USA: U.S. sports fans have not caught the World Cup fever exciting the rest of the world

Record ID: 858767

  • Title: USA: U.S. sports fans have not caught the World Cup fever exciting the rest of the world
  • Date: 10th June 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) ANTHONY STEWART, L.A. RESIDENT ASKED IF WORLD CUP IS RECEIVING POPULAR ATTENTION, SAYING: "I think in certain circles, especially people that come from overseas who are rooting for a particular team. And I'm aware that worldwide it's a bigger sport than basketball and many other sports. So definitely, in some circles, it's a big thing."
  • Embargoed: 25th June 2006 13:00
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  • Location: Usa
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  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Lifestyle,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAE2SM75VSOBPGY94FWI87083XK
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  • Story Text: While football fans in many countries are jumping up and down with excitement in front of television screens, the World Cup tournament leaves many people in the United States unmoved.
    At the Irish bar McFinn's in midtown Manhattan, New York on Friday (June 9) a small group of men could be seen watching the opening match of the World Cup, the game between Costa Rica and Germany. But there were no loud cheers and excitement evident. Instead, many could be seen hanging out at the bar just for drinks and lunch, busy chatting with colleagues and friends and not bothering to really follow the game.
    Cliff Olshaker, one of the New Yorkers at McFinn's, is not a soccer enthusiast at all and was there spending time with a friend. He explained his theory about why Americans are not as excited by soccer as Europeans and other countries in South America.
    "Soccer worldwide is by far the most popular sport. It just doesn't seem that there's a lot of room unless you going to sit around and watch sports all day, for another sport to become one of the major things that Americans could watch," Olshaker said.
    David D'Andrea, an Italian New Yorker was one of the few exceptions at the bar with his medium level enthusiasm for the World Cup. He said the catalyst for him to watch soccer was the influence of his European colleagues who are really into the sport.
    Steve Katcheba, who was at the bar with two work colleagues, soccer is just not as interesting as other American sports like baseball. He said he wouldn't go out of his way to catch soccer games and added that he did not know where half these countries were located.
    In Los Angeles, native Argentine Lucas Gordon was also less than enthusiastic. "I am not a big fan. I love the World Cup, I love my country and my team. But last World Cup we lost in the first round so I don't expect too much," he said.
    Most people out enjoying the sunny day on California's famed Hollywood Boulevard had similar ambivalence toward soccer. "It's really popular in other parts of the world, it just hasn't seemed to get to that point in the United States." said L.A. resident Morgan Scott. "If they had more men that looked like Beckham, I'd watch it a lot more."
    Others said that U.S. interest in soccer is growing, but hasn't reached the fever of the rest of the world. "I think in certain circles, especially people that come from overseas who are rooting for a particular team," said Anthony Scott. "I'm aware that worldwide it's a bigger sport than basketball and many other sports. So definitely, in some circles, it's a big thing."
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