One Fan's American Dream

Thousands and thousands of people filled the streets of downtown Philadelphia.  The Ben Franklin Parkway, flanked by the flags of every country on earth, was packed to the brim with young and old of every race and background.  And although skin and hair may have varied in color, there was one common theme amongst the mass of humanity that stretched from City Hall to the Art Museum: Red, White, and Blue.  Whether it was a flag, a shirt, a hat, or face paint, nearly every person in attendance was proudly wearing their nations colors, celebrating the United States.  Set up along the bustling boulevard were a number of large screens, projecting the action to countless people watching intently and waiting for the big moment.

It sounds like something out of my (and other American soccer fans') dreams, right?  A scene of public patriotism, unity, and spectatorship that would rival what we've seen at the FIFA Fan Fest viewings in places like Berlin, Rio de Janeiro , and Mexico City. 

Well, it wasn't a dream.  But it wasn't exactly my dream realized, either.

Instead of thousands of people packed in the center of a major American city to watch a key World Cup match, downtown Philadelphia was the destination on Sunday night for locals looking to celebrate the Fourth of July with a great fireworks show.  The countless flags, shirts, and other American apparel were not in support of Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, but rather the Founding Fathers and our nation's history.  And the beautiful game wasn't being played on the big video screens; instead, it was a TV feed of the Goo Goo Dolls concert going on at the steps of the Art Museum.

Not exactly a FIFA Fan Fest, to say the least.

But it gave me a taste of what could be.  A major American city packed with people joining together to support their country, watching and reacting to every touch, tackle, and shot that they see on the various video screens set up to accommodate the swelling crowds.  How far away from that are we?

Though this World Cup may have ended prematurely for the Yanks, it's hard to deny the impression it's left on the American sporting public.  We've all seen the Youtube videos of fan reactions across the country, we've all heard the soccer talk from people who you'd never expect to be seriously discussing the beautiful game, and we've all seen the massive amount of media coverage for the tournament and the USMNT, in particular.  Though it didn't end in a trophy, this US World Cup campaign gave us moments, both good and bad, that galvanized and unified support.  The TV numbers were huge and just kept getting bigger, and there's no telling how high they would have gone if a spot in the quarterfinals, semifinals, or final was attained.  And with soccer's ever-increasing popularity Stateside (despite what some vociferous personalities may claim), it's reasonable to expect that the records set this time around could be broken in four years' time.  There were lasting memories and surely more converted fans of the national team, who will hopefully continue to support the Yanks throughout the next cycle, all the way up to Brazil 2014.

The support and passion is there; we're a country that loves our sports and, to paraphrase Terrell Owens, we love us some us (in a good way).  This time around, we saw public viewings throughout the country to a smaller extent, from Kansas City's Power and Light District to Dupont Circle in Washington, DC and many others.  They were impressive displays of support and surprised more than a few folks with the numbers they attracted.  Maybe I'm just hopelessly optimistic, but I think those were just precursors of even bigger and better things to come.  



It might not happen in 2014, particularly if the pattern of group stage exit followed by knockout round berth continues.  Heck, there's a possibility that it might not even happen in 2018 (though I'm inclined to think otherwise).  But I have a feeling that hosting the tournament in 2022 (my speculation) could bring us some special moments as US Soccer fans.  With the world's biggest sporting event on our soil and the Yanks playing in front of the American public, I think things would reach a level that at this point we can only dream of.  Whether that means Super Bowl-like ratings for a US match or millions of Americans packing public parks and viewing centers across the nation to cheer on their team is yet to be seen.

But I think it's coming, whether it's in four, eight, twelve, or twenty years down the road.  And I can't wait for that dream to finally be realized.   

For now, though, let me just get my feet back on the ground and get re-acquainted with reality.  All I can do is hope that "dream" and "reality" don't remain disjoint for long.