Another of my studies over the soccer phenom in the U.S. Would you help this football scientist voting in my poll?
Grew up in a Middle/Upper Middle class suburb of big size, but not metropolitan city. Soccer was new to America and I caught the first wave.
I marked myself down as son of immigrant (only one immigrant though, mother is a yank), but I also played youth soccer, and became "converted" to the Big Show (professional and international soccer) after US vs Colombia in 94 I think having a foreign father definitely got me on track to be interested in the game, but I honestly believe I would still have become interested in American soccer even without that connection. I mean it was my father that encouraged me to like soccer, but he never told me to cheer for the American team. That's where the conversion comes into play. My mother found tickets for the game in the classified section and so we went to the World Cup game on a whim. I was excited about watching the game, but indifferent about the US. I thought they would lose 5-0 or something. But I was inspired by their game and that they defeated a heavily favored opponent, and have liked them ever since. Maybe instead of having mutually exclusive choices, you should maybe modify the poll to include various combinations.
You left out WC-1994. That's when I was really brought into the fray. I tried to play as a kid, but we had Horrible coaching...for the U-10 level.
I clicked "Other". Daughter of an immigrant (English). Played as a kid. Married to an immigrant (whom I met playing soccer).
I was post france 98, being the son of immigrants didn't do anything. They tired to get me inot it, didn't work, i got myself into it watching france 98. I had no interest in usa 94. I watched france 98 because i was in brazil, and when thw wrold cup is on, everything is closed.
"other" played as a kid but hated it. liked basketball instead. WC94 got me interested. WC98 piqued my interest again. MLS and WC2002 solidified me as a soccer fan. used to watch all "big" sports in america, but now i only enjoy soccer and baseball.
Played as a kid begining when I was 8 just because my friends were. I also went to Washington Diplomats games and saw the likes of Cruyff and Pele. Once the NASL folded I rarely went to games except for the very rare Washington Stars or George Mason game as soccer left my consciousness. I did watch as much of the 86 and 90 WC as I could and attended the 94 WC. I was at the first ever DC United home game and have been going ever since. In the last few years I also started following it in other countries. Now I'm a soccer dad and coach.
I guess I'm part of the generation that grew up during the NASL. I'm a tweaner, too young to a boomer and too old to be an Xer. I remember watching games on ESPN and the USA Network. Also, our cable system used to carry WOR from New York so I got to watch all of the Cosmo game, which I became a fan of. I started playing in the AYSO when I was in grade school. Then playd travel soccer and my high school's first soccer team and then playd in college.
Good point Gary V--I voted "converted" but I was really converted as a parent of a youth player. Didn't play as a kid; we didn't even have a soccer team until I was a senior in high school.
WC '94 got me started, too. Perhaps re-started would be better. Anyway, it should be on the list. I was 30 then, and didn't take up the game as a player. But it (re-)hooked me on the sport so that I was a fan when MLS kicked off in 1996. Going much further back, I used to watch Soccer Made in Germany on PBS back when I was a kid. Also watched the NASL Minnesota Kicks. The NASL should also be on this list, obviously. Guess I'll vote other, then.
Coverted by a friend from Nigeria. We had chemistry together in High School and used to hang out. He was the best player on our North Eastren PA High School and asked me to join the soccer team. It was awsome! I had so much fun! I spent the summer of 1994 watching the WC over his house. It was all over then. I became a Nats fan for life! James R.
Kid Player/ Covert/ Parent First became aware of Soccer when Pele used to play at Yankee Stadium and Downing Stadium when as was young in the mid 70's. Big fan of Cosmos and New York Arrows. Didn't play competitively until Junior year of High School, so technically, played as a kid. Used to squeeze in pick up games with friends in between other sports, mainly baseball, football and steet hockey. High School team was terrible (NYS record 67 game losing streak over 5 years), but was there to win a few games. Poor coaching, poor skills all around except for the few Hatian immigrants on the team. Not good enough to play in college (D-III final 4 level program), but played a lot of intramurals and watch the college team often. USMT came on the radar to me in the mullet crazy late 80's in the run up to WC 1990. Used to be huge baseball fan, but have stopped watching it for the most part after the 1994 strike. Hockey-has anyone seen the New York Rangers in the last 10 years? Neither have I. MLS and EPL games have filled these voids nicely. So, somewhat, I am a convert. Started playing again in over 30 leagues and pick up 2 or 3 times a week in 2001. Now am deeply involved in coaching and adminstering Rec. program in town. I try to organize at least one bus trip a year for the club to MLS or USMNT games in NJ or Foxboro.
Played as a kid on all levels (school, Y, club,) up to college. Came back into the fold a little after WC '94 and the baseball strike. Moved to DC in 95 and MLS & DCU captured me. Not easy at first since I was bartending (Saturdays pay the rent!) but with the flex plan I got to see some every year and just got more and more involved every year. Now I've been a season tix holder for several years and try to arrange my teaching schedule around the games.
I have no idea what you mean by curious or converted, so I chose curious. I discovered soccer as a kid of 22 and have been addicted for the last 38 years.
My parents worked for a filiale in Belgium. Played 8 years in Belgium, till my come back in Tarrytown. I'm now back again to Belgium to work.
I voted "other"... I was about 13 (1979) and was visiting my mother in So Cal (from Nor Cal)... I went over to the house of one of her friends and their kid had a poster with all the NASL logos on it. Well it just so happened that I was totally into logos at the time. Creating my own, copying others, that sort of thing. But mine had always been for football, basketball & baseball. Well to see these new and cool logos piqued my interest. This was also during the time that the NASL was on ABC, so I started watching, and actually enjoyed watching (commercials during play & all!) I never made it to any Earthquakes games, I don't think it ever occured to me to try. No one else in my family was into sports at all, incidently. So I followed soccer (indoor & outdoor) as about the same level as the US as a whole did. By '84 I had pretty much stopped following too closely, I remeber the NASL folding only vaguely. I don't recall the '86 World Cup at all, but did watch a tiny bit of the '90 WC, and got really excited about the US team, even though we were **********ty. But ever since then I have been a soccer fan, following the USMNT and then falling in love with Man Utd (don't hate me!!) when the old SportsChannel Bay Area used to show the weekly EPL highlight show. Lee
I have to say NASL used to go to Yankee and Downing Stadium as a child to watch the Cosmos. Used to watch the older guys in the park and once in a while they would let me play.
Oh, I completely forgot "Soccer Made in Germany", that was a great show. Our local PBS station carried that and also a similar English soccer show. I remember that my parents made a contribution to PBS and I got a NASL replica ball and weekly guide for "Soccer Made in Germany". They would have the rosters for the two featured teams and also a couple of player profiles.
I'm one of the NASL generation.....began watching/following in 1975, and have been addicted ever since. I voted 'other', as I've never played and don't have any kids who play....I've been involved from the administration standpoint almost the entire time.
I marked played as a kid but my influence in watching as a fan was mid to late 80's international exhibition I saw at Giants Stadium. It was to long ago for me to remember who played but it was awesome. Watched my brother play all through college. Plus I do business in Europe and obviously that had a huge influence on my love for the game.