World Cup's winning formula: USA! USA! USA!

The reports are in: Soccer may finally be breaking out into the American scene. Nearly 13 million people tuned in to Saturday’s World Cup game to watch the U.S. and England compete. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. audience for the opening day nearly doubled from four years ago since North American teams played in closely fought matches. It was Univision, the Spanish channel’s second most watched World Cup game since 1994. What’s even more amazing is that the numbers even surpass the NBA Finals numbers of viewers. Their “supersonic marketing blitz” might have something to do with it. They created a heavy media presence like the Olympics had done. “The broadcast most likely benefited from a perfect storm,” the Wall Street Journal reported, “…the game featured two centuries-old rivals, a desirable starting time on Saturday afternoon and [had] the media build-up.” I agree with the journalist, that the U.S. is interested in watching their U.S. team.

However, is it really that unlikely that a foreign team could capture the enthusiasm of the American public? What are your thoughts? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter.