Soccer, or football as the rest of the world calls it, is a multi-billion-dollar business. In fact, by almost all measures, it’s the biggest sport in the world. However, when you scroll through the sports pages here at Cat Country 96, it doesn’t dominate the headlines like it does in Europe. Yes, you can read about Champions League matches featuring the likes of Real Madrid. You can even find out about the demise of China’s top team, Jiangsu FC, and how the owners suddenly went bust. However, these stories are sprinkled in among a plethora of sporting headlines about horse racing, athletics, and a sport that certainly isn’t popular in the US, rugby. In fact, here at Cat Country 96, you’re just as likely to read about English rugby star Ellis Genge being threatened after losing a game than what’s going on in the Premier League.
Soccer’s European Roots Run Deep
Contrast this with a British publication such as The Sun or The Mirror, and rugby stories always get second billing behind soccer. That’s because there’s a clear divide between the US and the rest of the world when it comes to this sport. Even though the game has grown in popularity over the last two decades, it doesn’t have anything like the following it does in countries such as the UK, Spain, Italy, and Germany. The statistics back up this assertion. According to a 2018 Gallup Poll, 7% of Americans said soccer was their favorite sport. In contrast, 9% said baseball was their number one sport. Look across the Atlantic and things are very different. Total average attendance figures for the top 20 teams in England is over 800,000 fans every week. Add to this the millions who watch on TV and well over 25% of people in the UK call soccer their favorite sport.
However, the roots run much deeper than spectators. Soccer players are A-list celebrities in the UK. Take, for example, Harry Kane. The Tottenham and England striker has deals with major brands such as Hugo Boss, Beats by Dre, and Lucozade. He even has custom boots made for him by Nike (the Hypervenom 3 HK). In short, Kane is as much of a star on the pitch as he is away from it. From soccer stars as celebrities, we get to soccer’s influence on sports betting. Scroll through the Betway Sports soccer page and you’ll not only find odds for hundreds of matches but a wealth of extras. Basically, fans of soccer can immerse themselves in everything the sport has to offer via online betting sites. The prevalence of soccer not only helps bookmakers attract customers it keeps soccer as the dominant sport in Europe. It’s a reciprocal relationship.
Coverage, Revenue, and Culture Subdue Soccer in the US
In the US, bookies and, indeed, society at large, don’t have the same reciprocal relationship with soccer. One industry isn’t fueling another and vice versa. The question is, why? Why isn’t soccer as popular in the US as it is in Europe? The obvious answer is options. Unlike the UK and Europe, where basketball, American football, and baseball aren’t as popular, soccer has been allowed to take center stage. As a testament to the dominance of sports like American football in the US, we only have to look at the media coverage it receives. In 2019, every NFL team received $255 million annually from the league’s TV contracts. That’s not only a staggering amount, it’s up 150% from the $99.9 million they got in 2010. ESPN currently has an NFL broadcast deal worth $1.9 billion, while DirectTV has one for $1.5 billion. Add to this another few billion from FOX, CBS, NBC, and others, and it’s easy to see why American football dominates.
The sheer amount of coverage it receives means other sports get pushed out. Soccer was fighting a losing battle from the start. That doesn’t mean it’s a battle it can’t win. However, when you’ve got the biggest media networks in the US putting billions into the sport, it’s very hard to compete. Then, of course, there’s the culture. It’s the same with basketball and baseball – so many Americans have dreamed of being a pro in one of these sports. With that being the case, soccer has taken a backseat. It may not occupy that seat forever. Indeed, we know how popular the sport is in Europe. What’s more, with 4 billion people watching events such as the World Cup, there’s certainly a fanbase there. However, at this stage, soccer really does have a continental divide and, perhaps, it’s a divide that won’t ever be bridged.
