Everywhere and nowhere: the forgotten past and clouded future of American professional soccer from the perspective of Massachusetts☆

Abstract

Professional soccer in the USA enjoyed several moments of popularity throughout the twentieth century. Professional soccer leagues were founded, some as early as the 1890s. In spite of that, the sport has never caught fire at the professional level. Soccer leagues have not only been in the shadow of baseball, football, basketball and, most recently, ice hockey, but with the exception of Major League Soccer, a newcomer on the mainstream sporting scene, all of them have folded within a couple of decades. This essay provides insight as to why professional soccer has failed to attain the status of a major American sport. It also analyses the development of professional soccer in the USA through the scope of immigration and from the perspective of Massachusetts.