Most kids play soccer, but when they grow up they don't remain soccer fans in the U.S. Why?
600130
well most americans have not yet been exposed to the spirit of soccer.\nLuckily though americans have started to make a move in the right direction. I hear of new MLS teams arrising each season and also more MLS stadium being revamped. \nSo hopefully in a decade or two soccer will be more of a adrenaline rush here too.
935377
A lot of it has to do with tradition - the same reason Americans love baseball, and Canadians love hockey; soccer has been the traditional and national sport of most countries in the world and children are raised in an environment of soccer fanatiscm and reciprocate that in adult life.\n\nAnother aspect is that soccer is the most inexpensive sport to play. Hockey, football, etc. all require expensive pads and the likes, whereas soccer is dirt cheap, so poorer nations and people can afford to play it.
366445
its a b or c division in any other country. the fact that it still exists makes the league a success. the u.s.a. is a brutal sportsmarket costing millions and billions of dollars. it is an oversaturated market vying for entertainment dollars. i don't believe soccer in the u.s. will ever hit the level of passion that u see everywhere else in the world. why? that would be a great research paper.
67379
Become? Man....its huge!! Ok in comparison to other countries...no, true we are not. But on the amateur level it is huge. Starting out kids at such an early age and playing all through college. Travel teams.......etc. The USA women's soccer team came to my hometown with Mia Hamm and played Canada's team and our entire stadium was filled. There is a huge fan base because of all of the young generations that play. I don't know that we'll have multiple teams ever like football or baseball on the pro level. But we have an excellent USA team and wonderful fans. If we aren't there yet, I feel we at least are on our way. :)
1112860
Absolutely not!  They love football, but it is American footbale play by hand! 99% of American do not care soccer. I tried to watch Mexico against Angola yesterday and only Spanish channel show this match. During that period of time, three other sport channels were showing other sport!\n\nHow do they expect their team would advance to next round this year? US team did a very good job in 2002 World Cup. This should increase the popularity of this sport in the US. But, obviously, it is not.\n\nNone of the newspapers in the US shows the World Cup' s matches schedule. No analysis has been drawn up. \n\nUS seems to enjoy sports that other countries do not play. The biggest sport in the world, Soccer, has been intentinally igonored!
1061459
From what I gather (from asking Americans themselves and from other souces as well), Americans don't like soccer for two main reasons.  \n\nNumber one, they don't like soccer because of the limited score margin that soccer offers.  The sports on the good side of the American psyche (basketball, American football, baseball...) all are high scoring games with tons and tons of points.  The only exception is ice hockey... even it goes upto 5 and 6 points per team (happens sometimes in football- just last week, Serbia 0 - Argentina 6).   Oh, and Americans never settle for a draw.  It's either win or lose in the Land of the Free, baby!!\n\nSecondly, they think that soccer is a non-contact sport (which I think is nonsense - I mean, just look at the amount of shoving and tackling...).  Americans just love contact sports.  Another exeption to this generalization is baseball... but then, one can only imagine what would happen if people were to "contact" each other with baseball bats... (cracked skulls, broken teeth - the whole Mafia treatment).
625812
Well, soccer isn't popular in the U.S., so why would a varient of it be popular?  I think it's amazing that ice hockey became as popular as it is in the U.S., and unless you're a die hard fan of it, in the U.S., you vaguely know that it even exists.
1156083
Most south americans are good at soccer because:\n-it is their main sport, here theres no single sport that the entire nation likes and watches, in south america, its soccer (futbol, rather)\n-kids grow up playing it, its what they do in their spare time. even nowadays most kids in south america don't have video games, so they all play in the streets and in the school courtyards and stuff\n\nsorry, that came out sounding very stereotypical, but it wasn't intentional.
1064111
I feel it may have to do with a cultural thing.  \n\nFootball, basketball, and baseball have tradition and roots in the American culture.  As a result, much time has been invested in promoting the sport, attracting and recruiting talent, and incorporating technology to advance the sport.\n\nI feel that soccer is relatively new to America.  The soccer fan base is probably not as solid and committed with, say, the basketball group.  But then again, all this can change as more exposure of this sport is made in the media, and popular events like FIFA and the Olympics take place.
452993
The U.S. is such a huge country that we're completely content to compete against each other.  California is practically a different country from Texas.  There's plenty of rivalry there.\n\nI'm a World Cup fan, but there is simply no way you can expect Americans to enjoy soccer the way it's enjoyed everywhere else.  Many, many, many have tried and failed.  It's just not going to happen... especially now that television has changed how we enjoy sports.  American football, baseball, basketball: these all have built-in spots to break away for commercials.  Soccer doesn't.  That hurts its chances of gaining significant telelvision time here in the States.
627492
I love soccer, too bad it's not very popular in the US. I guess the Americans love only incredibly boring sports like American football and baseball - sports that move at glacial speeds!
