Who is the biggest global icon?

Post #361 » by **LLcoleJ** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:20 am

Josephpaul wrote:Well illegal immigrants love soccer i see your point. Now go west hollywood and ask the same question.

I think we can all agree that you suck

Notas A3 · Post #362 » by **Notas A3** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:22 am

So... What is the conclussion for you, Phil & Co. Who is the biggest global icon?

Phil XI wrote:
Josephpaul wrote:Well illegal immigrants love soccer i see your point. Now go west hollywood and ask the same question.

I think we can all agree that you suck

I do agree with you.

EArl · Post #363 » by **EArl** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:24 am

Ive been to South and central America. Sport number 1 is soccer and anything behind that is not close.
Second is probably basketball and than anything else. most people don't like American Football in the Americas.

Ditchweed · Post #364 » by **Ditchweed** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:33 am

Josephpaul wrote:This really is international question based on your comments . You exlueding the US opinion is different how?

To get a correct answer, yes it is an international question, but we can not ask it around the world from a primarily US based basketball forum. We can not get good statistical samplings and have to live with the responses we have.

No one is excluding the US opinions, many US posters have said Messi, but as a previous poster stated, 90% of non US posters are stating Messi while many US posters are claiming different. Would it be better to weight the answers with the US answers being 4% of the final answer and the international posters (smaller sampling)as being 96% of the answer to get a closer true global answer?

Anyway, in the future, it would be better if the questions like this get worded correctly, else we will continue to have confusions like this.

DrewBynum77 · Post #365 » by **DrewBynum77** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:37 am

eablinksum wrote:Second is probably basketball and than anything else.

basketball is only popular (first or second in popularity) in Puerto Rico. Basketball is not popular at all in the rest of the continent. It was popular in Brazil in the 60's and 70's but not anymore. Nowadays its kinda popular in Argentina due to their great generation, but it doesn't have 5% of football popularity.

Post #366 » by **LLcoleJ** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:39 am

Notas A3 wrote:So... What is the conclussion for you, Phil & Co. Who is the biggest global icon?

It's an interesting question for sure.
I would immediately remove any NBA basketball player.

The star power of Messi and Ronaldo is undeniable. Biggest stars in the most popular sport in the world.

But I get stuck on the global word and I think the US has to have some say in that question/equation. Not all, not half, not a 3rd but some voice.

Bolt really only comes on my radar because what he did/does is in front of an international audience. But something just is a miss there.

Then you got guys like Feder, Woods and Manny. Who I think across the board would be recognized by most people on the planet. Not for their sports popularity but for the international stages they play/compete on.

From my perspective in the county I live in. Tiger/Roger maybe?

For the record though I have never seen a complete match of Feder in Tennis and I have never seen Manny Fight a fight. But I know who they are and what they have done.

trickshot · Post #367 » by **trickshot** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:43 am

Phil XI wrote:
donnieme wrote: It's already pretty much established he doesn't have the strongest presence in Usa. But international users can also ask their own colleagues if they've heard of some of these names and they wouldn't have.

This is pretty much what I have been saying. To that point, with Football( US) and Baseball being 2 of the biggest sports in the US. I suffer no illusions that anyone outside the US would know stars from these leagues.

I'm starting to lose track of your point but the way I translate your post, are you saying that you won't be inaccurate to think that since they are popular in the US, then they would automatically be popular/known worldwide espite every international user in this thread saying otherwise. If so, you are seriously mistaking. If not, please clarify before I bother to post a misguided reply to that logic.

Arp590 · Post #368 » by **Arp590** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:56 am

Who is Messi? Seriously.

Post #369 » by **Yuri Vaultin** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:04 am

Arp590 wrote:Who is Messi? Seriously.

Only the best player in the world's most popular sport.

durden_tyler · Post #370 » by **durden_tyler** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:06 am

Who is Messi?

Post #371 » by **Yuri Vaultin** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:10 am

durden_tyler wrote:Who is Messi?

Try google.com - it is an amazing website. Simply type Messi in, hit enter and see what happens.

Truth be told, if this were a true global icon contest I guarantee a few cricket players would be pretty high up on the list as well as at least one formula one racer.

Post #372 » by **LLcoleJ** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:11 am

donnieme wrote:re you saying that you won't be inaccurate to think that since they are popular in the US, then they would automatically be popular/known worldwide espite every international user in this thread saying otherwise. .

No, I am saying the exact opposite of that.

I don't believe there are many US globally known athletes. I know that the rest of the world does not follow the NFL or the MLB thus I don't expect the rest of the world to recognize these athletes.

Outside of the NHL the only US sport international fans follow is basketball and even then the NBA players are not readily known in many other countries.

My sister in law is born raised and lives in the eastern europe and has no idea who Kobe Bryant is. My wife who was also born raised in eastern europe does know who Kobe is. Because I would deport her if she didnt.

Long John · Post #373 » by **Long John** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:22 am

I gotta go with Kobe on this one. He is known all around the world. Mess isn't even known in the North America (US and Canada) how can you be a global icon when almost a whole continent don't know about you. Its Kobe hands down.

JoseRizal · Post #374 » by **JoseRizal** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:27 am

No offense, but in the list above, it's only Messi that I'm not familiar with...

cantervil · Post #375 » by **cantervil** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:34 am

JoseRizal wrote:No offense, but in the list above, it's only Messi that I'm not familiar with...

No offense taken, soccer may not be popular where u live. Do a survey here (Spain) about Brady or Pacquiao. Results would be 0.0001 % of population. Not many people know them.

I can hardly say 10 american football players, 1 baseball player (+babe ruth, i dont know who he was but the name is catchy) and less than 10 hockey players.

On the other hand, i can tell you more than 200 soccer players...

