(06-14-2014 06:53 AM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 12:42 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 10:40 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  Don't believe enough people in the US, outside the influx of folks from South of the border, give a much of a hoot. The networks continue to try and ram this stuff down Americans throats, but most of the nation isn't buying it. It'll be interesting to see the ratings.

Uhh...The last World cup Final was watched by 24 million Americans. World Cup makes an absolute killing in the ratings. Its the reason that Fox is spending so much cash to steal the rights from ESPN after this year.

Ratings say that Soccer will pass every sport except the NFL and College football within the next 10 years at the current rate.

Uhh.... How about providing a link to that info. While you're at it break that 2013 viewership is down into regular ESPN channels and the Spanish speaking channels. Then we'll see just how many "Americans" watched.

Sports Media Watch reported the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup drew 9.5 million viewers. More than half, 5.1 million, watched on Univision. By comparison the first round of the NFL Draft drew 12.4 million.

The 2013 MSL final was the least watched in history on English speaking channels. According to this article it garnered about as many viewers as a "rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond." I've included a link below.

So far 12 WC matches have been played and 37 goals have been scored. With each match lasting 90 minutes that's 18 hours of "action". ONE GOAL ever half hour. Americans won't sit still long enough to watch something that boring.

http://fansided.com/2013/12/10/tv-rating...ry/#!YTcIz

Your first mistake was comparing the World Cup to MLS. That's like comparing Game 7 of the World Series to a Minor League baseball game.

Brazil's Word Cup Opener aired at 3pm ET/Noon PT. Middle of the work day in the US. It was watched by 4.4 million viewers on ESPN, Even if you take out the 5 million plus who watched the Spanish Language Broadcast (Those ratings do count) The Stanley Cup Finals highest rating of the 5 games was 6.4 Million on Network Television (Available in more homes) Brazil's opening game shattered the ratings mark for South Africa in 2010, when that was played at a more advantageous time for Television watching.

http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/tvbizwire/20...tings-.php

Keep in mind...this is the Tournament opener. A game featuring Croatia, a team no one cares about, and the host Brazil. Neither the US or Mexico, the two biggest draws stateside in TV were playing that day. Mexico played Yesterday in a morning broadcast, and I am still waiting on those numbers. The US plays a late afternoon game Monday.

A slew of games beginning today will be featured on ABC, which will also air the Finals, which is considered the Biggest Sporting Event in the World. And here is your link to 2010's 24.3 Million Viewers

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/07...ion/56860/


Please remember that I have a degree in Television...I know how to read TV ratings, and I'm telling you right now that the World Cup is going to shatter every record imaginable this year...and that's regardless how the US Performs. (By the way, Viewership of US games was up 68 percent in 2010)

http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/newswire/20...d-cup.html

Also...4 World Cup matches have been played,. Where on earth did you get 12?

(06-14-2014 01:54 AM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 10:40 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  Don't believe enough people in the US, outside the influx of folks from South of the border, give a much of a hoot. The networks continue to try and ram this stuff down Americans throats, but most of the nation isn't buying it. It'll be interesting to see the ratings.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_FIFA_World_Cup

The 1994 World Cup was the best attended in history, with average attendance of nearly 69,000.[1][2] The total attendance of nearly 3.6 million for the final tournament remains the highest in World Cup history, despite the expansion of the competition from 24 to 32 teams (and from 52 to 64 matches) in the 1998 World Cup.[1]


If we hosted again, both records would be topped.

Some rumors going around that if Qatar is stripped of their World Cup bid, we'll get to host in 2022. The only other country eligible to host that wont have to build 7 or 8 new stadiums from scratch is Australia.

To get back to the spirit of the thread...
Group C - Colombia vs. Greece - Noon kickoff – ABC
The cradle of Western Civilization over the cocaine capital of the world.
Group D - Uruguay vs. Costa Rica - 3 p.m. kickoff – ABC
The peaceful Central American Republic with many retired Americans living there over the desperately poor South American nation.
Group D - England vs. Italy - 6 p.m. kickoff – ESPN
This one is tough for me. Know and love people from both nations. I will go with Italy simply because of the food.
Group C - Ivory Coast vs. Japan – 9 p.m. kickoff - ESPN
My father fought against them in WW II but since then they have been cool. Also they love America. Japan over the African nation the Ivory Coast.

Colombia should destroy Greece and Uraguay should destroy Costa Rica. England Italy is always close, but the Italians have won all the recent meetings, and Ivory Coast should be able to beat Japan.

(06-14-2014 10:02 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 06:53 AM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 12:42 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 10:40 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  Don't believe enough people in the US, outside the influx of folks from South of the border, give a much of a hoot. The networks continue to try and ram this stuff down Americans throats, but most of the nation isn't buying it. It'll be interesting to see the ratings.

Uhh...The last World cup Final was watched by 24 million Americans. World Cup makes an absolute killing in the ratings. Its the reason that Fox is spending so much cash to steal the rights from ESPN after this year.

Ratings say that Soccer will pass every sport except the NFL and College football within the next 10 years at the current rate.

Uhh.... How about providing a link to that info. While you're at it break that 2013 viewership is down into regular ESPN channels and the Spanish speaking channels. Then we'll see just how many "Americans" watched.

Sports Media Watch reported the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup drew 9.5 million viewers. More than half, 5.1 million, watched on Univision. By comparison the first round of the NFL Draft drew 12.4 million.

The 2013 MSL final was the least watched in history on English speaking channels. According to this article it garnered about as many viewers as a "rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond." I've included a link below.

So far 12 WC matches have been played and 37 goals have been scored. With each match lasting 90 minutes that's 18 hours of "action". ONE GOAL ever half hour. Americans won't sit still long enough to watch something that boring.

http://fansided.com/2013/12/10/tv-rating...ry/#!YTcIz

Your first mistake was comparing the World Cup to MLS. That's like comparing Game 7 of the World Series to a Minor League baseball game.

Brazil's Word Cup Opener aired at 3pm ET/Noon PT. Middle of the work day in the US. It was watched by 4.4 million viewers on ESPN, Even if you take out the 5 million plus who watched the Spanish Language Broadcast (Those ratings do count) The Stanley Cup Finals highest rating of the 5 games was 6.4 Million on Network Television (Available in more homes) Brazil's opening game shattered the ratings mark for South Africa in 2010, when that was played at a more advantageous time for Television watching.

http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/tvbizwire/20...tings-.php

Keep in mind...this is the Tournament opener. A game featuring Croatia, a team no one cares about, and the host Brazil. Neither the US or Mexico, the two biggest draws stateside in TV were playing that day. Mexico played Yesterday in a morning broadcast, and I am still waiting on those numbers. The US plays a late afternoon game Monday.

A slew of games beginning today will be featured on ABC, which will also air the Finals, which is considered the Biggest Sporting Event in the World. And here is your link to 2010's 24.3 Million Viewers

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/07...ion/56860/


Please remember that I have a degree in Television...I know how to read TV ratings, and I'm telling you right now that the World Cup is going to shatter every record imaginable this year...and that's regardless how the US Performs. (By the way, Viewership of US games was up 68 percent in 2010)

http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/newswire/20...d-cup.html

Also...4 World Cup matches have been played,. Where on earth did you get 12?

BS in Radio & Television Communications from AppState, former Sports Director. As Lynyrd Skynyrd would say... "I know a Little" about these things as well.

(06-14-2014 11:10 AM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 10:02 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 06:53 AM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 12:42 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 10:40 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  Don't believe enough people in the US, outside the influx of folks from South of the border, give a much of a hoot. The networks continue to try and ram this stuff down Americans throats, but most of the nation isn't buying it. It'll be interesting to see the ratings.

Uhh...The last World cup Final was watched by 24 million Americans. World Cup makes an absolute killing in the ratings. Its the reason that Fox is spending so much cash to steal the rights from ESPN after this year.

Ratings say that Soccer will pass every sport except the NFL and College football within the next 10 years at the current rate.

