"International media often focuses on political conflict and controversy," says Fu. "Visitors are encountering something different when they arrive.
They are meeting ordinary Americans: restaurant servers, hotel employees, retail workers and complete strangers who hold doors open, offer directions or initiate conversations.
Those daily interactions often leave a stronger impression than political narratives."
Sociologists observe that the global appreciation of American consumer culture has offered domestic residents a unique reason to express national pride amidst ongoing political divisions and a low presidential approval rating.
Douglas Hartmann, a professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota, explained that accessible culture is serving as a unifying point for divided citizens ahead of the upcoming Independence Day celebrations.
"Those are not high-end places – they’re accessible to lots of Americans, so in a sense, that feels unified," says Hartmann.
"There’s a kind of ambivalence or sadness about not being able to celebrate the country, especially with the 4th of July and the 250th anniversary.
But seeing how people from other parts of the world are celebrating American culture, it’s giving a lot of Americans permission to be patriotic."
Hartmann also noted that the sentiment could change if the current administration attempts to politicize the positive social media reception when the president attends the final match.
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"This is something to celebrate about American culture that’s separate from Trump," Hartmann says. "But if politics were to get involved, it would likely make it less fun.
