US interest in football soars ahead of Copa America kick-off

As the 2016 centenary Copa America tournament gets underway on Friday in Santa Clara, California, the popularity of football, or "soccer", in the United States is now reaching unprecedented levels.

This will be the maiden competition held north of the U.S-Mexican border, and it hopes to capitalise on a growing demand for the European dominated sport.

Traditional sports in the United States such as baseball, basketball, hockey and American football still rule the roost when it comes to national coverage and popularity, but with increased financial backing there is evidence to suggest that football could penetrate that long-standing dominance.

The 2015 Champions League final involving Barcelona and Juventus reached a global TV audience of over 180 million, an increase of 18% on the previous year, eclipsing by a long way that of the Super Bowl of the same year. That figure is expected to be surpassed by last Saturday's final contested by city rivals Real and Atletico Madrid in Milan.

The 2015 Champions League final involving Barcelona and Juventus reached a global TV audience of over 180 million

Much of the groundwork for the growing popularity was done in the 1990s, particularly with the US hosting the 1994 World Cup, and the challenge until now has been to maintain that interest between the showpiece international event.

Average attendances at Major League Soccer games has increased by a huge 56% since 2001, helped in part by mega-rich clubs such as Los Angeles Galaxy and recently formed New York City FC.

Clubs in the MLS have been able to attract many global stars to boost their brand, and although admittedly the likes of David Beckham, Frank Lampard and David Villa are in the twilight of their careers, it has led to an increase in both attendances and television viewing figures.

More people now go to MLS games than NBA and National Hockey League games, and although that figure is complemented by larger stadiums and cheaper tickets, it's difficult to ignore.

Granted, the revenue of the soccer league is still well beneath those leagues of the more traditional sectors, with the NBA still earning ten times what is gained by the MLS in that regard.

The Fox network earned more than $40 million in TV revenue from the Women´s World Cup in 2015, compared with the $6 million made by ESPN during the previous tournament. A packed crowd of 109,318 filled the Michigan stadium to see an exhibition game between Real Madrid and Manchester United in 2014, the largest ever crowd for a football match in the U.S.

The Fox network earned more than $40 million in TV revenue from the Women´s World Cup in 2015

The strategic hosting of the Copa America for the first time on US soil this month for the special cenenary edition may be an obvious attempt to simply increase the marketing power and exploit the higher disposable income of those in the States.

However, the opportunity to witness top players like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez compete in a serious tournament may well advance the momentum of this trend even further.

Brazil have taken away from the importance of the competition somewhat by resting players for the football event of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in the summer, but there will still be a plethora of superstars to drive interest in the games, both in terms of attendance and viewing figures.