On Tuesday night at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, the United States Men’s National Team will take on Costa Rica in Group A action at the Copa America Centenario. The game is hugely important for both teams: if Costa Rica are victorious, they will be sitting on four points in the group, and will have a terrific chance of advancing on to the quarterfinals. If they lose, they’ll be all but eliminated since they’ll have a solitary point heading into a match against Colombia. Meanwhile, the Americans could be eliminated, should they lose to Los Ticos and Colombia beat Paraguay later in the evening at the Rose Bowl. A point from the match would leave the US on the brink while a victory would give them a terrific chance at advancing.
Progress important for USMNT, US Soccer as a whole
Should the US lose and be eliminated, it would be hugely disappointing. The host nation have a strong squad, stronger than they’ve had in a while. Though they’ve been drawn in a difficult group, they tend to regard themselves as being better than both Costa Rica and Paraguay and came into the tournament fully expecting to advance. However, it wouldn’t merely be disappointing for the current crop of American players—no, it would be a colossal disappointment for US Soccer as a whole.
The Copa America Centenario is the biggest international tournament to come to the United States since the 1994 World Cup. However, it has failed to attract the collective attention of the nation’s sporting audience. Stadiums haven’t been selling out, due in part to the absurdly high ticket prices. Television ratings have been rather disappointing, and the rest of the country has been far more focused on the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals. If this tournament is attracting attention on SportsCenter, it is playing third fiddle. If the USMNT are eliminated from the tournament that limited media coverage will evaporate.
However, if they manage to move on they have a unique opportunity. The Pittsburgh Penguins currently lead the Stanley Cup Finals 3-1 and have a home game coming up on Thursday, where they will hope to clinch another title. The Golden State Warriors have comprehensively beaten the Cleveland Cavaliers in Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals and have all the momentum heading to Cleveland. If Pittsburgh closes out on Thursday and Golden State manages to win in five or six games, both of those sucks on media coverage will be done with. That will leave a massive vacuum in televised sports, with lots of newspaper column inches begging for something to be filled with. Then, the Copa America can step in, just as it is beginning its knockout stage.
Unique opportunity
Every four years, the United States focuses on soccer like it never does at any other point in time. During a World Cup, soccer is the #1 sport in terms of coverage. The rest of the time, it is relegated to the status of a second tier sport, stuck behind the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and college football and basketball. However, should the USMNT manage to make it out of Group A, then they’ll suddenly become the biggest sports story in the country. If Golden State beat Cleveland in six games, and the USMNT finish second in Group A, which seems the most likely outcome given that Colombia probably won’t drop points, Jurgen Klinsmann’s men would play their Quarterfinal against the Group A winner the day after the NBA Finals comes to a close.
For a second, imagine that. The United States Men’s National Team travels to the epicenter of media largesse, New York City, to do battle with Brazil, the likely winners of Group B, and the sports media of the United States have nothing else to cover! Brazil, still the greatest show on turf, still the greatest sight in soccer soaring up and down a brilliant green pitch in their vibrant, canary yellow tops. And, they’re below strength. No Neymar, no Marcelo, a defense that doesn’t seem to have the togetherness required to win a major tournament, and an offense that doesn’t know where its goals are coming from. Make no bones about it, there are holes in this US team. But, they may not have a better opportunity to beat Brazil for quite some time.
Of course, that could well not come to pass. Ecuador could top Group B, the USMNT could manage a miraculous turnaround and finish at the top of Group A. Worst of all, the United States could fail to progress. What a shame that would be, given how fantastic of an opportunity this is for them.
Soccer in this country is in desperate need of an enthusiasm transfusion. The honeymoon period which followed the World Cup two summers ago has worn off, and the USMNT are struggling to draw friendly crowds. Brazil 2014 was a special situation because it offered a World Cup that could be broadcast on primetime. Russia will not be like that; just as with the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, it will be shown early in the morning or extremely late at night, depending on one’s time zone. Four years later, Qatar (assuming it goes ahead) will be a similar case. The Copa America is the best chance for top-level soccer to be shown to an American audience for the next decade. For it to continue receiving coverage, the United States Men’s National Team must deliver.
Whether or not they do will be seen on Tuesday night.