When will Jacksonville kick through?

When it comes to soccer the First Coast only had one chance to make a first impression. Though it passed the test, as far as hosting U.S. soccer matches, it appears the area may be overlooked when it comes to joining the rotation of cities the U.S. Soccer Federation routinely uses to host marquee matches.

A June 16 article in the New York Times confirmed what I suspected when it comes to preferring certain areas of the country, areas without large minority populations, for big matches.

Unlike the five other teams the Americans are fighting for a place at next summer’s World Cup there is not a designated stadium for soccer. There is not a designated stadium or arena for any sport in this country, but that’s another issue.

United Stats Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati told the Times "it immediately becomes obvious that it doesn't make much sense" for soccer to be the first sport to break that trend.

“Gulati listed a few of the basic obstacles, including erratic weather patterns, differing needs in terms of the size of the stadium and concerns about ensuring a crowd that is pro-United States against certain opponents. He also noted that ‘we’re in the business of promoting the game’ in the United States, which is a task surely helped by the national team’s barnstorming persona.”

There are mitigating circumstances for the crowds at US men’s national team games such as opponent, location and date. For instance every January the US plays a friendly with a B-squad of players against a middling opponent such as Denmark, Canada and Chile. The draw for that match is typically lower than World Cup qualifiers, and contests against marquee teams.

Despite some of those circumstances weighing against Jacksonville 13 months ago the city still attracted 44,000 people for a friendly against Scotland. Yet, the city that drew the biggest crowd to witness a US men’s national team match in Florida has yet to be rewarded with another match.

The Scotland match on May 26, 2012 was the 19^th time in the last 11 years U.S. soccer has drawn 40,000 fans to a match on American soil. In all, it’s been done 22 times, in the past 11 years, including a June 11 World Cup qualifier in Seattle.

The biggest crowd during that period was the 93,420 who filled the Rose Bowl two years ago when the U.S. lost to Mexico in the Gold Cup final. Not everyone was happy about the fact an estimated 70 percent of those in attendance rooted against the stars and stripes.

Why 11 years, instead of a more even number?  Simple, FIFA mandates all stadia that host World Cup games have a capacity of at least 40,000.  Also, on June 17, 2002 the U.S clinched a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals.

Since that historic victory over Mexico at the 2002 World Cup the biggest soccer crowds in this country have been friendlies against some of the world’s elite teams, knock-out games in the CONCACAF Gold Cup or contests against Mexico. These games have been in larger metropolitan areas whether it’s greater Washington, E. Rutherford, N.J. Chicago, Houston and Pasadena, Calif.

Two cities that are surprisingly on that list of locales to attract 40,000 for a USMNT match: Jacksonville and Salt Lake City. It’s the latter that will host tonight’s big World Cup qualifier against Honduras — the game is in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City.

Jacksonville mayor Alvin Brown has been quoted by local media expressing his interest in attracting more soccer to this area. Whether it’s of the club or international variety remains to be seen. Besides, if Brown, or anyone in Northeast Florida needed a closing point they could mention the U.S. men’s national team is undefeated in four games (3-0-1) in Northeast Florida.