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Bayer Leverkusen broke its dud by winning the Bundesliga for the first time in its history this weekend. An undefeated season under Xabi Alonso has the German outfit playing as one of the best soccer teams in the world, let alone Germany. While adding the Meisterschale is great for the club, the Bundesliga is hoping an underdog story like Bayer Leverkusen can pay dividends for the league entirely.
Much of the American criticism of the Bundesliga came from the fact that one team wins it every year. Before Bayer Leverkusen broke Bayern Munich’s hegemony, the German giants had won 11 Bundesliga titles on the spin. As a result, there was no belief as to having parity in the league. Regardless of what happened over the 34 matchdays, it was always going to be Bayern Munich. Success in 2023/24 changes that perspective, but it does not directly mean more Americans will watch in the future.
For better or worse, growing a soccer audience in the United States comes down to star power. There are established teams like Barcelona, Manchester United, Juventus, or even Borussia Dortmund that may not have the top, top players in the world, but their past successes warrant more supporters. Then, there are the teams that regularly attract the elites worldwide. Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and even PSG have courted the top players that people want to watch, so they go out of their way to watch that team or competition.
Leverkusen treble and European success would help the Bundesliga in the USA
That has been the methodology of Major League Soccer. Bringing in players like Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Wayne Rooney has brought temporary boosts in viewership for the league. This is not to say the Bundesliga and Bayer Leverkusen need better players. Anyone who watches the German top flight understands that the balance of the competition is its greatest strength. However, only Bayern Munich has players that casual…
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/will-leverkusen-title-win-help-bundesliga-growth-in-usa
Author : Kyle Fansler
Publish date : 2024-04-15 21:05:42
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