US goes soccer crazy as team eyes second round

[Jonathan Fairfield]

US goes soccer crazy as team eyes second round

Record numbers of football fans in the United States are bracing for another edge-of-the-seat match Thursday as their team battles to make the World Cup second round -- and prove the sport's growing popularity.

Nearly 25 million viewers tuned in to watch their last game against Portugal, astonishingly more than the NBA finals or baseball's World Series, mainstays of the US sporting landscape along with American football.

Sports bars and pubs across the country were heaving with fans Sunday night, when the US team came within a whisker of winning an instant pass to the second round, only to be cruelly deprived by a last-gasp Portuguese goal.

But will the millions of football fans evaporate once the US team is out of the contest, maybe as early as Thursday when they take on European heavyweights Germany?

- US football surge 'not a blip' -

Opinion is divided.

"I don't think the spike is a blip," professor Daniel Durbin, director of the Annenberg Institute of Sports, Media and Society at the University of Southern California (USC), told AFP.

"Interest is high partially because the US team has had some success. However, (sports broadcaster) ESPN has used all its considerable resources to promote the World Cup and will continue to flood media with promotion."

But blogger Matt Verderame of the SB Nation website said the current surge in interest in football -- or, soccer for Americans -- will likely be short-lived.

"I think once the United States is knocked out of the World Cup, soccer will go back to being a distant fifth sport in America," he told AFP. "While soccer has made great strides in the US, it still lacks star power."

The biggest star who has tried to boost football in the United States -- where the sport is traditionally seen as a children's and women's game -- has been Britain's David Beckham, who spent six years with the Los Angeles Galaxy from 2007.

But his efforts are part of a long history of trying to promote the world's most popular sport to often skeptical Americans.

In the 1970s, the North American Soccer League (NASL) recruited foreign stars like Brazil's Pele and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer to inspire the locals. The league folded in 1984.

But the decision to award the 1994 World Cup to the United States gave it a bigger boost. A year later, a new professional championship was born. Major League Soccer (MLS) has gone from strength to strength since then.

- US 'becoming a soccer nation' -

MLS spokesman Dan Courtemanche said booming numbers of Latinos -- a growing demographic in America -- and young millennials were helping turn the tide against soccer detractors.

"The popularity of the sport is growing significantly in the United States among that young audience. We believe that bodes well for the future increase in popularity," he told AFP.

"We certainly believe that the US is rapidly becoming a soccer nation," he added.

USC professor Durbin said football is benefiting from a general trend of increased demand for live televised sports, even if the uninterrupted format of games may take time to catch on here.

"US viewers have been trained to see their sports narratives broken up by constant commercial breaks. They've been taught by baseball, football, and ... basketball broadcasts to follow very brief and swift chunks of action..."

"Soccer doesn't lend itself to this type of broadcast," he said, but added that US tastes are "changing as more and more US audiences consume international sports such as soccer and rugby."

Consultant David Carter of The Sports Business Group was more skeptical, saying US fans are watching now through patriotism and excitement rather than long-term loyalty to soccer.

"The massive TV ratings are the result of a compelling global event that has captivated casual fans," he told AFP.

"Diehard fans are sure to remain engaged in the sport once the World Cup is over.

"However, many that are tuning in now are doing so due to the sense of nationalism and patriotism.

"These large audiences are tuning in for the combination of the sport, the spectacle, national pride, and the ability to party. When these elements wane, so too will TV ratings."

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-06-25

[Jingthing]

It's not a blip. The USA is becoming much more Latino and combined with other immigrants, a critical mass has been met. Still bad we still call it SOCCER though! But that's the fault of the English (look it up).

Before long the USA will be up there with the great soccer/futbol powers. Just you watch!

[Prbkk]

Given that American "football" is less absorbing than watching paint dry, "soccer" may well make inroads and become more popular.

[bigbamboo]

I think the Americans are relishing the fact that they can be competitive in an outdoor team sport that has international appeal as opposed to just gridiron and rounders.

They deserve a place in the last sixteen.

[Travel2003]

Isn't this the same we (including myself) say every time USA do it fairly well in the World Cup?

After they hosted the WC everyone though it was just a matter of time before it was the number one sport.

Still, after so many years, the sport doesn't reach the big 4 even up to the ankles in popularity and revenue.

[Jingthing]

Given that American "football" is less absorbing than watching paint dry, "soccer" may well make inroads and become more popular.

I don't watch it anymore but that's kind of silly ... apples and oranges. It might be helpful though to change the name of American football to something else.

Any suggestions?

[wandasloan]

I think the Americans are relishing the fact that they can be competitive in an outdoor team sport that has international appeal as opposed to just gridiron and rounders.

They deserve a place in the last sixteen.

