FIFA World Cup Soccer, “The World’s Greatest Sporting Spectacle” is underway through July. The only downside is that this year, it’s being held in Russia. But, so it goes. (I’m not happy with that nation, but, it has nothing to do with soccer, so, I’ll proceed.
It’s only been about 24-years that I’ve become so attached to WC action, back when the U-S first hosted the Cup. It was 1994.
I found a great
Washington Post
article by a Brit’ who is now a citizen of the U-S. Back in 1990, he couldn’t even find the game on TV in bars. He drove all around Rural Maine looking and asking to no avail.
By Roger Bennet
Not only did they refuse to change the channel for two desperate English soccer fans, but they took a perverse, sadistic delight in doing so. I had traveled the world, visiting Africa, the Middle East and South America. For the first time in my life, I was stunned to encounter a culture that wore its widespread hatred of soccer as a proud mark of honor.
But since that fateful year of 1994, our tastes have changed:
Since the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994, the sport’s rise has been steady and inexorable, World Cup to World Cup. The tortoise rather than the hare, but with a popularity that has grown deeper and stronger as a result. Four years, ago, 26.5 million Americans watched the World Cup final between Germany and Argentina. That’s more than the 22.5 million who tuned in to Game 2 of the NBA finals last Sunday (and far more than the 5.2 million who watched Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals Monday).
Americans bought more tickets to this World Cup than any other nation except Russia, the host, even though the U.S. team didn’t qualify.
In a recent Gallup Poll, 11 percent of adults between 18 and 34 cited soccer as their favorite sport, the same share as basketball. Both dwarfed baseball’s measly 9 percent. Especially for people under 30.
I love baseball, American football, hockey, tennis, and even basketball. But, this game of soccer has become part of my love of sport. Especially, every four years! My team this year? Mexico, “America’s Team.” (With apologies to USA Soccer who consider Mexico their arch-rivals.) Too bad. They made it in. We didn’t.
I spoke with Concordia College, Moorhead’s Men’s Soccer Coach Benjamin Schneweis this week. You might listen to that
HERE.
(Jack Sunday is a radio veteran with nearly 50-years “behind the mike.” He likes to say he’s not old…just aging. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter @nodakjack. Listen weekdays, 4-7pm on KFGO.)
