FIFA, the popular soccer video game, is changing the way college students view the real sport.
The question, “Are we choosing club or international?” symbolizes a change occurring on college campuses all over America. This question of whether your opponent wants to play with a professional or a national team signals the start of every match in the FIFA video game. In recent years, this video game has greatly affected many American college students’ view of the international game of soccer.
While soccer is the world’s favorite game, in America, it has never found a prominent home. Many children play the game in youth leagues, but interest tends to fade once they stop participating. Excluding events like the World Cup, where patriotism drives viewership, soccer has not been a popular sport to watch on television. Many Americans do not understand the game and are not motivated to watch a sport that often ends in ties and in which only a handful of goals are scored.
In America, we have four sports that dominate our attention. These sports, football, baseball, basketball and hockey, have the advantage of their best leagues in the world calling America home. In contrast, the majority of soccer’s elite teams play half a world away. With all of these factors working against it, soccer has needed a bullet that can penetrate into the competitive sporting market for American viewership. Soccer has found this magic bullet in the form of its video game, FIFA.
Everyday, while college students take study breaks and sit around their televisions playing video games with friends, they are looking for a specific type of game to play. FIFA has separated itself from the other games of its kind as the college students’ video game of choice due to the nature of its sport.
Soccer is dictated by its fluidity. This means that instead of spending time choosing plays or interacting with video game characters the game is constantly going without stoppage. The advantage to this is that it creates a fast-paced game play that keeps the gamer entertained, attentive and excited. By controlling the players, Americans who did not understand the intricacies of the game are exposed to the subtle strategies that make a team successful. For example, the effort that goes into setting up a complicated play and almost scoring a goal can be just as exciting as striking a ball into the back of the net. Playing the game exposes Americans to the excitement beyond just the final score, and this has translated into an interest in the real game overseas.
Certain teams and stars are popular to play with on FIFA and since a gamer plays well with them, they often want to see those players and teams compete in real life. According to Rich Luker, who conducted a study for ESPN, Soccer is now the second most popular sport for Americans between the ages of 18-24. In fact, the study also shows that three of the top 25 most popular sports stars in America are international soccer players. Major American television networks like ESPN and Fox Sports have started to understand this trend and are now broadcasting more games, only increasing soccer’s exposure in America.
As stated before, the popularity of soccer in this country seems to have many factors working against it. However, a simple video game college kids can play with their friends has been the catalyst in bringing to America what is now truly becoming the entire world’s game. The only question to be asked now is not if the popularity of soccer in America is here to stay, but if you want to play the match with a club or an international team?
Has your opinion of soccer changed due to FIFA? Do you think soccer will continue to gain popularity in the United States, or will the “big four” hold on to their position? Tell us your thoughts! Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