Uhh.... How about providing a link to that info. While you're at it break that 2013 viewership is down into regular ESPN channels and the Spanish speaking channels. Then we'll see just how many "Americans" watched.

Sports Media Watch reported the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup drew 9.5 million viewers. More than half, 5.1 million, watched on Univision. By comparison the first round of the NFL Draft drew 12.4 million.

The 2013 MSL final was the least watched in history on English speaking channels. According to this article it garnered about as many viewers as a "rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond." I've included a link below.

So far 12 WC matches have been played and 37 goals have been scored. With each match lasting 90 minutes that's 18 hours of "action". ONE GOAL ever half hour. Americans won't sit still long enough to watch something that boring.

http://fansided.com/2013/12/10/tv-rating...ry/#!YTcIz

Your first mistake was comparing the World Cup to MLS. That's like comparing Game 7 of the World Series to a Minor League baseball game.

Brazil's Word Cup Opener aired at 3pm ET/Noon PT. Middle of the work day in the US. It was watched by 4.4 million viewers on ESPN, Even if you take out the 5 million plus who watched the Spanish Language Broadcast (Those ratings do count) The Stanley Cup Finals highest rating of the 5 games was 6.4 Million on Network Television (Available in more homes) Brazil's opening game shattered the ratings mark for South Africa in 2010, when that was played at a more advantageous time for Television watching.

http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/tvbizwire/20...tings-.php

Keep in mind...this is the Tournament opener. A game featuring Croatia, a team no one cares about, and the host Brazil. Neither the US or Mexico, the two biggest draws stateside in TV were playing that day. Mexico played Yesterday in a morning broadcast, and I am still waiting on those numbers. The US plays a late afternoon game Monday.

A slew of games beginning today will be featured on ABC, which will also air the Finals, which is considered the Biggest Sporting Event in the World. And here is your link to 2010's 24.3 Million Viewers

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/07...ion/56860/


Please remember that I have a degree in Television...I know how to read TV ratings, and I'm telling you right now that the World Cup is going to shatter every record imaginable this year...and that's regardless how the US Performs. (By the way, Viewership of US games was up 68 percent in 2010)

http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/newswire/20...d-cup.html

Also...4 World Cup matches have been played,. Where on earth did you get 12?

BS in Radio & Television Communications from AppState, former Sports Director. As Lynyrd Skynyrd would say... "I know a Little" about these things as well.

So...we can have a fight over whose RTV Program is better? Awesome.

Trust the numbers. Arkstfan has said something similar himself about the way Soccer is going. Its primary demographic is the Young fan. Those Young fans will get older and eventually have children of their own.

Its the 50 somethings that grew up when the US never made the World Cup that present your primary argument against Soccer's growth now.

So Far today.

Colombia beats Greece 3-0
Costa Rica pulls off the first upset of the tournament beating 2010 Semifinalist Uruguay 3-1

(06-14-2014 04:00 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  So Far today.

Colombia beats Greece 3-0
Costa Rica pulls off the first upset of the tournament beating 2010 Semifinalist Uruguay 3-1

So far I'm 1-1! Geaux Costa Rica! I must admit it's better than watching Golf or MLB on TV for me.

(06-14-2014 04:00 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  So Far today.

Colombia beats Greece 3-0
Costa Rica pulls off the first upset of the tournament beating 2010 Semifinalist Uruguay 3-1

uh...netherlands destroying spain yesterday was a pretty big upset. netherlands is good but spain is defending champs plus 2x defending euro champs.

(06-14-2014 05:06 PM)UaLrRuLeS Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 04:00 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  So Far today.

Colombia beats Greece 3-0
Costa Rica pulls off the first upset of the tournament beating 2010 Semifinalist Uruguay 3-1

uh...netherlands destroying spain yesterday was a pretty big upset. netherlands is good but spain is defending champs plus 2x defending euro champs.

Netherlands winning is not an upset. They were Runners Up 4 years ago. 5-1 is what made it such a stunning result. No one would have been shocked with a draw between those two.

Costa Rica was expected to have trouble scoring a goal, much less get a single point in this tournament.