Well, I doubt the Americans, who do EXCEPTIONALLY well in outdoor team sports with international appeal think they "deserve" anything they don't achieve. (Please don't post about all the individual Olympic events. I'm possibly more aware of that than you. I'm addressing your post claiming that not one of them is a team sport.)

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[zydeco]

And a decade or so ago bicycling and the Tour de France were big on the American sports scene. Today? Not a blip. This year soccer is lucking out. The NBA finals and champion were and are lackluster. It wouldn't take much to beat Miami versus San Antonio. As for baseball, the article is confused. The World Series isn't until October, when, btw, it must compete against the NFL and college football--and even the beginning of hockey and basketball season. An American news service would have realized that. A French one hasn't got a clue, obviously.

[Jingthing]

I don't believe the Tour de France was EVER such a big deal in the U.S. and it NEVER will be. Lance Armstrong was big. That's it and now that's so over. You can't compare it to soccer.

[bigbamboo]

I think the Americans are relishing the fact that they can be competitive in an outdoor team sport that has international appeal as opposed to just gridiron and rounders.

They deserve a place in the last sixteen.

Well, I doubt the Americans, who do EXCEPTIONALLY well in outdoor team sports with international appeal think they "deserve" anything they don't achieve. (Please don't post about all the individual Olympic events. I'm possibly more aware of that than you. I'm addressing your post claiming that not one of them is a team sport.)

medals.jpg

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Which outdoor team sports with international appeal would these be then?

[wabothai]

I remember them telling me that soccer was for sissies.

Only for ladies! I played coed for many years. Red card for tackling a lady.

[wabothai]

Way to go US !!!

[bigbamboo]

I remember them telling me that soccer was for sissies.

Only for ladies! I played coed for many years. Red card for tackling a lady.

Just as the girls play rounders (baseball to Americans) at school in England. Of course we don't usually play sport against girls, not something a young gentleman would do, although I do remember playing a girls team at (field) hockey once in a charity match and to this day I swear they were St Trinians in disguise.

[Jingthing]

Soccer isn't as new in the USA as some foreigners imagine. I'm not young and it was part of the sports program in my elementary school and no, it was not coed.

[NeverSure]

Given that American "football" is less absorbing than watching paint dry, "soccer" may well make inroads and become more popular.

I don't watch it anymore but that's kind of silly ... apples and oranges. It might be helpful though to change the name of American football to something else.

Any suggestions?

Good luck with that one.

[RickBradford]

(*Unintended political incorrectness alert*)

Australia mirrors the US in many ways -- it has its own popular sports -- Australian Rules, and rugby league, so soccer has had to make its tough way upwards via the immigrant population as well as the women's game.

Noting this fact, one of Australia's first football stars, Johnny Warren, wrote a book about the rise of "soccer" in Australia under the title "Sheilas, W-o-gs and Poofters", noting that anyone who followed this sport was denigrated as having to be either female (sheilas), an immigrant (W-o-gs) or gay.

In other words, as Warren lampooned, "true men" only followed the tough manly sports such as Aussie Rules and the rugby codes.

There is still far more emotion (and media coverage) expended on State of Origin -- a licensed brawl between teams of 13 thugs from the states of NSW and Queensland, with a rugby ball as an optional extra, than to the national soccer team.

Like Australia, the US soccer team is one of the pragmatic sides -- full of heart, endeavour, commitment, spirit and organisation, but short on real skill, creativity and imagination at the top level.

That last-second equalizer by the Portuguese may turn out to be fatal ................

[Jingthing]

I wouldn't bet on it either. But over time, as soccer gains in inevitably Latino dominated USA, Americans are going to become tired of hanging on to the English yoke of the word soccer. It will become a matter of respect. Many Americans already call soccer football ...so we're going to have two major sports called the same thing. OK, it's silly to call American football American football in America (in France a French kiss is just a kiss). Perhaps soccer could be called world football.

[RickBradford]

^^^

Is the term 'gridiron' no longer used, or does that belong in the days of 'Win one for the Gipper' ?

[Jingthing]

How about superball?

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bigbamboo]

(*Unintended political incorrectness alert*)

Australia mirrors the US in many ways -- it has its own popular sports -- Australian Rules, and rugby league, so soccer has had to make its tough way upwards via the immigrant population as well as the women's game.

Noting this fact, one of Australia's first football stars, Johnny Warren, wrote a book about the rise of "soccer" in Australia under the title "Sheilas, W-o-gs and Poofters", noting that anyone who followed this sport was denigrated as having to be either female (sheilas), an immigrant (W-o-gs) or gay.

In other words, as Warren lampooned, "true men" only followed the tough manly sports such as Aussie Rules and the rugby codes.

There is still far more emotion (and media coverage) expended on State of Origin -- a licensed brawl between teams of 13 thugs from the states of NSW and Queensland, with a rugby ball as an optional extra, than to the national soccer team.

