“Obvious reason is you can’t play it in the back yard.”
I recall an SNL skit (I think it was SNL) but someone said hockey would never be as popular as soccer because it wasn’t “American”. LOL
I think there is a lot of truth in your statement from one standpoint. When I was young “soccer” was a laughingstock. No kid ever admitted to liking soccer for fear of ridicule. It was a “pansy” sport.
Then in the 1970’s youth soccer leagues began showing up and exposure grew. Kids were taught the game at schools started wearing Pele jerseys and acceptance grew. I happen to think it was largely because kids “could” play it in their backyards, parks or almost anywhere. They began to understand the game and realized it was fun.
To this day I don’t really understand either game rulewise but I understand hockey a bit more as I followed the Hurricanes feverishly in 2006 to winning the Cup.
Still, I feel if every backyard or park in America had a ice rink like they do a basketball hoop, it would be far more popular.
The irony is back in the 70s, if you watched any soccer match, it was a rough game. Things that would get a straight red card today, weren't even called as fouls.