Many Soccer Zealots Don’t Make Novice Fans Feel Welcome

In the matter of the past month, soccer has crossed my path and continued to intrigue me. The announcement of the World Cup soccer matches coming to Philadelphia in 2026 created a huge buzz.

The Philadelphia Union unveiled their new kit. The promise of a new season dawns. The Sons of Ben sent me notice of a fundraiser that I gladly promoted on the air. They are a group of fans that understand how to grow the sport.

Soccer has seeped into my 4-for-4 fan mentality more often since I returned home. I’ve attended a few matches. I watched on local tv and then Apple TV, and I feel ready to be sucked in as a true fan. Jim Curtin sells his team and sport beautifully with us on 97.5 The Fanatic.

So many good forces at work have their efforts dampened by the zealots. It’s as if the “soccer elite” want to put up a wall and install a moat around their sport. I wonder why this is, and I never see it with other sports. NFL fans don’t feel the need to critique the novices that jumped on board during the hype around Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.

Bill was hosting his show on The Fanatic on Saturday morning from 9am-12pm. He asked, “Which Philly team will win the next championship?”

He followed up the introduction of the topic with a poll question that listed the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers, and Flyers. On cue “outraged” Philadelphia Union and soccer fans post how the flagship didn't have the Union as a poll option. Well, it would have taken minimal research to understand a poll on Twitter only allows four options to a question.

According the the captain of the USWNT Lindsey Horan, American soccer fans aren't smart and they “don’t understand the game.” She has attempted to walk back her critique in the past few days, but it’s just another PR nightmare for the Women’s program.

Instead of building a bigger tent, you alienate fans who aren’t as familiar with all of the nuance of the game.

No subject matter “deserves” coverage in a talk radio format unless it generates a large grouping of listeners. We are honored to have had Jim Curtin and players as guests on air in the past three years. There may come a time when soccer takes over, but until that time, soccer is certainly getting exposure.

If you want to build a bigger fan tent, welcome a new following of a sport. Instead of telling people what they don’t know, how about trying to make a newer fan feel welcome? It seems like a better strategy than the elitist approach employed by too many.

Tuesday night, Philadelphia had a brush with soccer greatness. Lionel Messi became the best soccer player to step onto the pitch at Subaru Park since Sebastien Le Toux (real Union fans respect the legend). A packed crowd of Union fans, unfortunately, had to see him and Inter Miami tear our team apart in the Semi-Finals of the Leagues Cup. That part sucked. But still, getting to see one of the Goats of the sport up close, even later in his career, was a treat.

In the same way, we don't mind too much getting to see Barry Bonds deposit a Jon Lieber pitch into the 3rd deck of Citizen's Bank Park, you have to appreciate the greatness of Lionel Messi. Even while his team rips our team apart by a final score of 4-1.

Messi got involved in the scoring. With Miami already up 1-0 in the 19th minute, Messi got a little bit of open space. And that little bit was too much to give the Goat. He snuck a ball past Andre Blake on the ground, to put his team up 2-0 early.

Jordi Alba made it 3-0 in stoppage time just before half-time. In the second half, Alejandro Bedoya would get the Union on the board in the 73rd minute. But David Ruiz got that goal back for Miami 10 minutes later.

The Union did not cover themselves in glory. Andre Blake had a rare bad game. They looked like they were playing scared from the start, and showing way too much respect for Messi. And it all showed on the field. That much is clear from the results. But embarrassing loss aside, we did still get to see Messi's greatness in person.