The United States is a nation that runs on athletics. Sports like basketball and baseball are frequently broadcasted on national television and football consumes viewers on Sundays. Even less popular sports such as hockey attain viewers. The 2012 Stanley Cup attained nearly 929,000 viewers across three networks during the first round of the playoffs.
The one sport that continues to struggle in gaining a foothold in American society is soccer. Regardless of being one of the most frequently played sports in the nation with 380,000 boys and 340,000 girls participating in school based soccer programs according to the 2008 US Census, professional soccer remains the 5th most viewed sport in the country. In almost any other country around the world, soccer reigns as the top sport.
“In other countries soccer is a way of life, in America, football is,” sophomore Zach Johnson states. However, soccer is growing in the United States. Attendance for MLS soccer games has steadily been increasing over the past few years. During the 2012 season, the Seattle Sounders racked in an average attendance of over 43,000, nearly a 5,000 fan increase from the 2011 season. More fans are making their way out to these games every year.
Also, by bringing world class players to the league, such as David Beckham and Thierry Henry, the quality of American soccer is on the rise.
When asked about the presence of these international players in American leagues Johnson mentions, “I think it’s great they bring more popularity to the sport.” Raising the quality of soccer in the US is essential to its growth. Soccer players in world class leagues such as the English Premier League (EPL) and La Liga in Spain are known for their exceptional technical ability and the high level at which they play.
Through developmental programs such as the Real Salt Lake Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona, the United States is working at raising the level of youth soccer in the country. By allowing young athletes to focus a larger part of their lives to the game, the quality of the sport is improving which in part increases the talent level of American soccer, attracting more viewers.
