Essay Sample on Professional Soccer in the United States

Question: According to Foer, what are some of the factors inhibiting soccer's growth in the United States?

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Response: Foer believes that the main factors inhibiting soccer's growth in the United States is the attitude that people have towards the game, lack of motivation and guidelines from established soccer players and prayers, and the media (Foer 1). Most people in the country believe that soccer does not reflect the custom and way of life of the American people. Cultural traditions are passed from one generation to another, justifying why the negative attitude towards soccer that existed years ago has been dominant in the current age. Additionally, parents and professional players that have already established themselves have failed to motivate or encourage the current generation about the importance and benefits of playing soccer. Foer notes that as he grew up, fathers were keen to train and motivate their sons to play specific games. The media plays a significant role in shaping the perception that members of the public have towards a particular issue. Little or no attention has been given to soccer by the media, meaning that young people do not know about the game (Foer 3). This means the most dominant information that young persons have about soccer is what their parents have told them about soccer.

Question: In your opinion, what are the most convincing reasons that Szymansky and Zimbalist pose for soccer's lack of popularity in the United States? Use specific examples from the text.

Response: One of the most convincing reasons that Szymansky and Zimbalist pose for soccer's lack of popularity in the United States is how the Americans link the game with what took place in the past when British soldiers befriended the locals in Iraq and Afghan (Szymanski and Andrew 1). They used soccer so that they could get close to the locals and understand them better. The British soldiers had good intentions and managed to interact with the locals. However, Iraq and Afghan locals have since turned against the Britons using terrorist attacks, killing and maiming citizens from Britain and other parts of the world. Soccer is assumed to be a European culture, while baseball has been considered that of Americans. This perception has affected the attitudes Americans have had towards soccer, defining it as a foreign culture.

Another reason why Szymansky and Zimbalist pose for soccer's lack of popularity in the United States is the fact that baseball, the American sport, has a World Series, despite the popularity and dominancy of soccer in the world (Szymanski and Andrew 2). Rules governing the baseball games are stricter than those that soccer players must follow. As a result, Americans have looked down on soccer by arguing that players in a soccer game focus on their defense so that they can win. Further, soccer players lack loyalty to their countries or teams since they can be traded across different nations or teams depending on which area has more benefits for the player.

Question: According to Szymanski and Zimbalist, how do business interests contribute to the fundamental differences between professional baseball (United States) and professional soccer (Europe and Latin America)?

Response: Business interests contribute to the fundamental differences between professional baseball (United States) and professional soccer (Europe and Latin America) by the attention that each sport is given. People focus on the sport that is most likely to have more financial benefits both in the short-term and in the long-term, a fact that guides the players' decisions before they engage in professional soccer or baseball. Players are motivated by the benefits they will gain after playing soccer or baseball as opposed to the motivation they will give the younger generation.

Works Cited

Foer, Franklin. How soccer explains the world. HarperCollins Publishers, 2004.

Szymanski, Stefan, and Andrew S. Zimbalist. National pastime: How Americans play baseball and the rest of the world plays soccer. Brookings Institution Press, 2006.