A boat person? Cool.

I'll have a Swedish one called Inga with big bazoomas.

It's our constitutional right to own one?

So that leaves a scant 60 Million following the World Cup in the US, roughly the entire population of the UK.

massive upside for Soccer in US, and the money that offers is staggering....

I was in the States during the last world cup and had a blast. It was the first time the general populace sort of got behind it.

As for being an insular country, it all comes back to president monroe and his monroe doctrine which basically said Europe you stay out of our business and we will stay out of yours.

Also Soccer was pretty big in the USA before the depression. Many scottish irish and english immigrants played the game for teams run by the factories they worked for. Once the depression started the teams unfortunately folded.

However soccer in the USA is starting its renaissance with a younger generation coming thru and a huge latino population.

Well if you understood how the political process goes in America, atm unfortunately all the money is coming from all the gun lobbyists to tell politicians not to change any gun laws which has made gun control basically impossible to pass federally.

Queensland would be the redneck state of Australia with the same gun laws if we didn't pass gun control federally.

I thought the World Champions are decided by which team wins the MLS?

You know, like the baseball and basketball World Champions.

Coming back to the original article. I live in the States at the moment, and I would actually estimate that it is more likely 4 out of 5 Americans do not plan to follow the World Cup.

First point, why do mentally unstable people have access to guns?

Second, I just did a quick check on wiki and it showed that only 7 states have "assault weapons" laws or require a license/ background check to own a gun.

First of all you have to actually have the required funds to purchase said weapon. The weapon used in many of the recent shootings (Bushman rifle) sets you back around $1200, plus ammunition. Second of all you know that going on a shooting rampage isn't even remotely in the realms of normal reaction to a bad day, these people had mental disorders and long medical histories with psychological problems. Third of all, many states require background checks before purchasing high powered weapons, many have banned them all together - just because it's not a federal mandate doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

Pro tip: Don't run your mouth on something you don't have any idea about.

Yes but when I'm feeling a little angry or mentally unstable I can't just pop down to my local K mart and purchase an automatic weapon with extended clips.

Come to think of it, I wouldn't even know where to buy a gun around here

Good news on that front: Guns don't go on shooting rampages either.

But boat people don't go on shooting rampages

Our view of boat people is like their view of guns. We can't throw stones.

Like often discussed in many fields - a fraction of Americans being interested/doing it still equals a 'relatively large market'! It's all relative ofcourse, but as a number of you have discussed, if 1/3 of Americans are showing 'atleast' a modicum of interest in the World Cup then that's nothing to sneeze at. Ofcourse the number will refine even further, when broken down to levels of engagement, interest, within that number - and again those numbers are reasonable. It's ofcourse not the majority sport and the major sports DO draw alot more interest, relatively, no doubt - but it also shows the strong minority market the US has and the incremental impact, establishment, of the MLS and the code over there, perhaps. The growth of the MLS has been spectacular recent seasons - now 19 teams, including 2 in Canada, expanding further to 21 next season and ever more SE expansion to Atlanta and Beckham's Miami, two seasons later. Ever more national coverage, footprint, more of the large minority markets gaining access to an MLS franchise within their local region. The mainstream having ever closer access too. The impacts, kind of like here, will be felt a bit medium-longer term, as the teams settle and evolve within their communities.

We spoke of insularity and on that score your average Aussie will give your average Yank a run for his money. Re guns- I agree, though far from all Americans feel that way.

Ratings in the US are down for last season from an average over 300k to 220k, but compared to the A-League's average closer to 70k that's half bad.

If they are in America at the time of believing this, they are correct.

Well it would be higher in European countries, and btw, not all of those 80mil will be supporting the US. The Mexican national team is the most popular NT in the country when it comes to ratings and attendances.

Not saying Mexican/Americans aren't American (though it's kinda annoying like how Simunic 'feels' more Croatian), but the number would be significantly lower if New Zealand beat Mexico.

But Americans genuinely believe they are the centre of the universe and they are the best at everything and have the power to do what they want. How many invasions have they led in recent memory for example.

And as a country they put the right to have an AK-47 under their pillow over the safety of the greater community. Idiots

80 million people say otherwise.

Who knew, Americans aren't all that interested in 'soccer'.

I think generally speaking we need to be pretty carefully pointing fingers as we live in a glass house.

Your average Aussie knows about England and the US, though only superficial and in ways that tends to affect us as Australians. Our understanding of Asia is mostly confined to Bali and Phuket, though after that Telstra ad we all know about the Great Wall of China and we're fairly certain it wasn't built to keep the rabbits out though most aren't sure why it was built.

South Americans are swarthy fellows who they see cleaning their offices while all East Europeans speak like Russians, possibly while goose stepping and drinking vodka. Not for them the subtlety of appreciating the cultural differences between the Czechs and the Poles.

People in glass houses and all that...

TBH, it's most likely similar here. Not only for the FIFA World Cup, but dare I say it even for most sports including cricket.

People are going on like 100% of people follow some sport, and Americans are insular because 2 in 3 people have no interest in the WC, but there'd be a fair few people who have no interest in sport whatsoever.

In that context, 1 in 3 is even more impressive.

Unfortunately, the US is a very inward looking country.

They are often very friendly to visitors if one travels there, but are often unaware of what occurs beyond US borders.

100 million who may watch the WC is not too bad either.

1 out of 3 people? That's actually pretty impressive. I find it hilarious that some people in this thread are actually offended that the number isn't 2 out of 3, or dare I say it, 3 out of 3 :lol: Fukn uncultured, uneducated buffoons those Americans are :lol: HOW DARE THEY NOT CARE ABOUT THE GR8TEST SPORT ON EEARTH:lol:

Not everyone is interested in soccer, guys :lol: Deal with it

As opposed to Australians who'll all be on the edge of their seat lmao

I think the MLS model, like ours, is to establish a presence in as many places as possible. Naturally with the size of the place the number of cities to cover is massive.

I think for football's development over there it's far better to go the way of multiple conferences and no promo/rel than establish top down.

not in TV ratings they are not. If anything the MLS comparably would kill for the ratings the A-League is getting by parity.

I just hope the MLS stops at 24 teams max and build up the lower divisions.

Unless USA make it to the quarter final or higher you won't see a big spike.

1 in 3 Americans that say they plan to watch the WC is well over 100 million people.

"Tepid support at best"?