England puts up another World Cup Disappointment, losing 2-1 to Italy. They'll need wins in their next two if they really want to advance.

(06-14-2014 11:13 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 11:10 AM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 10:02 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 06:53 AM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 12:42 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Uhh...The last World cup Final was watched by 24 million Americans. World Cup makes an absolute killing in the ratings. Its the reason that Fox is spending so much cash to steal the rights from ESPN after this year.

Ratings say that Soccer will pass every sport except the NFL and College football within the next 10 years at the current rate.

Uhh.... How about providing a link to that info. While you're at it break that 2013 viewership is down into regular ESPN channels and the Spanish speaking channels. Then we'll see just how many "Americans" watched.

Sports Media Watch reported the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup drew 9.5 million viewers. More than half, 5.1 million, watched on Univision. By comparison the first round of the NFL Draft drew 12.4 million.

The 2013 MSL final was the least watched in history on English speaking channels. According to this article it garnered about as many viewers as a "rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond." I've included a link below.

So far 12 WC matches have been played and 37 goals have been scored. With each match lasting 90 minutes that's 18 hours of "action". ONE GOAL ever half hour. Americans won't sit still long enough to watch something that boring.

http://fansided.com/2013/12/10/tv-rating...ry/#!YTcIz

Your first mistake was comparing the World Cup to MLS. That's like comparing Game 7 of the World Series to a Minor League baseball game.

Brazil's Word Cup Opener aired at 3pm ET/Noon PT. Middle of the work day in the US. It was watched by 4.4 million viewers on ESPN, Even if you take out the 5 million plus who watched the Spanish Language Broadcast (Those ratings do count) The Stanley Cup Finals highest rating of the 5 games was 6.4 Million on Network Television (Available in more homes) Brazil's opening game shattered the ratings mark for South Africa in 2010, when that was played at a more advantageous time for Television watching.

http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/tvbizwire/20...tings-.php

Keep in mind...this is the Tournament opener. A game featuring Croatia, a team no one cares about, and the host Brazil. Neither the US or Mexico, the two biggest draws stateside in TV were playing that day. Mexico played Yesterday in a morning broadcast, and I am still waiting on those numbers. The US plays a late afternoon game Monday.

A slew of games beginning today will be featured on ABC, which will also air the Finals, which is considered the Biggest Sporting Event in the World. And here is your link to 2010's 24.3 Million Viewers

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/07...ion/56860/


Please remember that I have a degree in Television...I know how to read TV ratings, and I'm telling you right now that the World Cup is going to shatter every record imaginable this year...and that's regardless how the US Performs. (By the way, Viewership of US games was up 68 percent in 2010)

http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/newswire/20...d-cup.html

Also...4 World Cup matches have been played,. Where on earth did you get 12?

BS in Radio & Television Communications from AppState, former Sports Director. As Lynyrd Skynyrd would say... "I know a Little" about these things as well.

So...we can have a fight over whose RTV Program is better? Awesome.

Trust the numbers. Arkstfan has said something similar himself about the way Soccer is going. Its primary demographic is the Young fan. Those Young fans will get older and eventually have children of their own.

Its the 50 somethings that grew up when the US never made the World Cup that present your primary argument against Soccer's growth now.

Americans like to jump on a bandwagon and this one rolls around every four years. From a historical perspective your line of reasoning is nothing new. In the mid 70's Pele came to America and soccer was all the rage. People began saying exactly the same thing you wrote today. Soccer was going to overtake Major League Baseball as the national sport. There is even a YouTube video with Howard Cosell proclaiming the rise and domination of soccer in America. Youth football in the 70's and 80's took a plunge when all those kids started playing Saturday morning soccer. Then again in 1994 it all started up again. Here We Go Round In A Circle.

Lest you think I have something against soccer please know I attended App in the late 70's when soccer was the second most successful sport on campus. We had nationally ranked teams and players from Olympic & National teams around the globe. About 2,000 App fans traveled to Clemson several times to cheer the Mountaineers in the NCAA Tournament, which we were invited to 4 out of 5 years. I'm not bashing soccer, just giving folks a dose of reality from a historical perspective.

