Are any other (besides San Francisco) US cities seeing a growth in soccer popularity?

Question

I just walked through North Beach and was surprised... Half the cafes were showing the match and they were packed out. People were standing on the street looking inside to watch. And this was Ukraine - Switzerland. I can just imagine what the Italy - Australia match was like. Is it just that way here???

I agree about the reffing being poor this time, I was hoping the 2nd round would be better, but apparently there was a questionable call in Italy vs. Australia (I haven't seen it yet, only listened on the radio). The level of play doesn't seem as high as it was in the last few cups either. But I'm still hooked.

Answer 1

I think there's been a surge in popularity for soccer here in Houston. All the sports cafes are booked with people watching the game. Some regional restaurants have had parties and stuff. I know when Ghana won they showed some African restaurants with people dancing and cheering. Mostly people here are only watching for their country or maybe their favorite team.

Answer 2

It has been described as the poor mans sport and that's why it's so global. As the prices of other sports climb through the roof your going to see sports like football/soccer take over.
All over Canada the World Cup is being watched just like you described. But as the poor quality refs have their effect on the matches I've noticed that people are walking out and losing interest in the matches.

Answer 3

Soccer is finally getting what it deserves. The U.S. is becoming a more flexible country learning to go with the curve. Right now the new curve in sports for the states is soccer. Kids are playing soccer everywhere. They grow up and then there is an adult fan base. The adults teach their kids and soccer keeps growing. Soccer is here to stay for good.