David Beckham at Colorado – Photo: Getty/Steve Dykes

Of course, the debate continues about why Americans seem always to resist the world’s game.

In this week’s installment of the continuing conversation, Marty Mercado over at football.co.uk writes passionately about what we in the States are missing:

Moans are heard in Milan, Melbourne, and Moscow as an opportunity for a goal is missed. Liverpool, Lyon and Lisbon sing songs of victory as the final whistle is blown while Athens, Adelaide, and Aberdeen groan in defeat. Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Portland, however, remain silent. Not a peep is heard in Memphis, Miami, or Minneapolis. As the world watches twenty-two of the world’s greatest athletes partake of the “beautiful game” that is football, Americans refuse to pay any attention to another boring soccer game.

This is all true but what many soccer lovers forget is that Americans do care deeply about sports, it’s just the sport they’re moaning or cheering about is not soccer. Talk to a committed member of Red Sox nation, or a long-suffering New York Knicks fan: they’ll match their love/madness with the best soccer fan.

Mercado tries to figure out why it is Americans have taken to soccer. He’s got an interesting theory:

Soccer has never been a big sport in American culture and there seems to be a genuine dislike from most Americans towards the sport. This is because soccer is seen by Americans as a sport that stands for four things that they dislike: absence of big business, an overabundance of foreigners, homosexuals, and a lack of initiative.

Chelsea celebrates its victory over Arsenal

A bit contemptuous don’t you think? America – the country of immigrants. With its own smoldering – if most often underground -contempt for the very, very wealthy. If they were so beloved, would they have to live in fortified gated communities? Let’s give homophobia to Mercado.

Now maybe I’m missing something but isn’t Manchester United a shining example of big, big business. 330 million supporters worldwide, 5% of the world’s population, the second richest sports club.

Mercado does have another reasons that is a bit more compelling: the lack of opportunity for TV advertisers to peddle their wares. Every major sport that’s broadcast here in the States provides ample time for advertisers. The leagues have bent over backwards to transform the games to create TV timeouts to sell. If you’ve ever gone to the stadium to see a professional football game, you are treated to agonizing stoppages to allow the TV audience to see commercials they would love to skip. No wonder sports fans by the droves have become addicted to their TIVOs and digital video recorders – record the show, wait a half-hour or forty-five minutes after kickoff and watch your recorded version while blessedly missing the ads.

What works for baseball, football, and basketball just won’t work for soccer. You’d have to destroy to game to exploit it.
Given this dilemma, Beckham was worth a shot. When in doubt, use hype and celebrity. Unfortunately, Britney isn’t good enough and doesn’t seem to care. But Beckham, although lower on the radar than Brintey, is nevertheless a star, and U.S. sports teams have a history of throwing money at players. Witness the New York Knicks who have wasted a fortune assembling a team that just seems to get worse.

Beckham’s 100th cap vs. France

My guess is there is just no short-term answer. With time – and I may be talking decades – young Americans who play and love soccer will share their passion with others. In the meantime, let’s hope Beckham can help L.A. win.