Friends of mine that follow sports on a daily basis couldn't understand why I was bothering to make a trek to Red Bull Arena for Thursday's 2018 and 2022 World Cup announcements. One such buddy, JD, was particularly confused on Tuesday afternoon. "You're watching a World Cup announcement at an MLS stadium in an industrial suburb of Newark. Just sayin'," he remarked.
Yeah, and I'd probably do it again.
I didn't head out to the arena hoping to sit with John Wolyniec and Tim Ream, both great men, as they told me what they thought went wrong for USA's bid for the 2022 World Cup, or to take a scenic train ride through Jersey. Soccer has slowly become my favorite sport over the past year and today was potentially an historic one for fans throughout the country, not to mention USA Soccer.
I certainly wasn't alone at the arena. Every person I sat and spoke with was an even bigger soccer fan than I, having spent years watching and attending matches all over the world. One such individual has thus far attended every event (other than the Big East finals) that has occurred at Red Bull Arena. One gentleman named Dan lamented not taking his son out of school for the World Cup announcement. When Qatar won the 2022 World Cup bid, however, he started realizing that it was probably for the best.
No other sporting event inspires cliches like the World Cup, largely because soccer fans feel the need to express to non-fans the importance of the event. 2010 was proof that the United States as a country could truly rally around a national soccer team. That's not what Thursday was about for those at Red Bull arena, though. The feeling of pride and joy American viewers felt when Landon Donovan scored arguably the country's most magical goal isn't one that comes once every four years for the die hard soccer follower. These individuals know that feeling each time clubs like theNew York Red Bulls, Tottenham Hotspur or whatever club(s) they follow take the pitch.
A former college friend of mine spent a semester overseas in 2004. He explained true soccer obsession as "your love for the Mets and Giants x 1000." Once you feel this connection to a soccer club, he told me, other sports just don't seem as significant. That's a pretty strong statement coming from a guy that was a born and raisedPittsburgh Steelersfan.
What's the point of these random paragraphs? You're going to read and hear a lot about FIFA corruption, bought votes, air conditioned stadiums and other issues regarding the 2022 World Cup decision over the next few weeks. One supposed reason the United States was not chosen to host the World Cup was "lack of fan support." As Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon stated on Thursday's edition of PTI , soccer is "fifth" in the US. Even that may be a stretch. The summer and late fall of 2010 was proof that this country really can, if only for a few fleeting moments, care about soccer more than LeBron James, the BCS or the MLB Hot Stove. So why did random fans gather in bars and MLS arenas on Thursday morning?
We care that much already.
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Zac Wassink is a member of the Yahoo! Contributor Network.
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