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I think that on a local level soccer is probably one of the most popular sports nationwide. Certainly here in the Pacific Northwest there are more soccer leagues for kids to play in. They are leagues for every season except maybe the winter season between January and March. None of the other sports have anything close to this. Football is in the fall, basketball in the winter, and baseball in the spring and early summer.

This seems to carry over in the parks too. I often see kids kicking a soccer ball around or shooting baskets. Pickup football games seem to occur only in the fall. I rarely see baseball games being played as a pickup sport.

The big difference for soccer is in the professional game. In the United States professional soccer will never be as popular as the other big major league sports. The is one reason why this is so. Soccer does not lend itself to American Commercial television as well as other major league sports. Major League Baseball, National Football League, and the National Basketball association all prove ample opportunities for frequent commercials. In baseball a commercial could happen after each pitch if there is a pitching change. Three pitches could result in the end of an inning and another commercial break. During football games, every change of possession provides time for a commercial. Basketball provides opportunities for time outs that allow for commercial breaks. During half time and between quarters for both football and basketball provide time for even more commercials.

With soccer there are no predictable commercials breaks. Half time and the end of the game provide the only sure chance for a commercial break. Even the end of the game is uncertain. When the clock counts down to zero the game continues until the referee declares the game over. Only then can the advertisers buy a commercial.

This sounds the death knell for professional soccer. Although most viewers think of television programming as the point of television. The network and station owners believe the real and important content of television as the commercials. The programming is provided for no other reason than to create a larger viewing audience so more commercials can be sold at higher prices and create larger projects.

There is little or no chance for professional soccer to crack the television market. Already every day of the years has at least two and sometimes three professional major league sports. Until professional soccer can create a profitable niche for soccer it wall remain a minor sport in the United States.

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