Through 7 games 24 goals. They were certainly entertaining today.

(06-14-2014 06:53 AM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(06-14-2014 12:42 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 10:40 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  Don't believe enough people in the US, outside the influx of folks from South of the border, give a much of a hoot. The networks continue to try and ram this stuff down Americans throats, but most of the nation isn't buying it. It'll be interesting to see the ratings.

Uhh...The last World cup Final was watched by 24 million Americans. World Cup makes an absolute killing in the ratings. Its the reason that Fox is spending so much cash to steal the rights from ESPN after this year.

Ratings say that Soccer will pass every sport except the NFL and College football within the next 10 years at the current rate.

Uhh.... How about providing a link to that info. While you're at it break that 2013 viewership is down into regular ESPN channels and the Spanish speaking channels. Then we'll see just how many "Americans" watched.

Sports Media Watch reported the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup drew 9.5 million viewers. More than half, 5.1 million, watched on Univision. By comparison the first round of the NFL Draft drew 12.4 million.

The 2013 MSL final was the least watched in history on English speaking channels. According to this article it garnered about as many viewers as a "rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond." I've included a link below.

So far 12 WC matches have been played and 37 goals have been scored. With each match lasting 90 minutes that's 18 hours of "action". ONE GOAL ever half hour. Americans won't sit still long enough to watch something that boring.

http://fansided.com/2013/12/10/tv-rating...ry/#!YTcIz

Most TV's come with a little box that allows you to change channels.

(06-13-2014 10:40 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  Don't believe enough people in the US, outside the influx of folks from South of the border, give a much of a hoot. The networks continue to try and ram this stuff down Americans throats, but most of the nation isn't buying it. It'll be interesting to see the ratings.

US supporters bought 4x more tickets than any other fan base in the country. Most of the country isn't buying it? Check out a group called American Outlaws. You have groups popping up in most of your major cities, and they are continuing to grow.

Early estimates have between 20 and 22K US Fans traveling to Brazil for the World Cup.

Anyone who doesn't think Soccer is growing fast here is naïve.

(06-16-2014 08:53 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Early estimates have between 20 and 22K US Fans traveling to Brazil for the World Cup.

Anyone who doesn't think Soccer is growing fast here is naïve.

The anti-soccer zealots are, have always been, and will always be 100x WORSE than the soccer evangelists. I just don't know what they're trying to prove.

I'm no evangelist, per se, but I've enjoyed learning about the game over the last few years and am absolutely amped for today.

(06-16-2014 08:24 AM)NCeagle Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 10:40 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  Don't believe enough people in the US, outside the influx of folks from South of the border, give a much of a hoot. The networks continue to try and ram this stuff down Americans throats, but most of the nation isn't buying it. It'll be interesting to see the ratings.

US supporters bought 4x more tickets than any other fan base in the country. Most of the country isn't buying it? Check out a group called American Outlaws. You have groups popping up in most of your major cities, and they are continuing to grow.

I will be with the Little Rock Outlaws right after work today.

As I've said before, in the 1930's the biggest sports in the US were baseball, boxing, and horse racing. Tastes change over time.

I don't expect to see soccer rise to #1 in my lifetime but it is growing despite the bizarre desire of some people to go out of their way to make sure we know they don't like the sport or the even weirder claims that nothing is happening on the field worth watching unless it involves a goal being scored and since not many are scored nothing is going on.

The demographics are clear.

Major League Baseball's fan base is growing older and is not on pace to replace fans as fast as the grim reaper is taking them over the next couple decades.

The same is true though to a lesser degree for college basketball.

In the Rust Belt you have graying season ticket bases for P5 schools who are not having much luck attracting students to games, the long-term trends for them aren't looking that good either despite their population trends stabilizing.

The NFL is a grayer group in attendance but teams aren't struggling to replace season ticket holders they lose.

If you assume the average season ticket holder will quit at age 70, most pro teams and colleges have to replace half their season ticket base over 20 years. The typical MLS team will not be in the boat of replacing half their season ticket base for 40 years.

