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Soccer fans seek World Cup atmosphere at Stockton Arena
Monday Jul 10, 2006
Nick Juliano
Record Staff Writer
Published Monday, Jul 10, 2006
STOCKTON - The action might have been 5,600 miles away, but the excitement was palpable Sunday in the Stockton Arena, where hundreds of soccer fans gathered to watch Italy and France face off for World Cup domination.
With every dramatic pass and scoring attempt by the French squad, Julien Savy would gasp or sometimes jump from his seat as the ABC broadcast of Sunday's game played on the arena's giant screens. Savy, who has been traveling around the United States after studying in Washington for a year, said the atmosphere Sunday didn't match the environment in his native France, but he was glad to be surrounded by other soccer fans.
"Last week, I was in San Francisco, and nobody seemed to care about the games," said Savy, who was passing through Stockton with his family on the way to Yellowstone National Park. He said someone in a coffee shop told him about the World Cup party, which was sponsored by the California Cougars indoor soccer team.
Before the game and during half-time, Cougars players tossed T-shirts and kicked miniature soccer balls into the crowd of 300 to 400 people. The arena fans seemed to favor the Italians, and the crowd erupted when Italy's final penalty kick sailed into the back of the net, clinching the team's victory after 120 minutes of play had left the game tied 1-1 and sent the squads to a shoot-out.
Some spectators also sported jerseys of the U.S., Mexican and Ecuadorean teams or of their favorite Major League Soccer stars, and dozens of children roamed the arena wearing their own youth soccer jerseys.
Although soccer is the world's most-popular sport, it has a niche audience in the United States. Organizers said they hoped Sunday's arena event would give scattered soccer fans a central place to gather with others who can enjoy the underappreciated sport.
"I just figure it's more fun to sit and yell and scream with other people," Pete Viri, 59, said as he left the arena in his bright blue Italy sweatshirt with a smile on his face.
Contact reporter Nick Juliano at (209) 546-8272 or njuliano@recordnet.com
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