In this episode of It Was What It Was, Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson dive into the early history of soccer in the United States.

They look at efforts to establish professional leagues, the influence of immigrant communities, and the geographic and cultural factors that made it difficult for football to gain a foothold - compared to rival American sports.

This episode is the first of a three-part series. Join us on Friday as the story continues!

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to American Soccer

01:08 Early History of Soccer in the USA

02:00 Challenges and Attempts to Establish Soccer

02:38 Soccer's Struggle for Popularity

06:06 The Role of Universities in American Football

17:16 Immigrant Influence on American Soccer

17:43 Regional Hotbeds of Soccer

24:18 Formation of Early Soccer Leagues

27:43 The Rise of Fall River and Early American Football

28:31 Economic Challenges and League Suspensions

29:18 Comparing Football Cultures: UK vs. US

33:11 Baseball's Influence on Early American Soccer

38:53 The Birth of the US Football Association

41:36 Challenges and Growth of Early US Soccer

46:52 Bethlehem Steel and the Industrial Influence

51:01 The Challenge Cup and Regional Rivalries

52:09 Concluding Thoughts and Future Prospects

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