How video game is changing face of soccer

Both men were soon playing an average of three hours a day. "When we first came to school, most of us used to think soccer was a communist sport," admitted Scarborough with a smile. "Before we knew it, we were getting over tough breakups by going on nine-hour FIFA binges online."

The Alabama experience is illustrative of a quiet national revolution. Social scientist Rich Luker, the creator of the ESPN Sports Poll, recently pronounced soccer to be America's second most popular sport for those aged 18-24.