Football vs. Football: Can Pro Soccer Overtake its American Counterpart?

Soccer and football are two of the most popular sports when it comes to having passionate fan bases in their respective countries. Football is the most popular sport in the United States but soccer may be sneaking up and could possibly overtake football in popularity for a number of reasons. Football has been the target of studies lately that are showing the harmful effects of the game when it comes to head trauma and you may see fewer and fewer individuals willing to take that risk to be on a team.
A Rising Tide
Football fans in the US love watching some of the best athletes in head to head combat where they will see some of the biggest hits an athlete will take. Polls have shown that in the United States, 42 percent of adults will say that college and professional football are their favorite sports to watch. The sport currently coming in at second place is baseball but there is a huge gap — only 16 percent claimed baseball as a favorite. Some experts believe that with concussion lawsuits taking place, football may end up banned in some districts. Already, the sport has seen a 10 percent decline in youth participation.
The biggest jump in popularity was seen by men’s soccer at a 4 percent increase. The increase put them on a more level playing field in terms of popularity with basketball and hockey. The Men’s World Cup in 2014 and the Women’s World Cup in 2015 can be thanked for the increase in popularity. Huge audiences watched the World Cup Finals match between the US and Japan.
Implications
Business entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the rise in popularity. In 2015, the owners of Manchester City soccer team along with the owner of the New York Yankees created the New York City Football Club. The MLS (Major League Soccer) has 21 established franchises. The MLS has seen the arrival of popular international players such as Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Kaka among others. With the arrival of more and more popular players, it is possible that soccer will begin to challenge football when it comes to popularity in the United States.
Some people hold stereotypes about the game of soccer but they may be forced to give it a chance as the popularity continues to rise and the sport gains more and more viewers. Football still dominates as the most popular sport in the United States but if the same trends continue, it is possible for soccer to pull into the lead. Though it may be a few years into the future yet, it could definitely happen.
Though football is a popular sport to watch, it is not as popular in terms of young people picking it up as a preferred sport to play. This will cause a decline in professional players. Many parents tend to lead their children toward playing sports where there is less possibility of head injuries that could result in long term damage. Though the NFL has made some changes in working toward the safety of the players, many people will see this as a detriment to the game as it will no longer be viewed as the same sport they grew up watching.
Pro soccer is not a sport that is injury free. That being said, there is less risk that any injury will cause long-term suffering in the way that football injuries do. For this reason, more and more parents are signing their kids up to play soccer as opposed to football.
Now may be a great time to start watching pro soccer and choosing a team to support. Gear up for the next game with team jerseys from ProSoccer.com, the Ultimate Soccer Store.
