When you think of the most popular sports in the United States, a few come to mind: Football, Baseball, and Basketball. Hockey? Maybe. Soccer? Ehh... not so much. Now you may not concern yourself as to why Soccer isn't as popular as other sports. But even if you did think about it, you couldn't figure it out.Youth Soccer is played by about 14 million kids in the U.S., while youth football is played by just over a million kids. So why is it that football is so much more popular at the professional level in the United States?
In other countries, especially European countries such as England, Spain, and Italy, soccer is by far the most popular sport. With teams such as Manchester United, Barcelona, and AC Milan, fans support their teams with a blind passion remiscent of a Raiders fan dressed up in full costume. In that respect, the arguement could be made that fans don't get excited for their local team in the U.S. because the teams aren't as good. But even the bad teams in England have their own collection of hooligans to cheer for them, so why wouldn't teams in the U.S.?
Another proposed reason for soccer's level of popularity (or lack thereof) is that we have a culture of playing baseball and basketball in america, just as England has a culture of cricket, soccer, and rugby. Which begs the question: can our culture change? Will we ever become a country where playing soccer is just as much of America as hot dogs and apple pie? Or will we forever look down at it as the sport all the other countries of the world play?
I believe that a culture can change, but it will take a very big reason for it to. America and football are two sides of the same coin. It is a big part of our culture and our identity. Even though many kids play soccer, we all know how big football has become and soccer is not likely to knock it of its podium in the US, not matter how many stars they bring to america.
ReplyDeleteThis is the same the other way around, why arent other sports like baseball popular in Europe? Because soccer is a very big part of Europes culture and its identity.
I also believe culture can change, but it would need a great number of people to place soccer into the american arena of sports. I grew up on the soccer field since I was 4. Like many kids, I played AYSO/park district. The reason i think soccer hasn't caught on in the US as it has in Europe is that Americans don't invest their time to watch it. The only connection America has with soccer is at the youth level. I think that most kids play soccer because it only requires 1 ball, and it can be played at many levels including preschooler level (where as basketball is harder to play if kids cant dribble). I think that it would be difficult for soccer to catch on at a professional level because people are content with watching football/ baseball and they don't want to change.
ReplyDeleteOur culture can totally change, the US is known for its ever-morphing culture. Our food, our clothing, our music, our art is changing by the day. Now, soccer may not become as popular as apple pie or hot dogs, but there is potential for it to become popular.
ReplyDeleteOur funded middle schools and high schools offer much more opportunities to play other sports like basketball and baseball; perhaps that's why soccer isn't as popular. The hypothetical inevitable catalyst will be a group of all-star futball players who rock the US team.