Growth of soccer in U.S. no threat to NFL
ratings: Fox
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[March 05, 2015]
By Steve Keating
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Soccer may be a hot
commodity in the U.S. sport market but poses no threat to the NFL, which
will remain King of the Hill for the foreseeable future, Fox Sports
president Eric Shanks said on Wednesday.
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Fox, which broadcasts NFL games, also owns U.S. television rights
to the 2018, 2022 and 2026 World Cups, the 2015 Women's World Cup
and a portfolio of domestic leagues but it is American football that
dominates its ratings.
"We are a sport crazy country and there is nothing right now that
would indicate that there is any threat to the King of the Hill
which is the NFL," Shanks said at the Sport Business Summit in
midtown Manhattan.
"Football is a uniquely American sport ... athletes will continue to
play football for a very long time in this country."
In 2011, Fox, NBC and CBS agreed to a record-smashing, nine-year,
$28 billion television rights deal with the NFL that dwarfed all
other U.S. broadcast packages.
While the NFL remains the undisputed No. 1 for the U.S.
broadcasters, soccer has made solid gains in the United States both
on and off the pitch.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Mar/05/images/ads/current/stacy_sda_121014.png) Major League Soccer continues to add new franchises and has become
an increasingly popular destination for marquee names.
The American appetite for top flight soccer has even caught the
attention of sponsors and advertisers as television ratings for
everything from Premier League to women's soccer skyrocket.
"The time is now (for soccer)," said Shanks. "This country, if you
kick around ball your ratings are up 25 percent to 50 percent ...
(there's) a lot of reasons for it.
"Access to great international competitions, the growth of our
domestic league, the success of the U.S. team. FIFA the video game
is also a big reason for it."
The growth in popularity is staggering to Shanks considering that
just three decades ago soccer was starting from "zero" in the United
States.
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Leagues have come and gone but with MLS scheduled to open its 20th
season this week it appears soccer has finally gained a solid
footing in the United States.
"As I look back, especially for this audience, 1983 was zero year
for soccer in this country. It was the year of the Cosmos and Pele
and Beckenbauer," said Shanks. "The teenagers (back) then have
teenagers of their own now. So we're really only at the beginning of
the second generation soccer in this country.
"That's why when we look at the 2011 Women's World Cup it had the
highest rate of family viewing of any event, outrating the NFL, NBA,
the Olympics, even, in terms of multi-generations watching.
"We’re really excited and clearly vesting in all aspects of soccer
in this country."
(Additional reporting by Larry Fine; Editing by Frank Pingue)
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