Imo, this is about American greed spreading eastwards rather than exporting 'soccer' over to where our forefathers landed 400 years ago.
American sports, are on the whole insular to the continent of North America and Canada (a sweeping generalisation, but you get what I mean), the demand to American sports operators is to enhance the reputation of their sports globally.
I understand that in small pockets on the world map, American sports are massive - Basketball in China, Baseball in Japan, but the power to generate large financial revenues comes from the rich states of Europe where sport for many is an all-consuming passion, where currently soccer is the major player.
For me, this meeting is just another desperate step by the US Media networks to try and crack Europe. But, BHB, I think our game is in safe-ish hands. We've had NFL Europe for some years now, and that's about as popular as some one rubbing shit into your face. Basketball is popular, but it doesn't fight for our affections the way soccer does. There are very few provisions for Ice Hockey players in the UK (certainly not enough to make it a national sport), and have cricket instead of Baseball.
Because, you see, it all comes down to education. We are taught sports like rugby and football and cricket in school, and the only American sport we play is a little bit of basketball when the tennis courts are flooded. We understand the rules of the games we play, the Americans likewise.
These fins gentlemen can do all they like to 'monitor our viewing habits' and pretend that they're all about social and economic development, but in Europe they will continue to struggle like they have done for the last 30 years.
It's the reason why the baseball is stuck on Five with viewing figures in the low hundred thousands, and the Premiership matches are watched by, well, everyone.
For the CEO's of those multinational conglomerates soccer is the curates egg - it has the potential to be so lucrative for them, however it's equilibrium is so finely tuned that any small change will cause huge upheavals.
If they push the European fans away they push away the biggest source of money, and if they did, there sure as hell aren't enough fans in the US to keep them in Bentleys and racehorses.
****Postscript******************
If this is in anyway soothing for you let it be so:
I'm a journalist and was thinking about going to work in the states for a couple of years. At the interview I did a voice test.
After it they said - Wow, good media voice. But we have a problem?
What's that I said?
We really need soccer professionals for this?
I said that I've worked in football for five years blah blah blah
And they turned to me and said, ah but that's not soccer is it - the advert specifically said soccer.......... Heaven help us all.
