The Progression of Soccer in America
Once an afterthought in American professional sports, soccer has turned into one of the fastest growing sports in the country. Domestically, Major League Soccer (MLS) is setting record viewership and attendance numbers every year thanks to successful expansion. Meanwhile, corporate America is starting to exert greater influence on World Soccer as US investors continue to take ownership stakes in numerous big clubs across Europe. Efforts to “Americanize” the sport have been successful in increasing soccer’s national popularity in America, but this growth has not translated into a better product from the US men's national team or MLS. Though there have been plenty of efforts to increase the competitive ranks both within the US men’s national soccer team and domestic leagues, results have not been good. Several systemic roadblocks continue to hold back American soccer and relegate the US to a second-tier soccer nation. The current exuberance America is witnessing in soccer is not t...