I'm French and in Europe the King Sport is the Soccer. What is the place in the american mentality for this sport, apparently the Soccer is most important for the American. That's true ?

 

Share your opinion !

 

Aeem.

 

 

Speaking as a man in his late 30's, the prevailing attitude of my generation (should I say my parents'?) in suburban America is that soccer is a sport most kids play to ramp up for other American mainstays such as football and basketball. Requiring at least some height and ability to launch a projectile as it does, basketball is not so practical for the 4-7 or 4-8 age range. Many American parents do not want the head-on collisions of football to begin at such a tender age either. Being such an elementary sport and orders less complex than American football or even baseball, soccer gets youngsters prepared for teamwork and beginning fitness before moving on to more advanced sports before the age of 10. Of course, there enough kids who stay with soccer to support an entire soccer industry, but that industry to this day has never held the same draw. Suffice it to say, most American kids 'grow out' of soccer.

Soccer is a fun game to play, but mind-boggling tedium to watch, even after making years of effort to learn to appreciate it, including a semester in London. Nothing compares to American football, and the progressively greater marketshare that the NFL holds in terms of TV ratings in the U.S. is testimony. It is simply the most intellectually engaging, consistently exciting - every possession, every set of 4 downs delineates a game within the game - and dramatic spectator sport.

There are people in a number of countries who try and push American football, but as yet most countries haven't been able to generate enough enjoyment from the sport. Soccer, or football as most of the world knows it, is increasing its popularity. 

 

If your playing the game right, Baseball is more complex or as complex as American football.

 

I live in the Northest US.  I don't know where you get your information, but Soccer is growing in popularity more every year.  American Kids don't grow out of Soccer, there just isn't a large enough venue to support all of the College kids who would want to go pro. 

I know one of the great Soccer families in South Jersey.  They have had 3 brothers in MLS for the last 15 years.  The youngest was picked for Team USA.  I guess my pov is different because of that.

 

Philly's new team, The Union is leading the League.  Being a winner helps a whole lot in gaining popularity.  I don't know if the level of play is the same as Europe, but I can say it's getting there.