The boomers leaving the season ticket market has the potential to deeply shake college athletics and many pro sports as they start having to replace large numbers of season ticket holders over the next 10-20 years.

The mid 70's soccer boom was based almost on one team (NY Cosmos). The league overreached and folded. The newer version MLS has had slower growth plan and until recently stuck with limited expansion. MLS on average has better attendance numbers than NBA and NHL (I think), but again those numbers are skewed by a few big MLS and the fact that NBA stadiums only hold so many people.

Soccer is now more popular than the MLB in a key demographic (I posted this earlier) males 15-25ish (can't remember the exact range). I don't think it will ever reach NFL levels, but maybe it will be close in 25-50 years at this rate.

Also, supporters groups for local and the national team are continuing to grow. Sam's Army and American Outlaws are the largest groups that support the national team (a new outlaws group started up last year in Charleston, had a few members go down to Jacksonville to see the team off).

Also, soccer is not boring because they may only score 1-2 goals an entire game. There is continuous action, unlike football where after 4 hours you only get 15-20 minutes of actual play. And baseball is like watching grass grow in winter. So Americans will watch "boring" sports. Soccer just has a stigma of being weak or a children's' game. That mentality is changing here. Soccer fans are probably some of the most passionate in the world and rivalries in that sport would make Auburn/Bama or OSU/Mich looking like a squabble between 2 kindergarteners.

Point is soccer IS growing and hopefully the Qatar 2022 Cup will be cancelled and the U.S. will be awarded the bid. That would be huge for soccer in this country.

(06-16-2014 09:19 AM)trueeagle98 Wrote:  The mid 70's soccer boom was based almost on one team (NY Cosmos). The league overreached and folded. The newer version MLS has had slower growth plan and until recently stuck with limited expansion. MLS on average has better attendance numbers than NBA and NHL (I think), but again those numbers are skewed by a few big MLS and the fact that NBA stadiums only hold so many people.

Soccer is now more popular than the MLB in a key demographic (I posted this earlier) males 15-25ish (can't remember the exact range). I don't think it will ever reach NFL levels, but maybe it will be close in 25-50 years at this rate.

Also, supporters groups for local and the national team are continuing to grow. Sam's Army and American Outlaws are the largest groups that support the national team (a new outlaws group started up last year in Charleston, had a few members go down to Jacksonville to see the team off).

Also, soccer is not boring because they may only score 1-2 goals an entire game. There is continuous action, unlike football where after 4 hours you only get 15-20 minutes of actual play. And baseball is like watching grass grow in winter. So Americans will watch "boring" sports. Soccer just has a stigma of being weak or a children's' game. That mentality is changing here. Soccer fans are probably some of the most passionate in the world and rivalries in that sport would make Auburn/Bama or OSU/Mich looking like a squabble between 2 kindergarteners.

Point is soccer IS growing and hopefully the Qatar 2022 Cup will be cancelled and the U.S. will be awarded the bid. That would be huge for soccer in this country.

The difference between Soccer in the US and overseas is that Overseas, Soccer was the urban game. It required nothing but a ball and makeshift goals to play, and it was something you could do at any age. Here in the US though, the growth was different. Basketball was the urban sport that everyone played in the cities, and Soccer became the Suburban game that Middle and Upper Class predominantly White families would let their kids play because it wasn't as physical or dangerous as football.

That meant a lot of the baby boomers idea of soccer is the game they watched their 10 year old daughter play for a couple years, that always seemed to end in boring games that were hard to watch.

The funny thing is that, by building that way, it led to Soccer's increasing popularity. Those children of the Baby Boomers are now young adults now, and they have always supported the game, because they grew up playing it. Meanwhile, the increasing number of immigrants coming in from Mexico and overseas has created yet another large group that already liked the game.

With trends showing a coming decline for college and pro athletics in this country, Soccer is in position that if it continues growing at this rate, it could easily be the 2nd or 3rd most popular sport in the country in another 20 years. Especially if the US does get the 2022 World Cup in place of Qatar.