Is soccer a 'second-class' sport in the U.S.?

According to the National Sporting Goods Association, 13.5 million individuals over the age of 7 played soccer in 2010. While this number is certainly not low, many say that the sport isn't as popular as it is in other parts of the world.

"The level of soccer has picked up," Alain Maca, a retired soccer player and first person drafted by the North American Soccer league, told BigAppleSoccer.com. "What hasn't changed is my perspective is that soccer is still a second-class sport in this country. It still takes a backseat to baseball, basketball and football. It's a second-tier sport like hockey and lacrosse. It has its niche, but it still doesn't have that feeling that the rest of the world feels about soccer."

The reasons why the sport isn't as popular may be due to the fact that professional soccer teams have failed to draw large crowds.

However, those who play soccer say they can't understand why more people aren't passionate about the sport, which is a great form of cardiovascular exercise and offers players other benefits including increased concentration and learning sportsmanship, all with minimal equipment.

Those who want to play soccer need gear including cleats, shin guards, a soccer ball and a net. These items can often be purchased at stores that specialize in selling secondhand sporting goods to help keep costs low.