I'm thinking about making a TL based on the growth of soccer into a major sport in the U.S., with the POD being that the battles between USSF and the ASL and FIFA between 1924 and 1930 were settled in a way that didn't make people think that soccer was a sport where the rules came from on high by Europeans. I'm trying to think of some things that might turn into major butterflies, to either prevent or run with them, and would like y'all's suggestions before I write.
Possible butterflies:
Would the USSF standing up to FIFA when FIFA was still very young, lead to more countries bucking FIFA, or maybe even FIFA breaking?
Would a more important soccer lead to a more powerful NFL? As both sports could share stadiums without making the ugly cookie cutter bowls of the 60's, soccer owners might also consider getting into the business of football.
Would integration happen before the 1970's, and would America ever be a place where it's black players wanted to play? The Negro leagues were big because no one else wanted to play baseball, but black soccer players could play in a number of places, most notable for the TL in an more progressive Brazil for teams like Vasco da Gama. 50 years of the best black players heading south could lead to it being an unbreakable tradition.
Expansion and Relegation: Even baseball was only had 16-20 teams until the 60's when better air travel led to an explosion of teams. The NASL expansion moved up a few years could take that place, but how would so many teams form a league?
Possible butterflies:
Would the USSF standing up to FIFA when FIFA was still very young, lead to more countries bucking FIFA, or maybe even FIFA breaking?
Would a more important soccer lead to a more powerful NFL? As both sports could share stadiums without making the ugly cookie cutter bowls of the 60's, soccer owners might also consider getting into the business of football.
Would integration happen before the 1970's, and would America ever be a place where it's black players wanted to play? The Negro leagues were big because no one else wanted to play baseball, but black soccer players could play in a number of places, most notable for the TL in an more progressive Brazil for teams like Vasco da Gama. 50 years of the best black players heading south could lead to it being an unbreakable tradition.
Expansion and Relegation: Even baseball was only had 16-20 teams until the 60's when better air travel led to an explosion of teams. The NASL expansion moved up a few years could take that place, but how would so many teams form a league?