The nationally televised broadcast of the US Open Cup semifinal between the LA Galaxy and FC Dallas of Major League Soccer managed to convert dozens of fans to the magic of the tournament as the game finished 2-1 for a Dallas victory in the second half of extra time.
USA Today Sports Images
"I don't know about the rest of the fans, nationwide, but I was swept up in the magic of the last few minutes that I managed to catch on television in between setting my oven for Totino's pizza rolls and finding the last Coke Zero in the back of the fridge, when I was sitting at home by myself," stated Timothy Clark of New Hope, Pennsylvania.
"I was watching the Olympics, but switching over for the final few minutes made a fan out of me provided that they continue broadcasting the tournament and somehow I'm at home when the game is on next year because honestly I didn't see any promotion leading into this and didn't have a clue that the game was going to be on ESPN last night!" stated Hannah Rast of Oberlin, Ohio.
"I was actually asleep, having nodded off at the first half, but I woke up just in time to see all the Dallas goals and it seems like it might have turned into a good game? I actually might tune in to more of the nationally televised games for the US Open Cup next year, or I might watch wrestling, it depends." stated Henry Osmaz of Brooklyn, New York.
Sources within US Soccer indicate that the ratings surpassed the modest predictions given by those involved in putting the event on television in the first place.
"We thought it would be negative numbers," stated president of USOC Distribution Rights and Office Recycling Enforcement, Anna Kaval. "But it turns out that a whopping 20 Nielsen TV households tuned into the broadcast! Just think of the bounty of new fans that are going to prop this tournament up. We actually may have to advertise the US Open Cup in the future. I mean, that's not going to happen, but it is fun to imagine that it could!"
The Nutmeg News will have more on this as US Open Cup Mania sweeps at least three households and an apartment.