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CNN Live At Daybreak

In U.S., Professional Soccer Suffers From Identity Crisis

Aired May 27, 2002 - 05:37   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In the United States, professional soccer suffers from an identity crisis. Sports fans just can't seem to bridge the interest gap between youth leagues and the pros.

But our Maggie Lake reports some corporate giants are investing big bucks to change that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAGGIE LAKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Football is unquestionably the most popular sport in the world, with entire nations sent into a frenzy when their team wins a big game. But in the U.S. soccer, as it's called, is still more of a kid's game.

PELE, FORMER WORLD CUP CHAMPION: I think between eight years and 20 years, the youngsters at that age know the big sport is soccer, no doubt. In college, the women (UNINTELLIGIBLE) pro -- when they're at the professional level, then they'll have a problem because they'll have baseball, American football, no basket to compete.

LAKE: There are companies, however, willing to bet that can change. MasterCard has hired Pele as its football ambassador, while Nike is spending big bucks on the hope that Americans catch the football bug.

JOAQUIN HIDALGO, NIKE FOOTBALL: What's happening right now with those 8.5 million kids in the United States is you have a generation of kids that are actually growing up with the sport. They're seeing communications from brands like Nike and other consumer brands. You know about the soccer moms. And, quite frankly, I think they're growing up with the sport. They are real soccer players versus my generation.

LAKE: Determined to build on that corporate interest, Major League Soccer bought the rights to broadcast the World Cup from a distressed German media company Kirst (ph), and sold them off cheaply to ABC and ESPN. Not only did that ensure the games would air in English, but it helped serve the league's broader aim of growing the fan base.

DON FARBER, MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER: Our goal was to be the portal that soccer in this country goes through, whether that's international soccer and great programming like the World Cup or it's connecting with Hispanic fans of teams that they bring with them when they come to this country from Mexico and Central America.

LAKE: And it may be that changing demographic which is giving football its biggest boost in the states. According to Nielsen media research, Hispanic TV households are growing at a rate of 19 percent per year and watch more television per week than the average U.S. household. A fact not lost on advertisers.

(on camera): But as far as World Cup football competing with basketball, baseball or hockey, the Americans we spoke to were unconvinced.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Enough.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not enough scoring.

LAKE (voice-over): Some say, though, it's only a matter of time.

Maggie Lake, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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