SOCCER NOW SECOND MOST POPULAR SPORT AMONG AMERICAN YOUTH

Eric Tetler

INTRODUCTION As president of Windfield Alloy in Atkinson, New Hampshire,

Eric Tetler is responsible for leading the environmental services firm in working toward the continual improvement of pollution prevention and environmental performance. Outside his professional life, Eric Tetler enjoys coaching and playing soccer.

According to an ESPN poll earlier this year, soccer has new become the second most popular sport among 12 to 14 year olds in the United States, trailing only American football.

The original boom period for soccer began in 1994, when the United States hosted the World Cup. Since then, the sport has continued to rise in popularity, especially in youth sports.

SOCCER The success of the women’s international team also has

contributed to the mainstream appeal of soccer in the United States. According to ESPN’s figures, more fans attend Major League Soccer (MLS) games than they do NBA or NHL contests. 

The women’s World Cup final drew viewership of 27 million last year, which also has drawn the attention of big-name sponsors.

While the MLS still has a long way to go before it competes with the mega-leagues in Europe for overall world popularity, the fact that it is growing in the United States is a boon for the sport as a whole.