Does Soccer Exist in the US?

Yesterday was the big World Cup qualifier, USA vs. Mexico. This was a fairly important match for both teams and seeing as the two teams were are fighting for 1 of the 3 automatic bids to the World Cup next summer. Add to that the physical environment, 100,000+ crazed fans playing in the huge Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, where the USA has never won. Despite being at work I made efforts to watch this game, going to the break room to watch whenever I could.

Problem was that the game was not broadcast in English. That means I was forced to watch the game only, I wasn't able to listen to the often insightful commentators. I assume you have deduced by now that I do not speak Spanish much at all and definitely not fluently(which is what is required when you are listening to the rapid commentary provided during any sporting event, with some exceptions). I rely on ESPN, perhaps to a fault, but they were nowhere to be seen until the game was ended and they could show replays.

I don't understand where the TV coverage was for this huge game. I believed that soccer had begun a resurgence in the USA. This conclusion is drawn from the immense success of the most recent World Football Challenge among others. Apparently, some people watch soccer in the USA because ESPN recently signed a deal to televise many FA Premier League games in the upcoming season in addition to their coverage of the UEFA Champions League. This leads me to believe that somebody in the USA must be watching all this foreign soccer besides me. Yet we can't support our national team because they are not being shown in English.

I do want to show my gratitude to Telemundo because they did at least have a live telecast of the game, even if it was in a different language. I know the next qualifier, though slightly less rivalry-filled then this game, will be on ESPN perhaps I'll find out the explanation behind this decision, eventually.

M