Soccer has been a big part of the Central Valley, and the admiration for the sport has hit an all-time high with the introduction of the professional soccer club, Fresno FC.
In March, during Fresno FC’s opening night against the Las Vegas Lights at Chukchansi Park, the team brought in a record-setting attendance of nearly 8,000 fans, and this number is expected to grow.
There are also more children playing the sport in the U.S. As of 2012, more than 30 percent of American households had someone who played soccer, making it second only to baseball.
Soccer is also creating a new fan base.