After thinking a bit, I can only think of 5 nfl players...

Cool_Dude · Post #376 » by **Cool_Dude** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:36 am

It is true that some people (probably middle-aged and older) probably don't think of Cristiano Ronaldo when they hear "Ronaldo", but instead the Brazilian Ronaldo, Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima.

One of the greatest strikers of all time, 2-time world cup winner, and all-time leading World Cup goalscorer. So there are two different Ronaldo legends that people may think of.

sonicFLAME6 · Post #377 » by **sonicFLAME6** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:45 am

Long John wrote:I gotta go with Kobe on this one. He is known all around the world. Mess isn't even known in the North America (US and Canada) how can you be a global icon when almost a whole continent don't know about you. Its Kobe hands down.

I live in LA and I know tons of people who know who Messi is and have no idea who Kobe is and vice versa. You're just simply not going to be more popular around the world than the guys who play the most popular sport in the world.
This thread alone shows how ignorant and arrogant some people are when it come to the rest of the world. A guy like Wayne Rooney is an icon in England, Spain has Iniesta who was crown best player in Europe not too long ago along with Ronaldo who destroyed La Liga as well Messi.
In Mexico not only is their soccer league more popular than the NBA but their baseball league as well, they got a ton of guys playing soccer in Europe and a ton of guys in the MLB and as you go down to South America you got the Brazilian league who is super popular with guys like Neymar from Brazil who is a heavy hitter in international soccer along with Uruguay who placed 4th in WC 2010 and Argentina with an all time soccer great in Messi.
Point is soccer in general is not as popular in the US but with the MLS growing and great international players coming to play in the US as of late soccer has great potential to attract more fans in the US but ultimately will always fall short vs Football, basketball and the MLB, that's jut the way it is.
But coming from a guy born and raised in the US, internationally soccer will always kick the crap out of any other sport.

Long John · Post #378 » by **Long John** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:53 am

sonicFLAME6 wrote:
Long John wrote:I gotta go with Kobe on this one. He is known all around the world. Mess isn't even known in the North America (US and Canada) how can you be a global icon when almost a whole continent don't know about you. Its Kobe hands down.

I live in LA and I know tons of people who know who Messi is and have no idea who Kobe is and vice versa. You're just simply not going to be more popular around the world than the guys who play the most popular sport in the world.
This thread alone shows how ignorant and arrogant some people are when it come to the rest of the world. A guy like Wayne Rooney is an icon in England, Spain has Iniesta who was crown best player in Europe not too long ago along with Ronaldo who destroyed La Liga as well Messi.
In Mexico not only is their soccer league more popular than the NBA but their baseball league as well, they got a ton of guys playing soccer in Europe and a ton of guys in the MLB and as you go down to South America you got the Brazilian league who is super popular with guys like Neymar from Brazil who is a heavy hitter in international soccer along with Uruguay who placed 4th in WC 2010 and Argentina with an all time soccer great in Messi.
Point is soccer in general is not as popular in the US but with the MLS growing and great international players coming to play in the US as of late soccer has great potential to attract more fans in the US but ultimately will always fall short vs Football, basketball and the MLB, that's jut the way it is.
But coming from a guy born and raised in the US, internationally soccer will always kick the crap out of any other sport.

Lol at this dude trying to tell me that people in LA don't know who Kobe is. See, this is why I like message boards :lol:

sonicFLAME6 · Post #379 » by **sonicFLAME6** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:05 am

Long John wrote:
sonicFLAME6 wrote:
Long John wrote:I gotta go with Kobe on this one. He is known all around the world. Mess isn't even known in the North America (US and Canada) how can you be a global icon when almost a whole continent don't know about you. Its Kobe hands down.

I live in LA and I know tons of people who know who Messi is and have no idea who Kobe is and vice versa. You're just simply not going to be more popular around the world than the guys who play the most popular sport in the world.
This thread alone shows how ignorant and arrogant some people are when it come to the rest of the world. A guy like Wayne Rooney is an icon in England, Spain has Iniesta who was crown best player in Europe not too long ago along with Ronaldo who destroyed La Liga as well Messi.
In Mexico not only is their soccer league more popular than the NBA but their baseball league as well, they got a ton of guys playing soccer in Europe and a ton of guys in the MLB and as you go down to South America you got the Brazilian league who is super popular with guys like Neymar from Brazil who is a heavy hitter in international soccer along with Uruguay who placed 4th in WC 2010 and Argentina with an all time soccer great in Messi.
Point is soccer in general is not as popular in the US but with the MLS growing and great international players coming to play in the US as of late soccer has great potential to attract more fans in the US but ultimately will always fall short vs Football, basketball and the MLB, that's jut the way it is.
But coming from a guy born and raised in the US, internationally soccer will always kick the crap out of any other sport.

Lol at this dude trying to tell me that people in LA don't know who Kobe is. See, this is why I like message boards

You need to wake up from you fantasy world junior. There's a lot of hard working people who don't give a **** about pro sports. How dense are you? You really believe that every single person who lives in LA knows who Kobe just because he plays in LA? :lol:

Post #380 » by **Yuri Vaultin** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:05 am

Long John wrote:Lol at this dude trying to tell me that people in LA don't know who Kobe is. See, this is why I like message boards

You're being an idiot. Please stop.

Messi is more known AROUND THE WORLD than Kobe. It's a fact. If you don't like it; tough. Water is wet, the sky is blue and Messi is more of a global icon than Kobe. <

To put things in perspective - the world`s population is around 7,039,000,000 while America`s population is around 314,347,000. So, 95% of the world`s people live outside of the USA. Soccer is by a huge margin the most popular sport on earth. Can you see how Messi and Ronaldo could easily be 1 and 2 on a true international list?