Like Australia, the US soccer team is one of the pragmatic sides -- full of heart, endeavour, commitment, spirit and organisation, but short on real skill, creativity and imagination at the top level.

That last-second equalizer by the Portuguese may turn out to be fatal ................

Fatal? This is America not Colombia.

[PJcm]

I think the Americans are relishing the fact that they can be competitive in an outdoor team sport that has international appeal as opposed to just gridiron and rounders.

They deserve a place in the last sixteen.

a little sour grapes, your boys going home for the second time with the tail between their legs,

[puukao]

As an American......."Usually" we cannot get too excited or others will yell, "you arrogant Americans!!!!!" But, how can you live entirely passive if you are actually excited? Especially while others get all excited.

American football is American, and we have no competition. but now people are realizing soccer pays a lot, and you need really nothing to play, it will get very popular. it is very expensive to play ice hockey.

i was the greatest ping pong player on my block.....I made $2 a month at the local boys club. now i see you can make 75 MILLION playing soccer.....I will soon master the 'knuckle-ball kick'!!!!!

[wook]

Could you imagine 45 mins of a sport with no commercials on the main stations? I can't. It will never happen. ABC, NBC, and CBS with no breaks for that long? No way!

[jope]

I think the Americans are relishing the fact that they can be competitive in an outdoor team sport that has international appeal as opposed to just gridiron and rounders.

They deserve a place in the last sixteen.

a little sour grapes, your boys going home for the second time with the tail between their legs,

Not gonna happen! German Foreign Ministry decided that it has to be a draw!

[jope]

I wouldn't bet on it either. But over time, as soccer gains in inevitably Latino dominated USA, Americans are going to become tired of hanging on to the English yoke of the word soccer. It will become a matter of respect. Many Americans already call soccer football ...so we're going to have two major sports called the same thing. OK, it's silly to call American football American football in America (in France a French kiss is just a kiss). Perhaps soccer could be called world football.

Couldn't care less how Americans call it. But "world football" is actually not that bad of an idea, i must admit. Like it!

[Jingthing]

I wouldn't bet on it either. But over time, as soccer gains in inevitably Latino dominated USA, Americans are going to become tired of hanging on to the English yoke of the word soccer. It will become a matter of respect. Many Americans already call soccer football ...so we're going to have two major sports called the same thing. OK, it's silly to call American football American football in America (in France a French kiss is just a kiss). Perhaps soccer could be called world football.

Couldn't care less how Americans call it. But "world football" is actually not that bad of an idea, i must admit. Like it!

Thanks. It kind of makes sense in the U.S. as the spurts in popularity of soccer are undeniably linked to increasing interest in the World Cup. World Football ... World Cup ... it flows.

[NeverSure]

You guys have your work cut out for you, LOL.

NFL most popular for 30th year in row

By Darren Rovell | ESPN.com January 26, 2014

Pro football is the most popular sport in America for at least the 30th straight year.

That's according to a survey taken this month by the Harris Poll, which has been asking adult fans, ages 18 and over, about their favorite sport since 1985.

In 2014, 35 percent of fans call the NFL their favorite sport, followed by Major League Baseball (14 percent), college football (11 percent), auto racing (7 percent), the NBA (6 percent), the NHL (5 percent) and college basketball (3 percent).

In 1985, the first year the poll was taken, the NFL bested MLB by just one percentage point (24 to 23 percent), but since then interest in baseball has fallen while the NFL has experienced a huge rise in popularity.

[David48]

Soccer isn't as new in the USA as some foreigners imagine. I'm not young and it was part of the sports program in my elementary school and no, it was not coed.

I have to agree with JT's comment above.

More then 2 decades ago, I did a Summer Camp in the US.

I taught them Water-Skiing and Canoeing, but also assisted with their Soccer program.

What surprised me was the amount of Soccer played in the States.

It's not the Glamour sports of Basketball, Baseball or Gridiron, but certainly embraced as a sport, particularly by the younger players.

Also JT makes sense (am I really penning this ) when JT writes ... "But over time, as soccer gains in inevitably Latino dominated USA" ... I can see some logic in that also.

I wonder what the States Soccer style would be?

Maybe a little flair of the Central and South American countries, mixed in some German preision.

What ever it is .. good to see the USA in the World Cup finals and being competitive ...

They've done better then we Aussies.

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[IsaanUSA]

I definately think the increasing Latino population is helping the popularity here in the US, and to a lesser extend, the expat population is also helping. The Latinos and expats at my workplace are always watching the soccer games in the breakroom (and answering my questions, lol).

I don't care about soccer, but I have been watching some of the games. It helps that they are on during the day.

[David48]

10,000 likes (10,007) Jingthing ... well done 'ole son ...

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