Why
isn't European soccer more popular in Logan?
By Adam
Pollock
October 20, 2008 | Millions of people worldwide anxiously
awaited one of the most anticipated sports match-ups
in recent years. The streets of Manchester, England
and Barcelona, Spain became nervously still as fans
packed pubs and fixed their eyes on television sets,
expecting to be dazzled by players like Ronaldo, Messi,
and Henry. Similar scenes were replicated throughout
Europe, Asia, and South America.
But Logan, Utah was a bit different. The lunch room
at the TSC was full of hundreds of students busily chatting
about classes, politics, and the upcoming summer vacation.
Television sets were showing the latest news on CNN
or pre-season updates from Major League Baseball. This
massive global sporting event, the
UEFA Champions League semifinal between Manchester United FC and
FC Barcelona , was showcased on one television set
in the TSC and had a loyal group of six viewers, four
of whom were not born in the USA.
European soccer has exported itself globally much
like American baseball and basketball. Europe is the
premier place for soccer players to play. Fans from
all over come to European soccer matches to watch the
best talent in the world. But, the exportation of European
soccer has yet to become popular in the USA and in Logan.
The question remains why has Logan, like the rest of
the USA, not attached itself to the global popularity
of European soccer?
Chad Wilcoxson, a student at Utah State, answered
the question and said, "People might be narrow minded
when it comes to things they do not fully understand.
Soccer has unique rules, many players have names you
can't pronounce, and the teams are thousands of miles
away. It can be hard to associate yourself with something
so foreign."
Soccer by no means is a fledgling in Logan. Although,
its European dominance has yet to grip the masses, the
youth programs are full of players. Cache Valley's
District 7 Soccer has 13 leagues with six or more
teams to a league. There exists a significant amount
of local youth interest in the sport, but the desire
to connect with European clubs disappears somewhere
along the way.
Carissa Soliday, a Logan resident, said, "The sport
[soccer] itself has to compete with popularity of local
football and basketball. Every kid is an Aggie football
and basketball fan, but unfortunately the enthusiasm
for Aggie soccer is not the same."
The answer may lie in the fact that between the youth
game and the European game there is the lack of sport
recognition at the local college level.
he Logan community has the resources available to
experience European soccer. Many European Champions
League games are broadcast on ESPN2 during the day.
Websites like foxsoccer.com
and espnsoccernet.com
have the latest updates from across the pond along
with news from the US soccer clubs.
Joe Roth, a soccer fan and Logan resident, said, "It
is easy to become involved in European soccer. With
the internet and networks broadcasting games, there
is no reason, for those interested, to not become knowledgeable
of the European game."
t is never too late to gain a new interest. Take an
hour and half to catch a European soccer match.
NW
MS |
