Could I Be Right?

So I've been postulating. It's OK.. the kids can read this too. I've got a theory based on this

postulation that I've espoused to others...not many others, but to others...before. So I thought I may as well put something out in this here blog. By the way...full disclosure...I may have started postulating after the Rams left town.

It's my belief that, due to numerous factors which I will detail here, America's most engrossing sport, professional football, will fade into obscurity and eventually be replaced in prominence by professional soccer. I say obscurity, but I am talking about obscurity relative to it's dominance of the sports landscape now. It may take decades, or even a century or two, to fade away altogether. But it's my belief that its position as numero uno is in serious jeopardy in the not-all-that-distant future.

Why would I believe such a thing? And what indicators am I seeing to back up this belief?
OK...here we go...

1. As all of us who are sports fans know that soccer is the number one sport on the planet in terms of fan interest. North American pro football is just a blip on the sports radar when we talk about international interest compared to what the rest of the world calls FOOTBALL or FUTBOL. The world is coming closer together every day because of the internet and modern communication methods. We are being exposed to the world...and the world to us...more with each passing minute. Because of our new closeness, the world's sport will become our dominant sport too.

2. It's taken a lot of years, and many attempts, but pro soccer is starting to get the foothold in the sports landscape in the U.S. that it has sought. The MLS is gaining prominence by the month...with expansion teams coming in regularly and more cities lining up for teams...including now a strong bid from St. Louis. The USL, with many teams in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean, is providing soccer to the masses in big cities and not-so-big metros. It is pumping interest in soccer to the masses and shows no sign of slowing down. Add to that a stronger-than-ever prominence for the MLS, Premiere League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and other international matches on U.S. television, and you can't help but believe the day of soccer's place among the top 2 or 3 is just around the corner. At the very least, there's evidence that soccer's place in the photo of sports interest is moving toward the front, not the back.

3. Football (NFL) has its problems. I probably don't need to enumerate them here. But, OK...here are a few. A. Smart people (moms, dads, kids, current players) not playing...or quitting the sport because of what potential brain injury could do to the rest of their lives. Obviously this will have its effect on player and product quality at some point. B. The arrogance, and self-importance, of the NFL, and its leadership, distancing fans in anything they do or say. C. The impatience a good portion of the sports-viewing public has with the entitled, arrogant, and often law-flouting group of humans who play professional football. (One reason I love hockey so much is the quality of the people who play it.) College football has a brighter future, if they start letting the players enjoy income from it, than the NFL in my view. There's more. But let's leave it at that for now.

4. Soccer has attached its growth in this country to the younger portion of the population. Moms and dads with kids who play the sport are going to games...in some cases from long distance...to support their favorite MLS team and/or player. These kids who play the sport, and I realize this has been said at times of soccer's possible growth before, will be the players of the future in this country. When those kids are stars of the sport (a la
Christian Pulicic now) the fan support will grow exponentially. Up until now, kids have played other sports first. When young people abandon football, it will feed

athletes into soccer...athletes like the sport hasn't had access to. Big, strong, fast, athletes who will give this country the chance at the world stage that many of us who enjoy international soccer have only dreamed about. When that happens, whether its 10, 20 or 50 years down the road, soccer will change its name. Soccer will become football in the minds of most. And our pro football will become...well, you name it.

Repeating...it's just a postulation. But the indicators are there.