MLS popularity soars
The beautiful game may not induce the same level of devotion as it does throughout South America, Africa and of course Europe, but the popularity of soccer is undoubtedly growing in the US.
Soccer is bred into youngsters across Europe and now we are seeing a huge level of youth participation in the US. The country is now ranked number one in the world for youth participation in the sport, while an ESPN poll in 2014 found it to be the second most popular sport after pro football among 12 to 17-year-olds.
This makes it more popular than America’s national sport, baseball.
As a result, the MLS is now a booming business that attracts talent from around the globe. You only have to look at a few names that have arrived in the league to see its growing importance, from Champions League winning Brazilian Kaka and World Cup lifter David Villa.
Last season was a real landmark year for the league. Attendances rose by 12% with an average crowd of 21,574, a 64% increase over the average in 2000 – in fact Seattle Sounders regularly exceed 40,000 a-game.
Blockbusting new TV deals, which sees MLS broadcast all over the world and new stadiums, have the average MLS team valued at around $157m, an incredible 52% rise from 2014.
The league recently announced plans to expand the top-flight and cities are queuing up to be part of the booming market. David Beckham, one of the original stars to arrive in the MLS is determined to bring an MLS franchise to Miami, while San Diego and Nashville are just some of the destinations rumoured for a team.
In a post Beckham era, many thought the league would struggle to maintain the same level of interest. But it couldn’t be further from the truth, as there seems to be an appetite for soccer in the US.
This was initially fuelled by interest in European football and will continue to grow if America keep producing top talents such as the exciting Borussia Dortmund youngster Christian Pulisic, Borussia Monchengladbach’s Fabian Johnson and Hertha Berlin defender John Brooks to name just a few.
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The MLS looks certain to keep growing, with star names continuing to flock to the US, new media deals in the offing and a future expansion on the cards, the future looks bright for America’s fastest growing sport.