by Todd Pheifer

Created on: June 11, 2010

It is clear that soccer is an extremely popular sport all over the world.  Soccer fans have an intense loyalty to their respective teams, and people who follow the sport can manifest their support locally or on a national level.  The World Cup is an incredibly important event for soccer fans as it represents an opportunity to defend national pride on a global level.  While the United States does participate in the World Cup and other international events, the game of soccer is not nearly as popular in America as other sports such as baseball, basketball, and American football.  Here are a few reasons that soccer has not become as much of a national phenomenon in the United States. 

Youth involvement, and then?

Sports often become popular over the course of generations, so youth involvement could be scrutinized as a factor in the popularity of soccer.  However, soccer is played by kids all across America, and this has been the case for many years.  Once kids are done with high school, involvement in the sport drops.  Perhaps soccer is not showcased enough in the media and therefore isn't seen as a lucrative enough vocational option.  The bottom line is that soccer does not transition to being a mainstream sport that is followed by most American fans. 

Scoring limitations

Baseball may be America's pastime, and a pitching duel may be a classic event in the game.  However, most fans would rather see a 12-10 slug-fest that features multiple home runs.  For most Americans, soccer just doesn't have enough scoring.  Even though soccer players may be the best-conditioned athletes in the world, American fans would probably prefer to see less running and more goals. 

Violence

Though some American fans may deny it, the United States is fascinated with violence.  The popularity of American football is a testament to America's love of hard hits and aggressive behavior.  Even basketball has evolved from a finesse sport to a relatively violent contest.  Soccer certainly has intensity and some amount of contact, but it isn't nasty enough for American fans who are used to a linebacker coming across the middle and pulverizing a running back. 

At some point the diversifying population in America may shift the popularity of major sports to the point where soccer is of marquee interest.  The infrastructure of domestic  youth involvement and international popularity is in place if and when soccer experiences a tipping point in popularity.  Until then, soccer will remain a second-tier sport in American as it jockeys for position in a crowded landscape of sports choices.

Learn more about this author, Todd Pheifer.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.