Goals galore as Premier League Summer Series a hit as fans flooded to stadiums hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite players and they were treated to much more than that. The games were captivating with many stars making on field appearances which hasn’t always been the case with top club visiting stateside in years past. The U.S. soccer fan base has shown a healthy appetite for top level soccer if the big names show up and if this past week of games serves as an indicator, the next couple years the U.S. market could be in for quite a treat.
The 2023 Premier League Summer Series hosted a small contingent of 6 Premier League Clubs across various cities on the east coast to include Philadelphia, Atlanta, Orlando, as well as Harrison, NJ and Landover, MD both just outside major markets of New York City and Washington D.C. respectively. Most notable clubs, as shown by fan turnouts, were Chelsea and Newcastle as was expected. There were also strong turnouts for each club’s fanbases of Fulham, Aston Villa, Brentford, and Brighton. While not quite the same atmosphere you would find taking in a match at Craven Cottage, the singing and banter between the clubs fanbases was playful and enjoyable.
There may have been a few skeptics wondering if fans would turn out to see glorified pre-season friendlies as fans had shown reluctance to attend in past as summer matches due to many stars still on holiday or not fit enough to feature. While each match did feature many lesser known players, there were plenty of stars on hand who delighted fans with their scintillating talent and link up play. Even with the summer heat beating down, the speed of play was much faster with many slick passing combinations bringing cheers from all supporters alike. This was a showcase that delivered in showing off each club’s technical pedigree which most U.S. based fans rarely get to see in person on a regular basis.
The matches were delightful to watch as well with several high scoring contests and even some heated exchanges between players at times which produced 20 yellow cards and even a red card for Jan Paul van Hecke of Brighton. It’s hard to say if it was from the large crowds or pressure on each of the clubs to hit the ground running for their 2023-24 campaigns, but each game was much more of an edge than in previous U.S. tours. Thirty-five goals were scored in total, averaging just over 3.88 per match. In comparison the 2022-23 Premier League Season averaged just 2.85 goals per match. With lack of scoring an often-heard complaint from other American sports fan bases, the series produced matches with 5 goals or more in roughly half of the matches. This increase in scoring may bring new fans to Premier League clubs as they open their seasons this weekend.
The Premier League has shown steady growth in popularity in the U.S. market and with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the Summer Series may become a mainstay for the near future. However, it’s not just the Premier League who has taken notice. Several leagues have taken notice of the support in the U.S. for top level sporting events, including a recently sold out Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with over 70,000 fans in attendance. In 2024 the U.S. will host the Copa America, in 2025 the FIFA Confederations Cup, and there have been many rumors circling about hosting the FIFA Club World Cup as a dry run for the lead up to the 2026 World Cup. The Premier League may have struck gold with this years Summer Series but they should be well prepared to face some strong competition in the future.
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