Octagon Multicultural Division hosts Future of “Futbol” In America.

The past, present and future of soccer in America was the topic of a recent panel discussion sponsored by Octagon’s Multicultural division.

Exploring the topic at the event held at the Meadowlands were: Erik Stover, Managing Director, New York Red Bulls; David Wright, VP, Partnership Marketing, Soccer United Marketing; Scott Guglielmino, SVP, Programming & Global X, ESPN International; Simon Wardle, EVP, Insights & Strategy, Octagon Worldwide; Jurgen Mainka, Director of Marketing & Communications, 2018/2022 USA World Cup Bid Committee. The discussion was moderated by noted sportscaster Fernando Fiore.

Some 50 guests, including both corporations and agencies involved activating soccer sponsorships, attended the event which culminated in a special reception and a soccer match featuring the USA vs. Brazil.

The panel reached an optimistic, consensus point of view on the state of soccer in the U.S. and its potential for growth. The increasing Hispanic demographic, the US National Team’s performance at the 2010 World Cup, and ESPN’s strong media commitment in the sport were all cited as indicators that the sport is here to stay. According to Octagon’s Multicultural Group Director, Matt Neidl, “It used to be that soccer was mostly seen by sponsors as an efficient tool for targeting the U.S. Hispanic. Now, the success of the 2010 World Cup has forced brands to re-thinking the use of this platform as one to target the mainstream sports fan, not just Hispanics. We are seeing media outlets like ESPN ‘take that risk’ of increasing their coverage of the sport and investing heavily on other soccer platform such as the EPL and the MLS”.

Octagon’s Executive Vice President for Insights & Strategy, Simon Wardle, said his firm’s research into what drive the passions of U.S. soccer fans, finds that the emotional connections that USA soccer fans have to the sport is more grounded in their own personal experience playing the game while growing up.

“Historically, the lack of coverage in the media resulted in this “active appreciation” participation-based factor being a dominant drive of U.S. soccer fans’ passions, Wardle said. He explained that the increasing coverage of the sport, as evidenced by ESPN’s robust broadcast of the recent FIFA World Cup 2010, is beginning to enhance the role of other drivers of fan passion for the sport. “This especially can be seen in the all-consuming, “eustress,” the combination of euphoria and stress that describes Americans’ relationship to their beloved Team USA,” Wardle said.

Another topic of discussion was the growth of the MLS and what the league is doing to target those avid soccer fans that follow leagues from England, Spain and Argentina, but have been reluctant to supporting the domestic game. Neidl mentioned the NY Red Bulls as an organization is taking the right steps in targeting the avid soccer fan in the Tri-State area. “The arrival of Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez has successfully sent that message to fans that they are focused on performance and results on the field. Meanwhile, the Red Bull Arena provides fans with an atmosphere that they would otherwise only get at a stadium in Europe or South America. This is a prime example of an organization that ‘gets it’ and is helping grow interest in the sport here in New York,” Neidl said.