800 dude wrote:
The World Cup frenzy in the US really demonstrates this feedback effect. People in bars and parks around the country were going absolutely nuts after Brooks scored his late goal against Ghana. ....... Or consider growing interest in EPL. I used to watch games at home or at an expat bar. Now that most of my male friends watch EPL, I catch about twice as many games because I feel like I'm part of a fan community.
People like to get excited and yell and jump up and down about something. It gives their lives meaning. Also, they love to have yet another excuse to go to a bar, drink, and watch sports. Now YES, before you say- 'this is true with all sports, how is soccer different?' I agree, it's true with all sports. BUT...I think that with many other sports (in the USA), the fans are more *truly* passionate, truly care about the games they are watching. With soccer, I think many of the "fans" in bars are "faking" it a bit. Yes, I really believe that. They watch the fans around the world having a great time going nuts over their teams and feel they are missing something. So they want to join in.
And the World Cup is once every 4 years, so fans are able to get motivated for this, just like the Olympics, where all sorts of people who don't give a crap about figure skating really are glued to their tv's watching every move (or the same with swimming). and of course there is Patriotism angle to getting fired up for "your team" in battle of countries.
You said something about "I feel like I'm part of a fan community" in relation to EPL. This is similar with the World Cup. People see people in bars, drinking, having fun, and getting excited for the matches so....why not join in and be part of it?
In summary: yes, it is no longer "uncool" to care or pretend you care about the World Cup as it maybe once was. But I DON'T think you can measure the true caring, the true passion for the sport based on how many people are in a bar, imitating fans from other countries, by singing songs, getting drunk and going crazy when their team scores a goal.... once every 4 years. Most of those people really don't follow the sport, really don't care, and won't watch another soccer match for 4 years. Really, believe it.
The US is definitely NOT a "Soccer Country", not like most countries are. But sure, they care a little, and more than they used to.