Just a bunch of Yanks...

By Dan Stelly

As an aspiring journalist and passionate soccer fan/player, I’m always looking at how networks and media groups are covering soccer in the United States. Soccer’s come a long way in America, especially following the introduction of the MLS (America’s professional soccer league) in 1996 and ESPN’s coverage of European games as well as recent World Cups. While it’s clear that soccer is here to stay, the future of soccer coverage and its impact on the game’s popularity is unclear.

The biggest debate right now concerns “the Americanization” of soccer, or making it more appealing to us uncultured, pigskin-loving Americans. American announcers and analysts have had a growing presence in soccer coverage, including both domestic and international games. However, many believe that the quality of American commentary and analysis is far below that of their British and European counterparts. Unfortunately, I almost always tend to agree. Americans simply cannot announce soccer matches without making me cringe.

The contingent of die-hard soccer fans feels the same way, especially since we’re spoiled with the current coverage of American soccer. ESPN, Fox Soccer Channel, and NBC Sports Network (the three biggest soccer networks in the States) almost exclusively use British commentators. There are a few Americans in the mix, but they have more studio roles as analysts. Not that the networks haven’t tried using purely American commentators before—for the 2006 World Cup, ESPN used an American team for nearly every game. The reviews of the commentators were disastrous, and rightly so. Compared to British commentators, Americans lack a deep knowledge of the game, subtlety, eloquence, pacing, and the classic understatement that makes the British so great.

For example, here’s my favorite video featuring hilarious American soccer commentary:

“RELEASE THE KRAKEN!”

Compare that with this, one of the greatest soccer calls of all time from British commentator Ian Darke (who is currently the face of US soccer commentary). It certainly helped that this was the goal that put the United States into the next round of the 2010 World Cup. Also note the awkwardness of the American color commentator. Darke thankfully picks up the slack

Overall, I think that American commentators have a lot of catching up to do if they want to reach the level of British and European announcers and analysts. It won’t happen overnight; soccer’s just starting to reach a new level of popularity in the United States. There’s a fine line between giving the die-hard soccer fans the British commentary we consider standard, and using American commentators who might be able to attract new viewers. Right now, American announcers don’t have the experience and cultural knowledge of soccer that makes the British commentary seem so natural and effortless. I can’t help but feel awkward while listening to an American announcer bumble his way through a match.

Next year, NBC Sports Network will control rights to the English Premier League (the world’s most popular professional league) and the American MLS, effectively making them the top soccer channel in the US. It will be interesting to see if they hold onto the British announcers or try to introduce a little American flavor to the commentary booth. Although I always like to see new American soccer fans, I’d rather have a trusted British voice guiding me through the game rather than an awkward American.