Soccer Versus Football: Sports and Sponsorship the American Way

There is a reason why Americans are disillusionedminutes of a football game is the game.
with what the rest of the world calls football. InIn many ways, the international soccer audience is
addition to being a low-sometimes-no-scoring game,very much like the brands that support
soccer lacks the level of aggression that so definesthem--self-promoting. In America, name brands
the American culture. The methodical focus andplaster everything mobile and stationary but
relative politeness of soccer makes matchesindividuals tend to drive promotions through word of
monotone to American-breed sports senses.mouth. In an ad overdosed society, it takes much
Absent in soccer are the pretentious--evenmore to garner viewer attention and ultimately
brass--players who know that part of the gameconsumer loyalty than the “Because I said
involves putting on a good show for the viewingso,” approach so prominent in American
audience and sponsors. In football, cheerleaders andsports—especially football. Soccer seems to
sometimes marching bands help maintain the pep forcarry an infectious, “Because we said
slow-moving games. In soccer, cheering andso,” free-for-all. It makes a difference when
spontaneous sing-a-longs are solely fan driven. Alsoan entire country calls a national holiday, stops civil
fan-driven is the sea of national pride displayed bywars, and postpones major elections for something
each country and the camaraderie between teamsthey believe in. No American sport has that type of
and their players. In America, being from the sameinfluence.
country rarely equates to unity between the States.It will take a little more than World Cup 2006 to
Football is a competition not an opportunity toconvince Americans that soccer is the premier game
fraternize.of choice. In addition to appeasing an international
More interesting than the first hour and ten minutesfan-base, sponsors must realize that Americans are
of a soccer match are the fans and sometimes, theoften easier convinced to lead than to follow.
commercials. More interesting in the first hour and ten