The Lack of Soccer Popularity in the U.S. Research Paper

Introduction

Americans refer to soccer as football, and it has gained less popularity than in other countries. The lack of popularity can be traced to historical events and Americans’ lifestyles. There are more reasons why soccer has not achieved popularity in America, some related to the very nature of the game, such as less scoring and inflexibility of rules.

“American children grow up with the mentality that soccer is to be played for fun, which is not an appropriate mentality to instill in children when they are expected to uphold the game. Americans have not also had a chance to familiarize themselves with soccer, which makes them quite ignorant of its rules, without which they cannot enjoy the game” George (2000 pp17-19).

Unpopularity Based On Its Association to Fun

This situation varies with age of Americans where children find soccer to be very interesting and therefore hold the belief that it is very popular. This has been explained as due to rules set by elementary schools requiring children to engage in sports in order to observe their health. The children’s engagement in soccer is very different from the way American adults view soccer as they regard soccer as a game played for fun. During their free time, children flood the fields to play soccer which is encouraged by their parents at first but later, they do it out of the pleasure they derive from playing soccer. The parents borrow this trend from soccer organization of the youths in America which was formed in 1970s in order to popularize the game among American youths. They managed to convince a large population of American parents within the first few years of their operations. This engagement and commitment to soccer begins to change at around ten years when American children reduce their interest in the game. This happens to about eighty eight percent of those children who had already engaged themselves in soccer and they shift to other games like basketball, baseball, golf and hockey. The new sports are then dropped at a later stage and they switch to watching them on television. This practice of abandonment has been attributed to the belief strongly held by Americans that soccer is not for Americans but for communists whom they equally dislike. An American emphasized this by pointing out an issue where his gym teacher associated soccer with architects who made curtains from iron because he disliked movements that soccer players make. When asked the reason why he excluded soccer in his list of gym units he said that soccer was not as descent as other sports that are played using hands. “Soccer as well as other games where other body features rather than hands are used is classified in the category of crude games that should be played by Germans, Russians and other people who Americans regard as less worthy” Dave, Eggers (2006 p.1).

Unpopularity of Soccer Due To Originality and Faking

Soccer has become less popular among Americans due to its originality which is unacceptable to Americans. From the beginning, the taste of American sports have not been found to lean on soccer’s side which can be partly explained as due to lack of professional leagues in the game. Most professional leagues occurred in sports like basketball as well as baseball, which attracted American athletes most. More so, Americans are mostly found to highly regard things that they have invented themselves rather than what is introduced to them. This is because they believe that they are best in inventing than others which leads to commitment in the promotion of their own products. This follows that basketball as well as baseball are more popular among Americans primarily because they were conceived by them and have undergone much development in the country. It therefore occurs that Americans are interested in things from which they claim a share of credit and since it is not the case with soccer, they disregard it. Also, a high level of suspicion is associated with soccer due to its external originality where Americans argue that they fail to understand the intention behind its invention as well as its future. The historical period within which soccer has been part of American sports also contributes to its level of unpopularity. The teams supported by Americans were founded not so long ago as compared to teams with which they compete. Therefore much hope is lost when soccer players of American teams begin to compare themselves with teams like those from Europe which were formed a long time ago. This makes American fans to equally lose hope with their teams resulting to great unpopularity. Dave, Eggers (2006 p. 2).

Another obstacle is the manner in which soccer is played where so much faking is involved. Most Americans dislike the aspect of faking that is practiced so much by soccer players and those who control the game. This is different to the situation in games which are popular among Americans as they are played with much honesty and transparency. More so, the complicated nature of American games makes it difficult to incorporate much faking. For example, one cannot pretend to be hit by the ball while playing baseball and cannot also fake of having caught the ball. Americans refer to faking that is found in soccer as comprised of lying, cheating, acting as well as begging which makes it quite unappealing. The practicability nature of this faking has been found to be very disgusting because it happens openly where a long break is taken between an incidental contact and the decision to fake things. Soccer players mostly fake falls in order to attract attention and make unnecessary breaks between game sessions. Special cameras follow to capture the incident which in the first place was not genuine but faked. In case the referees controlling the game decide to give the player another chance and not penalize him/her, things change suddenly; the player who was some seconds ago dying in pain gains strength and rushes to hit the ball very hard. All these activities involved in faking falls and to some extent scores, make the game to go against principles held by Americans in their sports. Dave, Eggers (2006 p. 3).

Unpopularity Due To Less Scoring

The few scores made in soccer makes it less enjoyable to American fans who appreciate games that show progress in terms of appreciation of scores made. On the contrary, soccer can be played for a long time without having any of the teams scoring. Since attractiveness of American sports is normally dependent on the number of points scored, Americans find it quite boring to watch as well as play. Other than few points, soccer incorporates so much running and a soccer player can cover an approximate distance of five miles by the time a game is over. The most discouraging thing about this practice of running is that a player can run for a long time without making even a single score in an entire game. An average player gets to touch a soccer ball for about six minutes of the preferably nine minutes spent in a game. However, a soccer fan can sit for the whole period of ninety minutes without witnessing a single score which does not match the American sporting style. Scoring in soccer is also quite inflexible which is very unattractive to Americans. This is because Americans enjoy watching games with a high level of flexibility in the number of points scored and teams that appear on the top. This is not the case with soccer since the same players as well as teams stay in the lead for quite a long period of time while Americans enjoy sports with quick and significant changes which is the reason as to why they do not accept matches that end without any of the playing teams scoring. “The lack of popularity is also brought by the fewer amount of funds set aside to support the game compared to what is reserved for other games. Therefore, American athletes prefer to take part in those other games with better returns and only take soccer as their last option. However, the inefficient funding of soccer is not done because America lacks money to fund it, but because it is not given much priority as other American games. Otherwise if one was to argue on the issue about money, America has proved to the world that it can excel in almost everything when its get determined to” Mark, Hauser (2009, pp. 1-3).

The Level of Seriousness Attached To Soccer

Americans regard soccer with less seriousness than they regard other games contributing to soccer’s unpopularity among them. They take soccer as just another game to play while passing time and they therefore put less effort in excelling at it. Soccer players are therefore indulged in less training sessions and those that occur are done with less determination because even trainers do not insist on the importance of soccer to American players. Media is also found to contribute to unpopularity of soccer among Americans having in mind the influence that is normally provided by media in its presentation of sessions of other American games. Media disregards soccer because it leaves very little time for advertisements to be aired in between the game. Considering that media houses get large returns from advertisements and more so those aired in the middle of programs with a greater population of audience, they prefer showing American games with several breaks in between in order to give them a chance to air well paying advertisements. However, soccer fails to meet these requirements as takes long periods of forty five minutes before the first break is provided hence becoming unpopular to American media. Soccer is also found unattractive to American media due to the lesser number of audiences it attracts and media owners feel that there is less that can be gained from showing it compared to other American games. Other than less advertising opportunities, American fans enjoy replays while watching sports in order to feel the effect to what really happens in an important incident during the game like scoring or accident. Soccer provides fewer opportunities for replays to take place which is primarily because of the manner in which it flows. This results to fewer Americans watching it when shown on TV as compared to those watching other games with more instant replays. James, Robertson (2006 p. 1).

Unpopularity Due To Trend Followed and Talent Identification

The trend that soccer’s Major League otherwise known as M.L.S., follow happens to be very unappealing to Americans. This trend starts with recreational leagues where competition in soccer is taken more of a recreation with less professionalism incorporated in the events. After several competitions, a number of youths are selected depending on the level of competence they portray which makes up a team. The ability of team members is later revisited when they get to high school level and at college level making up the final soccer team. Most of the players participating in M.L.S. are made to understand that soccer should come after other learning activities are done with. Later in the course of schooling they consider soccer as fun rather than a competitive sport leaving American young people with no chance to appreciate the importance of soccer when growing up. Education takes the largest share of Americans attention at the time they are supposed to build their foundation in soccer making it unpopular to them even when they grow up. Stefan (2005, pp. 58-60).

Talent identification is closely related to lack of integration of soccer in the activities of American children as they grow up. As observed earlier, soccer talent is not identified in American children at the time when it is supposed to, that is as early as when children are in elementary school. Therefore so much time is wasted in fun directed soccer activities, which would otherwise be used to provide coaching to American children with distinct abilities in soccer. This makes American children lose grip to soccer talent which is later portrayed through its unpopularity among them because even those who choose to specialize in soccer do not perform as good as players of other games making them less motivated. Andrei (2001, pp. 34-36).

