The American psychologist Abraham Maslow has his theory about the hierarchy of needs of a human being, but when it comes to soccer fans in the United States, our needs are quite different. In fact, according to a new scientific study of soccer fans, we consider winning a World Cup to be more important than marriage.
In the study commissioned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, he describes the growing passion for soccer in the United States. Featuring the country’s multicultural habits, the report broke down Hispanic and non-Hispanic viewing habits and overall enjoyment of the sport.
The importance of winning the World Cup
However, one of the most salient things revealed in the report comes down to how Hispanic audiences value a potential World Cup victory. Remember, no team in North America has ever won a World Cup. Only eight countries in Europe and South America claim that honor.
Perhaps that only adds to the thrill of the elusive honor.
Telemundo’s report asked ‘enthusiasts’ what top moments they would put in the top three moments of their lives. This metric does not measure what IS the most important thing in their lives, only what is in the top three.
In the end, 38% of those surveyed said that ‘your country winning the World Cup’ would be among the three most important moments of their lives. Surprisingly, this ranked higher than getting your dream job, buying a car, or even getting married. The only thing that beats your country winning the World Cup is the birth of a child.
Major Life Events Among Hispanic Enthusiasts:
Life eventHispanic soccer enthusiastsBirth of their son43%Your country winning the World Cup38%Getting your dream job36%Getting married34%Buying a car24%
The fact that winning the World Cup is more important than marriage is just one of many revealing findings in the report. In another example of an interesting fact, Telemundo, which is broadcasting games in Spanish at the upcoming 2022 World Cup, revealed scans showing that watching games in Spanish excites viewers more than watching the same game in English.
The goal of The Future is Fútbol is to define and characterize the fundamental change in the importance of soccer in major American sports and the role that Latinos play in this economic, cultural and media phenomenon. The Future Is Fútbol report is based on primary and secondary research and data collection, including quantitative surveys and a groundbreaking neuroscience study among bilingual Hispanics.
The quantitative phase consisted of a national survey conducted among World Cup viewers aged 16 and over using a hybrid online and in-person intercept sampling frame to ensure representation of the hard-to-reach population. The sample consisted of 1,351 completed interviews among 967 Latinos and 384 non-Latinos, representative of soccer fans in the US. Estimates of soccer fanaticism and World Cup viewing were derived from a national assessment prior to the poll. The field work was carried out in February 2022.
In the neuroscience study conducted by the firm Neuro-Insight, fluent Latino bilinguals were targeted because they could watch the game in Spanish or English. This study measured activity in different brain regions responsible for guiding viewing behavior. Metrics included wanting to watch certain content longer and feeling strong emotions during the experience.
Additional reporting by Christopher Harris
