Fringe Benefits of the World Cup

The U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, Donald Gips, just noted, "Americans have bought more tickets for the World Cup in South Africa than any other outside group." How/why did a country with a scant interest in Soccer compared to our other national sports gain such an interest in the World Cup? Partly, its because of our incredible diversity - folks in the U.S. with a heritage of Soccer in their family blood have always been huge Soccer fans - and just because they are outnumbered by Football and Baseball fans doesn't mean they have insignificant numbers, especially in our major cities. Additionally, I would suspect there is an adventurous side to the Americans who bought their tickets to South Africa this year. Post-Apartheid South Africa is an interesting place, with unique characteristics that you don't find in Europe or Asia or elsewhere. Not to mention, that next to Egypt, its about the only place on the African continent thats safe to go, and has touristy things to do. Thus, one of the fringe benefits of the World Cup will be to rekindle the warm relationship between the U.S. and South Africa - it wasn't too long ago that U.S. diplomacy helped that nation out of the mire of racism and sent them surging into modernity.