The U.S. could advance to the knockout rounds of the World Cup today in its final group stage match against Germany at noon ET, and coach Jurgen Klinsmann "has penned a personal 'get-out-of-work' free letter" for American fans. Klinsmann tweeted out the letter, which is "supposed to be filled out and given to employers." It reads in part, "I understand that this absence may reduce the productivity of your workplace but I can assure you that it is for an important cause" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/26).
Today's match "could be a milestone for live streaming" due to the combination of "U.S. fans' surging interest in the country's World Cup fortunes, and the surging comfort level with watching games online and on mobile" (AP, 6/25). AD AGE offers an aggregated look at how "agencies, marketers and media companies are (mostly) watching the game" (ADAGE.com, 6/26).
USA TODAY features two stories about the growth of soccer's popularity in the U.S.: one an editorial and the other by Nate Scott, who writes, "It’s time to stop pretending there are only four 'major' American sports." But the WALL STREET JOURNAL's Gerald Eskenazi writes under the header, "Get Ready For The Soccermania Letdown." WASHINGTONPOST.com runs a wide-ranging Q&A with U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati, and the L.A. TIMES examines the surging U.S. TV ratings for the '14 tournament.
