Dear Bleacher Report Users,
Thanks for all the feedback on what to call our section to more accurately reflect the sport.
It seems that people liked the name "World Football", but that everyone agreed it would look clumsy in the header bar.
So we decided to have our cake and eat it too.
We have placed FIFA in the header, but we are calling the section by the name World Football.
Today's Must Reads
Going forward, please make sure that you put the "World Football" tag on all your articles. Most of them will be automatically tagged with "World Football" if they contain the names of prominent teams or players.
Hopefully this represents an improvement across the board.
Our very own Andrew McNair will continue to be Community Leader for this section, as well as the EPL stand-alone section.
This week we will also update the leagues within World Soccer, including South American and MLS squads.
Thanks,
Bryan
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5 months ago
Bryan,
I believe it gets into who is the greater audience. If we put "Soccer", then we become a bunch of Yanks who are only third rate analysts on The Beautiful Game.
If we put "Euro Football" or "World Football", that will still anger NFL and College Football fans, because it sounds similar.
"The Beautiful Game" would make people mad who don't understand the phrase, and think, "Isn't baseball beautiful too?"
"FIFA" could be good, because folks write about everything in the world of football. Then the FIFA link could lead to all the different leagues (UEFA, EPL, La Liga, National, etc).
In my personal opinion, I would knix "soccer". With the main page having "NFL" and "College FB" and "NBA" and "College BB", it makes the most sense to say "FIFA" or "World Football", but "FIFA" is my vote, despite Sepp.
5 months ago
Bryan - I have to agree with john on this. Naming it Soccer would make us out to be a bunch of yanks that likes football. The word Football though, would confuse the American audience. FIFA would really make sense and you should go for that.
5 months ago
"World Football" and " FIFA" are the best names offered here right now.
5 months ago
How 'bout changing football to "American Football" and then calling soccer "World Football?" Then at least we're being consistent.
5 months ago
I don't see anything wrong with using any of those names.
It's the quality of the articles that counts.
5 months ago
Ditto what Shawn said.
Whether you want to call it FIFA/Soccer or just leaving it as EPL, it really doesn't matter.
What does is the quality of the articles. We're blessed to have such a strong, knowledgeable fan base of football/soccer fans--that's for sure!
5 months ago
I think that due to the lack of space available for headings, there should be some consolidation.
"Football" should include the NFL and College, just as "Basketball" should have the NBA and NCAA.
Hockey should replace NHL, particularly if you have writers about the various European, National, College, or minor-league teams.
And Auto Racing has earned it's right for a slot again. It appears that I'm no longer the only racing writer on the site, as was the case a year ago. But this makes the point... If you had NASCAR and Auto Racing, aren't they the same category of story?
Call the game Soccer or whatever the football fanatics call it. Though this site has apparently gained an international flavor, it's still based here in the USA, and the fans of the sport would figure it out.
Otherwise why not put little ball icons next to the names...?
from 5 months ago
I love the icon idea. Why not do away with the words all together.
5 months ago
I think in order to keep all of the headers consistent in regards to length and league names it should be "FIFA"
5 months ago
FIFA works for me, its a good umbrella name for all the leagues and contests discussed and written about
5 months ago
What about EPL & World Soccer/Football.
After all, most of the articles here are on the EPL...
from 5 months ago
The idea is that this may rapidly change by appealing to a wider base.
5 months ago
"FIFA Football"? A Compromise perhaps?
5 months ago
The US is not the only country to call it soccer. Here in South Africa football is also referred to as soccer. FIFA works I suppose but we write mainly about UEFA and the EPL.
I'd have no problem being community leader for the soccer section (soccernet.com is a great site that isn't damaged by its reference to soccer in it's name)
But take everyones opinion on board and I'm sure I'll be happy with the outcome.
5 months ago
Bryan, FIFA is the best name for the following reasons:
1) everyone who follows the sport knows instantly what it refers to, i.e. soccer, futbol, football, etc.
2) it is the name of the governing/umbrella org, just like MLB, NBA, etc.
3) it will incorporate not only the leagues, but the tournaments as well, e.g. FIFA World Cup
4) it's an acronym like the other headings, and a mercifully short one at that
5) who could argue with it whn all is said and done?
6) while Blattner is not too popular, we don't not use NFL, MLB, NBA, etc. when a particular commissioner falls out of favor.
