America's Soccer Problem

Guest: Rick Eckstein, PhD, Professor of Sociology, Villanova University When the US men’s national team missed qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, Sports Illustrated called it “\[t]he most embarrassing failure in U.S. Soccer history.” The team’s coach resigned, and there are calls for more changes at the top of the U.S. Soccer organization. But Villanova sociologist Rick Eckstein thinks that many problems with soccer in America start with our kids' teams. Youth soccer is becoming exclusive and expensive, and that is ultimately hurting the men’s national team.