Man United Finds Its Way On to HBO's Entourage

Was tonight’s episode of Entourage, the hippest show on HBO, the tipping point for soccer in the American mainstream? For those of you who missed it, lead character Vincent Chase walks into Dennis Hopper’s house and what is everyone watching but no less than a Manchester United against Blackburn Rovers match on TV. The scene centered around Hopper and his buddies placing a million dollar bet on the match with Blackburn winning one nil and Ruud van Nistelrooy missing a penalty for the Red Devils in the last minute.

While the video footage was dated and the scriptwriters evidently didn’t know the difference between extra time and “overtime,” having soccer be a significant part of the script for the hugely successful Entourage show is a massive coup for soccer in the States. Will it change anything overnight? Far from it, but it’ll certainly add to the coolness factor.