what about countless other large scale riots/fights that have happened over the years after soccer matches?
not to say it hasnt happened here in the US after world series games, the superbowl, NBA finals and Stanley cups. but it just seems that its much more common when it comes to soccer.
its not a knock on the sport, just a question. i should make that known
Absolutely, and I wouldn't even try to dispute that as it clearly is a fact. I've never been to the US and therefore have never been to any game of baseball, football or hockey, but from what I can tell watching all those sports is that there isn't really any organized support, and that's the main difference to football over here, to South America ("barras", "torcidas") or the middle east for that matter. And that's where aforementioned Ultras come into play (here's the Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultras). That kind of support separates soccer matches from big football or baseball games.
(Nerd fact: the actual first documented organized support in the world of sports did generate in the US though, in Boston to be exact, as people went to the games together and called themselves the Royal Rooters)
But today there's nothing even comparable to the Ultras of Europe and the Middle East, the Torcidas of Brazil and the Barras Bravas of the rest of South America.
Yes, it is true that certain Ultra groups have lost their way as they only to fight with other groups and destroy stadium property as opposed to simply support their team by constantly singing, clapping and engaging in so called choreos. Eastern Europe, especially Poland, is a breeding ground for the most violent Ultras in all of Europe, and many of them support their team under the flag of ultra-nationalism and fascism since they've been freed from Communism now.
In Germany there are so called "Riskiospiele" (high risk games), e.g. St. Pauli, which solely has left wing Ultras supporters, versus Hansa Rostock, where local police is required to double or even trible their strength. But clashes of course don't have to be politically motivated as there are fierce rivalries going on all across Europe. Staying in Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt versus Kickers Offenbach comes to mind, two cities that absolutely hate, despise each other, just like Split (Hajduk) and Zagreb (Dinamo) in Croatia. But the fiercest rivalries of course rage between clubs from one city. When I was groundhopping (travelling from one country to the next to attend football games) Europe a few years back I got the chance to attend the "Derby della capitale" in Rome between Lazio and AS Roma. I'm not easily rattled by things like that, but there I almost shat my pants, it was just plain scary and warlike almost.
I'm living in Vienna, and I'm an avid supporter of SK Rapid, and I love going to the stadium and attend matched, most of all against FAK of course, our most hated innercity rival. I've been to those games alone, with friends, and with friends who had their sons or their whoel family with them, and there's no problem with that. In Italy though the attendance of women and children has dramatically decreased over the last few years since you can't take your family to the stadium on a Sunday afternoon any longer, it simply is too dangerous.
What I'm trying to say is that all over Europe there are the good and the bad within the soccer supporting community, but even when it's really bad, usually noone gets killed in or outside the stadium. However, the fact remains, that soccer crowds in general seem to be way more unruly than the average US sports supporter. I know, there are certain exceptions to the rule, like the guy who got beat up really bad at a Dodgers game (right?), or just recently a young veteran at a hockey game.
Okay, so here's what Ultra support should look like:
SK Rapid in Vienna vs. HSV:
