Peoria Blue
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 1 May 2012
- Messages
- 125
Frank the Yank said:Listen pal, iI probably have been supporting City longer than you have been alive. How old are you?? How many times have you heard that football is the next big thing in the US of A.
This is the most overplayed hand in the debate.
Yeah, it's a very true comment that point has been consistently made. The fallacy though, is that there would be an explosion of popularity in the sport.
Thankfully, the smart people who wanted to see the game actually be successful had the patience and understanding to realize an immediate burst of popularity was never going to happen.
When the 1994 World Cup came along, the money allocated for youth development meant that in my small hometown of 1500 people, was the first time I had the opportunity to play soccer. It was also the last year I was eligible to participate (only up to 12 in the local organization).
What you are now seeing is that for the first time, that generation just now reaching adulthood is the first in American history where it may be reasonably said nearly all have had an opportunity to a lifelong exposure to the game.
Locally, now, many proud American football high school teams struggle for numbers as the soccer teams have been among the best in the state and even the nation.
It is certainly possible that the game in the US may never reach European or global levels of interest, but we're still a generation or two away from being able to reasonably make that argument.