Soccer has never been the most popular sport in the U.S. In fact, it’s probably the lowest on the totem pole. Some parents think it’s a good wading pool for their kids; they can dip a toe in, and if they like how it feels, walk a little further. If they don’t like it (maybe because they have no foot-eye coordination or they don’t like running), perhaps they switch over to baseball or golf with enough time to really settle into a sport.
Overall, very few people in the U.S. stick with soccer throughout their childhood, adolescent and college years with the dream of one day playing professionally. This is one reason why some Americans find professional soccer in the U.S. to be a joke, even with David Beckham. According to these same Americans, everyone plays soccer in Europe and South America, and they play it well. But here in the states, people gravitate more towards professional football, basketball or baseball.
This is why when the FIFA World Cup happens every four years, it is inspiring how everyone comes together to root for the red, white and blue in the tournament from beginning to end. Not only does it bring Americans together, including those who love the sport and those who couldn’t care less about it, but it encourages the entire world to obsessively watch the same sport at the same time.
This year, the American team played better than it has in years. Tim Howard is now a household name, unless you’re Ted Lasso (if you don’t understand this reference, Google “the Barclays Premier League with Jason Sudeikis”; you won’t be disappointed). People had parties to watch the games at work, or they skipped work to watch the game at a bar. Every U.S. citizen was cheering for our team, including Will Ferrell who led the motivational chant “I Believe That We Will Win” in a bar in Rio de Janeiro. Everyone felt like they were apart of something bigger. The Summer and Winter Olympics have the same effect.
All this to say that the FIFA World Cup as an event brand knows how to gain traction and followers. Pretty soon, non-soccer fans are yelling at the refs through their televisions screaming, “THAT WASN’T OFFSIDES!” when they actually have no idea what the rule means. Long-time soccer fans are contemplating who Jurgen Klinsmann should start against Ronaldo, because obviously he is going to poll the entire nation before deciding, right? Nope. But regardless, everyone becomes involved.
The ease of the FIFA World Cup website allows anyone with a pulse to navigate through different matches and players, statistics, awards, and ticketing options. During this one month of “Adidas” (All Day I Dream About Soccer – not actually a real acronym, but I like it), fans from the U.S. to Germany will research everything they need to know, and everything that is unnecessary to know, about the sport.
As we count down to the next time we can paint our whole bodies red, white and blue (though I guess you could do this whenever if you really wanted), we cross our fingers that the U.S. is not placed in the group of death once more. See you in 2018, Russia.
The Brandwasher 