Is it fair to say that soccer has steadily gain more popularity in America?
Over the recent years, broadcasts of National Soccer was about all you could get unless you checked out Telemundo, Univision and the random channel 17 that has no name.
Now, ESPN & ESPN 2 have taken English Premiere as well as the Barcley's Premiere league under their wing. MSG shows Red Bulls games and FSC is a standard channel in every cable package.
I'm an avid supporter of soccer. If you know me, you know this to be true but now-a-days I'd like to say there has been an increase look at soccer.
The US has formed their own big time cup, the CONCACAF League which utilizes the MLS as well as South American teams like Europe does every countries leagues.
Fans are there, they just aren't THERE. With MLB, NFL, and if ever again, NBA of course being the Top 3 favorite, is it unreasonable to say Soccer can make its way up the ladder and knock out NHL for #4?
When you click the link to USA's game verse Ecuador, look at the fans that packed Red Bull arena. I don't see why Soccer can't be gaining popularity.
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I think one of the biggest reasons for soccer gaining popularity is the fact that the US is continually getting more immigrants from soccer-crazed countries. With hordes of European and South American soccer fans tuning into the games here in the US, it is inevitably spreading to the rest of us. I think it's great; we're opening up our horizons to some new sports.
ReplyDeletehaha! The random channel is called Telefutura if I'm not mistaken.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Meagan though. There are definitely more and more people who are raised by Latinos or Europeans who themselves grew up loving the sport. The last World Cup was widely viewed and it was a bigger event in the U.S. than ever before.
It does show the fact that soccer has garnered more and more fans of the sport through the years here in the U.S. Whether it is because of their heritage, or maybe because Americans are on a search for something new.
Soccer remains one of the most popular sports for youth involvement in the United States, which would lead you to believe its popularity will only increase over time. I'll say this: the crowd size at some MLS games continue on the upswing. When I was in Seattle two summers ago, the crowd tailgating before a MLS game was similar to a football game. Will the MLS ever be covered by newspapers on the level of MLB, NFL, etc? Not in New York, I don't think, but I bet in other cities it's fast becoming a leading newspaper sports beat.
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