Can the English Premier League succeed in the United States?

By Chris Chase
October 27, 2009


On Sunday, the NFL played a regular season game in front of a sellout crowd at London's Wembley Stadium for the third straight year. In recent months, the English Premier League has openly discussed returning the favor to the United States by adding a 39th game to its schedule and holding it at various sites around the world, including in the States. This begs the question: If the Brits are so accepting of American football, would Americans be interested in English football?

If it's done right, there's no reason to think why playing one EPL game per season in the United States wouldn't be a rousing success. It might upset English football traditionalists, but it could help expand the league's global footprint and make EPL soccer something more than a novelty in these parts.

In order to do so, however, the games themselves must still feel like a novelty. (It's quite an anomaly, I know: In order to not be a novelty, the games themselves must stay a novelty.) Like it or not, the only way that soccer has proven its ability to be a mass success in the United States is when there are big-time events. World Cups (men's or women's), David Beckham debuts and exhibitions between European clubs and/or MLS teams can sell thousands of tickets at the biggest venues in the country.

This country has a huge "big event" complex. On the whole, the masses won't get excited about something unless it feels important. This is why gymnastics, figure skating and swimming are only big every four years. For this reason, MLS will never catch on with a huge audience. People don't think there's anything at stake. These aren't the best players or the best league, people rationalize, so why should I care?

The EPL won't have a problem establishing legitimacy over here. Even the greenest of sports fans understand that the EPL is the big-time. 

In order to sell a lot of tickets and make this venture worthwhile, though, the EPL would have to be careful which games it selects for the United States. A soccer equivalent of the New Orleans Saints-Miami Dolphins game (which was played in London last year) won't fly. People won't be filling Giants Stadium to see Stoke City vs. Portsmouth. It will take a Manchester United or Chelsea or Arsenal -- teams with American name recognition -- to generate interest.

The EPL also wouldn't have the luxury of picking one location and sticking with it (as the NFL has done with Wembley). The game will need to rotate on a yearly basis amongst cities with big soccer followings (Los Angeles, New York, Washington/Baltimore) and places with enthusiastic hosts (as Fenway Park apparently is) to ensure freshness in new markets.

Handled correctly, these games would have the potential to generate more casual interest in the EPL and, perhaps, could even give the afternoon games on Fox Soccer Channel (which recently re-upped its American contract) a big-event feel in the United States.

For 30 years people have asked "can soccer succeed in America?" Maybe the reason it hasn't is because people have been selling the wrong product. The EPL could be the right one.

More World Cup Sports News at:
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Mexico World Cup soccer squad bets on victory over Brazil

By www.chinaview.cn
October 27, 2009


MEXICO CITY — The coach training Mexico's under-17 soccer World Cup team told Mexican media on Monday that he was betting the team would bounce back from its 2-0 defeat by Switzerland to beat Brazil.

"We are very embarrassed what happened but we are going to turnover a new leaf," Jose Luis Gonzalez told media from Nigeria's capital Lagos, where the competition is taking place. "I know we can get the right result against Brazil."

Mexico won the World Cup in this category four years ago when it was held in Peru, but lost the title two years ago in South Korea.

"We did not believe we could lose to Switzerland and that is the truth," Gonzalez told media. "It has made our plans more difficult, but there is no time to feel too sad. This is not over yet."

The loss in Lagos' Teslin Bologon Stadium was made more embarrassing for Mexico because the goal that sealed the team's fate was an own goal from goalkeeper Jose Rodriguez. Switzerland had opened scoring thanks to striker Pajtim Kasami, but until Rodriguez's fatal slip the game might have gone either way.

"These things happen, even if they are difficult to take," Gonzalez said of Rodriguez's error. "He needs to learn that this is part of football, of his maturing process and his growth. He will have to get over it quickly and get used to these sort of experiences," the coach added.

Mexico is now bottom of its group, but only one round has been played so far.

More World Cup Sports News at:
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Soccer is the most popular sport worldwide. In most countries, soccer is better known as "football." Each team consists of 10 players and one goalkeeper. The objective of the game of soccer is to get the ball into the goal of the opposing team. This can be achieved by kicking the ball or using one's head to maneuver it across the field. Soccer matches are 90 minutes long, with a 15-minute break called half-time in the middle.

Each country has their own soccer leagues and tournaments. The biggest of these tournaments, however, is the World Cup, which takes place every four years. The Italian national team is the current World Cup Champion. Soccer games, especially those on an international level, are well attended events. Many South American countries, such as Argentina and Brazil are big soccer nations. Recently U.S. Major League Soccer has become more popular, with British star midfielder David Beckham joining the Los Angeles Galaxy. To get the best tickets to any soccer game, check out Sports Ticket Depot today!

More World Cup Sports News at:
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