Our capitalist overlords have been very explicit about wanting to plant the seeds of soccer on our doorstep. You may think there is simply no excess space to fit another sport into your daily balanced sports pyramid. There are only so many hours in a day, and at some point we have to get some form of sustenance in our bodies. As usual, your worries are unwarranted.
Globalization is a relentless beast with gun powder for blood and the ability to sneak up on you without a sound. There are officially too many cities on Earth where one would find a plethora of their dopplegangers going about their daily lives in a parallel universe. But this is not science fiction and your foreign clone probably has a Soccer team they have an allegiance to. Now, you've heard every argument for Soccer and haven't been swayed, but that hasn't stopped the driving force behind its growth on American soil. That same phenomenon we have termed globalization not only builds McDonalds in Africa, it has also peaked the interest in the sport of Soccer all over the planet, including the U.S.
One of the obstacles Soccer has faced in the U.S. is its inability to find a cultural niche it can cling on to. Football (the American version) has the violence and grandiosity; Basketball has hip-hop and everything that stems from it; Baseball has the historical roots. Hockey is not mentioned because it has found itself on the verge of extinction multiple times. It is so inaccessible that urban children would be hard pressed to name a hockey player, or have the ability to afford the equipment and obtain access to ice suitable for skating. But Soccer has always been viewed as a foreign sport with an un-American tinge to it.
When you look at the other major sports in the U.S. you will find a pattern of American dominance among them. No other country can beat us in Basketball if we put together a team of our best players, Baseball's largest arena is Major League Baseball, and Football (the American version) is nonexistent in most places on this planet. We crown world champions here without having to play teams from other countries (except the Raptors and Blue Jays. But, come on). Notice Football's (the American version) surpassing of every other sport in the U.S. while catering solely to Americans and being played solely by Americans. There is an egocentricity to the promotion of American dominance that should not be overlooked when judging or belittling Soccer.
Americans approach sports in an imperialist fashion and we are very far behind when it comes to Soccer. That unfortunate fact may help explain the decades it has taken the sport to reach its current level of popularity in the U.S. Yet this has not stopped American networks and franchises from picking the sport up and making an attempt to sell it.
Improving the quality of play in Major League Soccer would help boost the seemingly inevitable rise as well. The return of Clint Dempsey to MLS from the English Premier League is a proper step in that direction. Dempsey will sell more tickets wherever the Seattle Sounders go, he will create an increase in television viewership, and most importantly, his presence will force the hand of other clubs to sign better talent in order to stay competitive. This past weekend there was a pocket of excitement in Los Angeles as the LA Galaxy defeated Italian side Juventus 3-1 at Dodger Stadium. While it was a preseason game for Juventus they were still favorites due to their successful history in Europe. But the most important outcome of the event was the fact that over 40,000 people showed up to watch and take part in the unique atmosphere that only Soccer can create.
American Soccer may never reach the stature of its European counterpart both in club and national team play, but it is undeniably growing every day.
- Alex Moran (@MoonbeanMarcos)
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