Manchester United begins US assault

By David Willis BBC correspondent in Seattle

Near the main entrance to Seattle's Seahawks stadium a young Baptist minister stood holding a placard. 'Soccer nuts - Fornicators - Repent!' it declared.

A young man in a red jersey stopped to ask the meaning. "It's all about worshipping false Gods," the minister replied.

"Well you're whistling in the wind here, pal," the passer-by replied, heading off in the direction of the hot dog stall.

Almost 67,000 soccer fans filled the Seattle stadium

So it proved, as a sea of red shirts streamed into Seattle's port district, chanting, singing, turning the warehouse-lined streets into a fiesta.

"Not since the United States shook off its colonial governors in the War of Independence has such a formidable British force been poised to invade the American market," wrote one American sports columnist.

That certainly is United's hope.

The world's most famous soccer club has just one key market left to conquer in its quest for global domination.

America is truly the 'final frontier'.

The club is hoping its two-week, four-game American tour will delight existing fans and broaden its appeal among those who think sport begins and ends with baseball.

But more than that, its directors are scrutinising ways of capitalising on this highly lucrative and as yet untapped marketplace - one that has yet to be bombarded with pencils and mugs and t-shirts and tea-towels all bearing the famous red crest.

Enthusiasm

Judging by the hyperbolic coverage its presence here has already generated, United's efforts have got off to a good start.

"Manchester United are to soccer around the world what the New York Yankees are to baseball, the Los Angeles Lakers are to basketball and the Dallas Cowboys are to American football," said one commentator, roll-calling a who's who of American sport.

Ticket sales for last night's game certainly reflected such enthusiasm.

Nearly 67,000 packed the Seahawks stadium, the highest attendance in its history.

With games in Los Angeles, New Jersey and Philadelphia still to come, the question is: will the party last - or is this destined to be just a summer fling?

Four million Americans regularly watch their games on satellite TV - a loyal fan base, but hardly earth-shattering given the huge population here.

North America remains a soccer backwater, and many agree it will take years - and possibly even generations - for that to change.

'United are awesome'

The future - if there is one - lies with teenagers such as Jason Harris and his friend Santiago Peralta.

They had travelled three hours on a plane from Arizona just to see United play.

Despite the absence of their hero David Beckham they were impressed.

"Four-nil - what a game!" said Jason, 15.

"United are awesome."

Both boys play in their school soccer team, and believe the sport is growing in popularity.

"Eventually we'll have a team to match the Europeans and the South Americans," said Santiago, who is also 15 and was born in Argentina.

"Just you wait and see."

As Jason's parents steered them towards their hotel, the Baptist minister was packing up his placards on the street outside the stadium.

If Man U succeed in conquering football's final frontier, one day he may have far greater cause for concern.