Soccer is gaining traction in the United States, and the trend doesn't seem to be slowing down. According to a survey, nearly as many Americans consider soccer to be their favorite sport as basketball (12%) or baseball (11%). The US men's national team's performance in the World Cup has been a major factor in the sport's rise in popularity. The team's success has inspired a new generation of soccer fans and players, and the number of American high school students playing soccer has reached more than 800,000 girls and boys.
In addition to offering regular soccer to local fanbases, Major League Soccer (MLS) has been developing talent and incorporating American players into the national team. MLS has also seen an increase in attendance over the past three years, even before the pandemic curbed attendance at all professional sporting events. The love of soccer among millennials has tripled in the last decade, according to a Gallup survey. However, there are still some misconceptions about the sport that prevent it from becoming more popular.
Some people think that soccer fans are “squalid intellectual thugs” who hate American sports because they weren't chosen to play them as kids. Others think that soccer is too theatrical, with players diving and acting too much. Boston is widely known as the birthplace of the American Revolution, but it was also home to the first organized soccer team in the United States, the Oneida Football Club. Unlike other American sports, it's common for professional soccer clubs to have a brand like “jeep” on a shirt.
This perpetuates capitalism in all its facets, including professional sports, and soccer is not part of this agenda. If other countries are any indication, the rise of soccer is likely to represent a new era of professional sports in the US. With more Americans playing and watching soccer than ever before, it's only a matter of time before it becomes one of America's most popular sports.
