Soccer: An American History - Part Three: Boom to Bust

Welcome back to It Was What It Was. It's the final installment of our three-part series exploring the rise and fall of the American Soccer League. Jonathan and Rob dive into internal conflicts within the ASL, the 1929 Wall Street crash, and how its devastating effects exposed the vulnerabilities of the fledgling league. But all is not lost - with another significant attempt to establish professional soccer in the U.S.... If you’re enjoying the podcast, please subscribe and consider leaving a five-star review to help others find the show. 00:00 Introduction to the Series and Bela Gutmann's Influence 01:13 The Rise of the American Soccer League (ASL) 01:51 Innovations and Controversies in American Soccer 06:23 Financial Growth and International Tensions 08:17 The Playoff System and League Complications 10:53 The Struggles of Smaller Franchises 15:06 The Breakaway and Formation of the Eastern Soccer League 17:31 Chaos and Competition Between Leagues 22:24 The Soccer War and Its Impact 23:57 The Decline of the American Soccer League 25:27 The Wall Street Crash and Its Consequences 27:20 The Struggles of Key Figures and Teams 29:36 The Final Collapse of the ASL 34:25 Analysing the Failure of Soccer in the US 38:08 Comparing US and European Sports Models 45:36 The Future of Soccer in the US 49:17 Conclusion and What's Next Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.