goals. That's it.

Cricket you need, at its most basic level, a ball, bat and something that resembles a wicket. Then if you want to have it be reasonably similar to the 'real thing', real ball and pads etc. Far too much equipment.

That's obviously only one reason, but its a major one.
 

Matt79

Global Moderator
Given everything you said in the initial post, I'm amazed you still had to ask the question! :)
 

Johnners

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Not a hope of taking over soccer, as has been mentioned already, the simplicity of it makes it so much easier to watch an understand.

If cricket did crack the SE Asian & American frontiers it can certainly move ahead of Union/League & tennis, but it's still a while off IMO
 

Xuhaib

International Coach
Clapo said:
Not a hope of taking over soccer, as has been mentioned already, the simplicity of it makes it so much easier to watch an understand.

If cricket did crack the SE Asian & American frontiers it can certainly move ahead of Union/League & tennis, but it's still a while off IMO
I always thought it was more popular then Rugby.
 

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