1021602
Because when you have a country with a huge population , that are only known for there playing soccer abilities , you have all the kids training an wanting to be great soccer players when they grow so you practically have a guaranteed cream of the crop  team for that county (Brazil) .\n\nArgentina is the same , except they dont have such a big population , an they have other stuff ,than just soccer to contribute there abilities.\n\nsame with japan , Japanese are know for being intelligent hard workers , disciplined etc . so every little Japanese kid grows up to fill those shoes, because in a way its whats expected of them.\n\nsame thing with Germans , they are know for there discipline so they all grow up wanting to fill those shoes an wanting to be know also for there discipline , an they accomplish that . German kids\n\nthere's ton's of other examples an some are negative too
908208
Well, most Americans have no patience.  It takes very long for somebody to make a goal, so they give up on the waiting.  In basketball, baseball, and that horrible thing that they call "football" here, the players score more frequently, giving people more to cheer about.  In soccer, we're waiting FOREVER with suspense, and then the game ends 1-0!  Grar, I cant believe Italy won the world cup again!!!  Sry, for that bit of anger, I'm a Germany fan.  The US is so pathetic that I dont even bother rooting for them.
322902
Americans are a proud people...and what's hard for you, and other countries where soccer/football is predominant to understand, is most Americans love our own sports.  We're a country based on freedoms, those freedoms earned by our war of independence with England.  Soccer has been played here for years, but not as a professional sport.  I think what turned Americans around about soccer and how it's viewed, is the Women's Olympic team and their triumphs.  For me, my ties are with England, having been raised there when I was a child.  Although my parents are American, my brother was adopted there, and is completely "British" in attitude, demeanor, everything except accent!  He speaks better "suthern" than I do!  But being raised HERE since he was 3, his favorite sports are baseball and our football.  For myself, I am a diehard Manchester United Football Club fan, with plans to finally see my team play next year live!  But what I love the most, I think, is the fact that a man who owns one of OUR football teams here in the state I live in (Florida) ALSO owns controlling interest in my British football team!  How great is that?!  American owned...but British through and through.  Give us time, we're slowly coming around to loving soccer as much as the rest of the world!  I wear a multinational necktie at work, with flags of all the countries that have soccer teams in the World Cup, and soccer balls on it, you would not believe the responses, or conversations that start because of that tie.  I am quite surprised at how many people come into our restaurant and talk to me about soccer!  So you see...times are changing...people are aware of the sport the rest of the world considers "football", and if I mention "soccer", they usually correct me.  Patience is a virtue...and it's really great seeing how this game is finally taking off here in the USA. :)
388791
The thing about the good ole U.S. of A. is that they have a sh*t load of money.  Because of this, they have the means of financing world class facilities and programs to train youths in the beautiful game.\n\nFortunately for the rest of the world, interest in football still isn't what it could be, considering the amount of investment it recieves.  Granted, the money that goes into football is a fraction of what goes into, say, American football, but had other football mad (put very poor) nations had the money the U.S. has, you would see them in the World Cup more often.\n\nAnother thing is that the development of youth football is very different in the U.S. than it is everywhere else.  Youth sport is organized either in the school system or youth sport organizations (such as AYSO or US Youth Soccer)  .  In the US, school sports (especially in high school and college) is used to develop players, and as such has the greatest prestige (take a look at the basketball players who enter the NBA straight from high school).  Youth sport programs, on the other hand, has less prestige when it comes to development and generally tends to focus on pre-high school participants.  As high school football has little following and interest, investment in it pales in comparison especially to sports such as American football (visit a small town in Texas one autumn Friday night and you will see)\n\nSo you see, the U.S. football youth program, as great as it may be, only reaches a small pool of players, usually those from more affluent areas, since it takes a bit of money to be able to fully be involved in it.  Until more players are able to attend such a program, the amount of world class players that pop out of it will be small in number.\n\nThis is parallel to the MLS, who remains a second-class league.  If you don't agree, just look at their poor international record in a weak CONCACAF.\n\nBecause of all this, I don't think the USA will win the World Cup in at least 20 years or so...
19642
Soccer is a fairly new sport in the US.  Other countries have played soccer for decades but the US invented other sports (AKA Football).  Soccer has began to gain popularity though.
1015744
Wow!  Good question!  Coming from the US where soccer still doesn't receive the popularity I'd like to see it achieve makes it hard to answer this question.  Were I from say England, I could see why some would feel more loyal to their favorite club simply because they can become much more involved with a particular club over a considerably longer period of time than an international event that only takes place every few years.  Thinking back - I was an avid Chicago Bulls fan for many years while Michael Jordan was playing - watched or kept the stats on every game for four years.  But was I any less proud of the US Basketball Dream Team at the Olympics - No Way!  My love for soccer is equal to my love for basketball so I'll just say this.....there was a popular song many years ago that said something to the effect of "love the one your with".  Love the club, the country, and even if your country isn't playing - Love the Game!