Also, on a related point, I'd have the subheadings be EPL, Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga, MLS, and then UEFA, COMNEBAL, CONCACAF, etc. for the seven FIFA regional federations. Both national team news/tournaments like Euro2008 and Champions League type coverage could show up under the same "UEFA" subheading.
5 months ago
Hey Bryan thank you so much for the feedback and for the consideration of this idea.
There are many articles that slip through the EPL net which deal with for example Brazilian football or German football, for me due to everything being linked in this sport from possible transfers to the national game it be great to have more of a world view.
If this is an American site through and through then we should all have no problem going with Soccer as a name. If not then "FIFA", "FIFA Football", "World Football", "Soccer/Football", "Football", "World Soccer"...
World Soccer is also the name of a magazine which is very much the document for Football/Soccer on a world scale, it is one of the best and longest serving...
Good luck and thanks so much for this site and your dedication it is great to be part of such a diverse online communiity...
Big Thanks Alby Jnr
5 months ago
I'm guessing that listing American Football under "Ladie's Rugby" won't work (OK..don't get your knickers in a twist, it's just a joke) so either FIFA or Footy are fine with me.
5 months ago
Now I'm really interested to see what comments come since this article is on the bleacher report front page. I think we might have picked a fight. Should be fun.
5 months ago
FIFA or World Football work. I'd throw in Footy, too.
5 months ago
FIFA would be best for me. I hate the term 'soccer' even though its a misconception that the term is an American invention, it actually comes from the british 'Association Football', which was shortened to 'soccer' by us English people in the 19th century.
So while I can't blame you Yanks for making up 'soccer', I still prefer the term football, but I understand that this would confuse the American audience, and also as all the other categories have shortened headings, FIFA is the best option.
5 months ago
I don't know if someone has suggested this already. But I really think the section should be called EUROPEAN FOOTBALL. That is unless the MLS is part of the section as well. Otherwise European Football would be good.
from 5 months ago
Jeff, I think this might not be broad enough. Because even some EPL players compete in the African Cup, the World Cup, etc...I like European Football the best, but don't think it would accurately describe what the writers write about...hence World Football...
I'm interested to see what American Football lovers comment on this section
from 5 months ago
I for one would like to eventually see some more MLS coverage. While I think that it's not a reality right now, it might be some day, and calling it European Football wouldn't help it's chances.
Not sure if that's a huge consideration, but heck, GO CLASH!
5 months ago
Soccer isnt an Americanism anyway. I think it was the way people distinguished between Association Football and Rugby Football, when the two split away from each other back in the 1860's. So i for one could not give a monkey's if EPL was replaced by Soccer because football as we know it, is Association football (soc football...soccer). Who in the UK calls it EPL anyway, if anything Soccer makes more sense, especially to an American run site.
5 months ago
I honestly don't mind soccer as I stated somewhere above...World Football sounds good to me too.
5 months ago
Soccer is the best choice in my opinion. It is simple and eliminates any confusion. It originally comes from England so it should be accepted in Europe.
In Brazil the term "Beach Soccer" for example is widely used for a type of football invented in Brazil.
The term "Beach Soccer" is also used in Europe....as it is standard for FIFA.
Soccer would also be 300% better than what we have now which is EPL representing the biggest sport on the planet.
Please be so kind as to include sub-links for the Brazilian and the Argentine leagues.
from 5 months ago
Okay, so soccer has a touch of Anglo-American, not just American. That it "should be accepted in Europe" is a stretch of wishful thinking. It won't be accepted in Italy, Spain, France, and Germany - major powers all. Why unnecessarily anglocize the BR site in its early phase? Go global with FIFA!
5 months ago
I don't like the bias towards the American Leagues. Surely if this is to become an Internationally recognised site, you should stray away from convention, and make every sport generalised, rather than focusing on the American Leagues - and once EPL becomes questioned a drastic change is made to 'FIFA' or 'World Football'. Why not other sports?
from 5 months ago
I hear what you are saying Bennet but as a Rangers fan I dislike having to click on EPL , select an article and then click on "European Football" and then finally find a link to the SPL. It would be nice if every league had a link but that is not practical. I think we need to find a way of catergorizing the various sports without giving preference to the big leagues.
5 months ago
We got us a name change well played...
4 months ago
Say what?
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