I don’t think soccer will thrive as a spectator sport in the US, and I find it curious that it is so popular around the world.
For one thing, there is not much scoring, which turns many Americans off. In addition, many soccer games end ties, which Americans don’t like, particularly if the score is 0-0—all that effort and nothing to show for it. By contrast, baseball games never end in ties.
The nothing to show for it claim is bogus.
In the Premier League, dropping two points is a big deal, because of the way the points system works, it takes three ties to equal one win. You have to know the context in which the game takes place.
Outside of the All-Star game.
It's perfect for the socialist mindset prevalent in foreign countries. No winner or loser suits Europeans, and zero score/zero sense of accomplishment suits third-worlders.
Sports in the U.S. has been historically unique. Previous generations of kids grew up playing baseball, basketball and football. We have American symbols of baseball, apple pie, peanuts and cracker jacks with a whole host of famous broadcasters many of whom are now gone.
But cracker jacks and apple pie cause obesity, parents don’t like the violence of football, kids teams don’t keep score, everyone gets a trophy at the end and kids soccer teams often have the same number of girls as boys. Sports in the U.S. in the past has been about competition and being the best. Not so much with the new generation.
The children of immigrants play soccer. Baseball, football and basketball are too American for them.