Unpopularity due to Inflexibility in Soccer Rules

Inflexibility is another reason as to why soccer has not gained much popularity in U.S. The rules followed by soccer players are normally complex and rigid, expecting players to strictly stick to them throughout the entire playing period. A high level of discipline is expected from soccer players which is different from the situation in other sports that are popular among Americans and significant changes have been made of them. Also, soccer rules are normally similar all over the world, portraying a high level of uniformity which is valued by organizations in charge of soccer. Therefore, it is quite hard for Americans to make considerable changes to the manner in which soccer is played since such an action would not be taken kindly by soccer organizations in the world who are also the inventors of soccer. The inventory nature of Americans discourages them from getting involved in activities that do not offer an opportunity for improvements like soccer. Inefficiency in talent is another limiting factor to Americans which makes it difficult to make adjustments in soccer rules thereby leaving it to Europeans and other countries that have registered great levels of soccer talent. Therefore, the low quality of soccer talent among Americans makes adjustments quite impossible making soccer unattractive in US. Inflexibility is also recognized in soccer games watched on televisions which do not give enough chances for the integration of various advertisements that would make watching more enjoyable. This is unlike the situation with most games that are mostly watched by Americans where a game that takes an hour can run for two additional hours with the extra time taken up by advertisements that are fixed in between the game. “Soccer games have less stoppage since it is normally played in terms of halves, which discourage advertising companies in US from investing in soccer. Therefore, since most of the space reserved for sports in American mass media is normally used on other sports, Americans are not given an equal chance to familiarize themselves with soccer rendering it less popular among them” Ned (2003, p. 44).

Unpopularity Due to Fighting Among Soccer Fans

The nature of soccer fans where a lot of fighting is experienced among them is quite unattractive to Americans making it unpopular in U.S. This situation was particularly common in the past where fighting could be witnessed in almost all soccer games. Hooligans made the largest population of soccer fans whose main intention of attending the match was to fight but not to enjoy the game. This is normally the opposite of the American sporting style where parents take their children to watch games and they would not risk taking them to watch games where fans fight. Soccer is also deficient in the kind of entertainment that would be appreciated by Americans having in mind that fighting after matches is what most soccer fans enjoy. Therefore, Americans find soccer less entertaining since they enjoy clapping and celebrating after several scores have been made in a peaceful manner which is not the case with soccer. Ned (2003, pp 45).

Conclusion

Evidence shows that Americans have gone too far in regarding soccer as less worthy which has made it very unpopular in America. The shorter period during which soccer has been in America is a main cause of its unpopularity as it was introduced after other countries had already become established in the game. Other sports that have been in America for a longer period dominate the sports arena leaving a minimal chance for soccer establishment hence its slow development in U.S. Attitude has also contributed to soccer unpopularity in US where Americans have a completely negative attitude towards ways in which soccer is played, the character of soccer fans as well as scored made. This negative attitude is transferred to children and they are therefore denied professional training in their earlier stages which results to generational unpopularity of soccer among Americans. has been found to involve so many inflexible rules which are not appealing to Americans as they are normally prefer flexible and adjustable sports. This runs from the high levels of administration in America to the lowest in individual soccer associations. Unfortunately, the levels of unpopularity have influenced the performance. of soccer players in America which has gone considerably low compared to that of other developed countries. Although it may take quite a lengthy period of time to correct the situation, efforts that would make soccer gain popularity can only be initiated by teachers of American children as well as parents as it is the case with Europe. This leads to early talent identification that would later result to very competent soccer players. Possession of soccer competency as well as success in the same game would work towards the improvement of unpopularity of soccer in US. Ronald, Collins (2007, pp.1-2).

References

1. Andrei, Markovits S. Soccer and American exceptionalism: Princeton University press, 2001, pp. 34-36
2. Dave, Eggers: American sports are played with hands. Web.
3. Dave E. The True Story of American Soccer, 2006, pp. 2-3
4. George, Kirsch B. Ethnicity and sports in the United States: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2000, pp. 17-19
5. James, Robertson: on soccer in the US, 2006, p.1
6. Mark Hauser: Americans do not excel at soccer (football) Bleacher report,2009 pp. 1-3
7. Ned, McIntosh. The baffled parent guide to coaching indoor youth soccer: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003 pp. 46-48
8. Ronald Collins: Why soccer is not as popular in the US as elsewhere, 2007, pp. 1-2
9. Stefan Szymanski. National pastime: Brookings Institution Press, 2005, pp. 58-60