Gus - you are on the right track…..
But - for any sport to make it big in America, it has to generate a LOT of statistics. Why? Because that is what you have to talk about if you are a hard-core fan. And - hard-core fans create the momentum for more fans and the cult of personality. WE are statistics nuts in this country. Numbers, numbers numbers.
From those stats - one can build a library of information from which talk shows can be created and the talking heads can suss out the comparisons in individuals, teams, leagues - you name it. From those stats - computers can generate odds, and bookies can take your money…..
So - stats have created industries that support the given sports that generate them. Advertising costs and seat prices can be tied to the likelihood that a given team or player will set a new record at the next game.
Statistics are EVERYTHING in the US sporting arena.
Soccer just does not "excite" the stat nuts. "1-nil" just is not much to talk about over a pint at the bar. Yardage of offense? Defense? You get the picture.
