The Rise of The Premier League in The United States
For the longest time, soccer/football (I will refer to it as soccer due to the predominantly American audience) was not relevant in the United States.
Most Americans just played the sport when they were kids, then were, well, done with it. The MLS garnered garnered some attention, but when it came to the worldwide game, there was very minimal.
So, naturally, the Premier League didn’t have much relevance for quite some time. That is, until it started to gain popularity state-side over the past 10–15 years. The majority of the reason for this is the league’s genius marketing. The biggest deal from the league came in 2015, when a broadcast deal was struck with NBC Sports.The aforementioned deal has increased US viewership by over 20%.
Another large milestone was when Premier League games began to stream on Peacock, which increased viewership by roughly 4%. These deals, combined with additional broadcasts on channels such as USA Network and CNBC, have catapulted the league’s popularity to a whole new level in America.
However, what many think is the biggest reason for the exponential rise in popularity of the Premier League is the quality of the game itself. There was, and still is, a stigma surrounding soccer. The stigma is that the sport is boring.
Some people believe this, but then, when they actually watch the sport, they realize how enthralling it is; especially the Premier League. The goals, the celebrations, the passion of the fans, the tension, the red cards; it’s like a black hole that can’t stop drawing you in, demanding your attention.
The entertainment the league provides is no longer a matter of opinion, it’s a matter of statistics. In the US, The Premier League has the highest audience retention out of all the professional sports leagues. However, it’s not just people sat on the sofa watching these games, there’s a whole community in the US. This is something I know for myself. I’ve been a proud Aston Villa fan for over a decade now, and I’m a part of the group known as the AZ Villans.
Mainly consisting of British folk who moved over to the states, they took me under their wing when I was barely 11 years old. It didn’t matter that I was 40 years younger than some of them, they treated me like I was one of their own since the day I walked into the pub where we all watch the games. It didn’t matter whether the game was at five o’clock in the morning or smack dab in the middle of the day, everyone who could make it would gather at our little pub and watch our Villa boys play.
Win or lose, it was always a great time. Some of my best memories growing up are from those countless hours spent watching the Claret and Blue with people who I truly connect with, people who care about me, and, most importantly, people who understand me. That’s my community. That’s my Premier League story. And there’s plenty more stories just like mine.
Just like how my fellow Villans and I gather, there’s Spurs fans, City fans, Leeds fans, and countless more who gather in their own respective pubs and restaurants. Also, this is just in the valley where I live. There’s groups for every club across various cities in the US, so there truly is a place for everyone. The whole community is so welcoming, and I would highly recommend finding a group for your team, regardless of age, experience, or knowledge of the game.
Additionally, as I’m sure anyone who’s watched a Premier League game this season knows, there is an annual US meetup for Premier League fans. The location varies, but this year’s is in Nashville.
In short, the meteoric rise of the Premier League in the USA did not simply bring viewers. It brought fans. And, to me, that’s what the rise of the Premier League truly means.
