Whatever criteria is used to measure popularity, whether television audience, attendance figures, re...

1. Why is Soccer the Most Popular Sport in the World? - Yahoo
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Whatever criteria is used to measure popularity, whether television audience, attendance figures,
revenue earner or whatever soccer always ranks as the most popular sport in the world with the
most followers who play and watch the game.
To understand why soccer is the king of sports one has to look not only at its popular support but
also at the factors that make it so appealing.
POPULAR SUPPORT
Soccer has the largest fan following in the modern world; everyone loves the beautiful game.
It is played in 208 countries, its fan following is first in 93 countries with a combine population of 2
billion and is in the top 3 sports in 100 countries with 3 billion people. The soccer world cup is the
largest and most lucrative sporting event; for example in 2006 it had an audience of 26 billion
people and 700 million watched the final game (Amrit Doley, Most Popular Team Sports dated May
7, 2009- Bleacher report).
These figures are in sharp contrast with cricket and basketball (the second and third most popular
sports respectively).
Cricket is the most popular sport in only 20 countries with a population of 1.6 billion and is in the
top 3 sports in only 10 countries with a population of 200 million people. The cricket world cup is the
second largest sporting event with an audience of 5 billion, much less than its soccer equivalent.
Basketball is the most popular sport in the Philippines with 92 million fans and is in the top 3 sports
in just 10 countries with a combine population of 1.8 billion. It is the most viewed American sporting
event with a television audience of 1 billion (Most Popular Team Sports etc.).
THE APPEAL OF SOCCER
Soccer has had a long time to spread and develop and is easily exportable. It is older than most
other games; its origin goes back 3000 years to ancient China and the modern game was developed
by the English in the 19th century.
It is very popular because it appeals in many ways to a cross section of people, rich and poor, men
and women, young and old. Let us see why:
In the first place, there are no money barriers. All you need to play is a ball. It can be played on any
surface, on the neighborhood street, on the beach or in the park. It offers hope to poor kids as a
means of achieving a better life. And they can play in the sport their heroes play.
Soccer is a team sport so that as many as 22 people can play in one game which helps to promote
team spirit.

2. Also, it promotes passion and intense rivalries especially when two teams from the same city play
each other (called derbies) or when national pride is at stake as when two countries compete for
dominance in the same confederation.
There is no greater pride than to play
for your country and fans take greater
pride in their country when the national
team succeeds.
Another important factor is that few
countries have another viable sport to
rival soccer.
Lastly, it is a good investment especially
if your team goes far. In recent years
tycoons from America, East Europe and
the Middle East have been buying up
European clubs and investing in the best players. Top class players help clubs to win trophies and
prize money as well as expand their fan base.
In the last transfer window, the English premier league spent $1012 million on players, mostly from
overseas, and of that almost $400 million was spent by only four clubs. The Spanish clubs spent
$521 million and of that $133 million was spent on just one player, Gareth Bale (Yahoo Sports-
Football: Premier League lead Europe spending bonanza, September 3, 2013).
Additionally there are different types of soccer i.e. futsal or indoor soccer, beach soccer, women's
soccer which has expanded since the 1990's and youth soccer for males and females, all of which
have world cup competitions and help to increase the popularity of the game worldwide.
RICHEST SPORT

3. The main effect of all this popularity is that soccer has
been a magnet for enormous investment that makes it
the world's richest sport. This in turn enriches the
investors as well as the players and the countries that
play it.
Soccer has the most fans in the richest continent of Europe where the leagues have a value of $40
billion. It is the highest paying professional team sport so the prize money for winning the 2010
world cup was $30 million. In comparison, India is the biggest revenue earner in cricket with a value
of $2 billion, whilst in basketball 90% of the money is in the US with a value of $3.3 billion (Most
Popular Team Sports etc).
The soccer world cup can boost a host country's economy by billions of dollars. But it can do more
than that.
Quatar which has money to burn has been awarded the 2022 world cup. This small Middle Eastern
country aims use this mega-event to build an agenda to streamline it post oil and gas economy into
one that can compete with the West. Not many people have even heard of Quatar but the
expectation is that 2022 will break the stereotype that the Middle East is a repressive and unstable
region. The plan is to provide the best that money can buy.
Apart from its economic and political benefits soccer is popular because of its diverse popular
appeal. If a player is good enough he or she can play for the local club or even the national team
when there is national pride involved and at the same time be richly rewarded. Alternatively one can
join in the crazy excitement as millions of spectators do every day when they watch their favorite
team and feel the magnetism of the sport as twenty two players do battle with a ball. That is why the
beautiful game is King.
Victor A. Dixon
September 2, 2013

4. Revised December 12, 2013