U.S. a Lonely Place for Soccer Fans
Euro Expats, feel sad for you counterparts in America during Euro 2008:
All Things Considered, June 28, 2008 · Germany faces Spain in the finals of the Euro 2008 soccer tournament in Vienna on Sunday. Eric Goetz of Lebanon, N.H., talks about what it's like living in a soccer-indifferent country during this tournament.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92000144&ft=1&f=1001
Actually in America there are millions of fans of 'football' and millions that play soccer. But obviously it has to compete with the distinctly American sports of baseball, American football and basketball and with a nation of 300 million + people it takes a large percentage to capture the imagination of the majority.
What other team sport does football have to compete with in the rest of the world, rugby?
In America, Euro football is known as soccer. I have a friend from Lebanon who just went to the states for a training course for 1 week. He was shocked to see how indifferent Americans are to soccer. The truth of the issue is we don't care about soccer and I doubt we ever will. I personally don't find soccer apealing. I understand the rules and the strategy but I find the game as exciting as watching paint dry.
I also understand that most people view our football the same way as I see soccer. To a soccer fan the constant stoppage and intense contact are surely not apealing to them. SO I can see both sides of the coin.
Soccer? You mean football?