It Was What It Was
Soccer: An American History - Part One: Origins and Challenges
Published: 18 March 2025 at 05:00 Europe/London
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Episode notes
In this episode of It Was What It Was, Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson dive into the early history of soccer in the United States.
They look at efforts to establish professional leagues, the influence of immigrant communities, and the geographic and cultural factors that made it difficult for football to gain a foothold - compared to rival American sports.
This episode is the first of a three-part series. Join us on Friday as the story continues!
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to American Soccer
01:08 Early History of Soccer in the USA
02:00 Challenges and Attempts to Establish Soccer
02:38 Soccer's Struggle for Popularity
06:06 The Role of Universities in American Football
17:16 Immigrant Influence on American Soccer
17:43 Regional Hotbeds of Soccer
24:18 Formation of Early Soccer Leagues
27:43 The Rise of Fall River and Early American Football
28:31 Economic Challenges and League Suspensions
29:18 Comparing Football Cultures: UK vs. US
33:11 Baseball's Influence on Early American Soccer
38:53 The Birth of the US Football Association
41:36 Challenges and Growth of Early US Soccer
46:52 Bethlehem Steel and the Industrial Influence
51:01 The Challenge Cup and Regional Rivalries
52:09 Concluding Thoughts and Future Prospects
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