COMMENTARY:
The World Cup by FIFA is here in North America, and an international party is happening. The World Cup is the world’s Super Bowl, which makes the U.S. Super Bowl look small in comparison. The popularity of soccer throughout the world is clearly evident to Americans as the world comes to our country. Most of this year’s World Cup matches are being played in American cities. I will use the term “soccer,” as I grew using this word for the sport, even though most of the world uses the word “football.”
Normally, I don’t watch soccer matches on television. If I am scrolling through the channels, and I see soccer, I never stop on that channel. I prefer a Seinfeld rerun. However, during the World Cup, I do watch the matches and get into the action, usually with my friends over meals or a beer.
While watching one particular match, a friend remarked to me how strange it is that we watch matches of non-American World Cup teams. That made me realize that while the matches are entertaining, what I enjoy the most is the camaraderie of hanging out with my friends enjoying a sporting event.
Watching the American team makes me feel patriotic, even if I didn’t know a single player’s name before the World Cup. Watching the Mexican national team is just as exciting, as I have many friends who are soccer fanatics of this team. Here at the U.S.-Mexico border, the day that the Mexican team plays it seems like everybody is sporting a Mexican soccer jersey of green or black.
The financial stakes of the World Cup are enormous. The money that is being injected into the U.S. by foreign and domestic fans is providing a shot in the arm to cities such as Philadelphia and Atlanta, not to mention venues across the nation. Food, lodging, travel, and souvenirs are being purchased by foreign soccer fans, many who have not visited the U.S. before. I do find the ticket prices for some of the matches outrageous. Researching the most sought-after tickets, I found that FIFA front category 1 seats at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey are selling for $33,000, and some of these premium seats are listed at more than $2 million on the secondary market. Even Standard Category seats are listed for nearly $11,000. These prices rival and even surpass tickets to the Super Bowl.
These are prices that are out of reach for most Americans. However, many will bite the bullet and shell out their cash for what could be a once in a lifetime experience. Personally, I can’t justify spending this kind of money, especially knowing that many matches end in a 0-0 tie. However, I hope I don’t have any future remorse about not attending at least one of this year’s World Cup matches.
The money that FIFA is spending on teams is also mind-boggling. This year, the World Cup is shelling out a record $871 million to qualifying teams. The winning World Cup team will get $50 million, while teams finishing last will still pocket $9 million. On average, the four dozen teams competing in the World Cup will make an average of $12.5 million. These figures are 15 percent more than FIFA paid out in the last World Cup. Furthermore, FIFA is helping subsidize the expenses of economically challenged teams from certain nations.
While this money is impressive, for the most popular players, this is peanuts. After watching Lionel Messi score three goals in Argentina’s first match, I pondered the extra money in sponsorships and endorsements he will be making. I don’t think that he will ever have to buy a drink or meal in his native country for the rest of his life. His image will be plastered not only in Argentina, but throughout the world, even after he retires.
What my most important take-away from the World Cup so far is the exposure of American culture to foreign soccer fans. Foreign visitors are experiencing southern cooking in Georgia, clam chowder in Boston, BBQ in Kansas City, and Mexican food in Dallas, Houston, and Los Angeles. There are wide-spread jokes about Scottish fans drinking the Boston region dry of beer. I can see these foreign visitors trying to make BBQ or burritos for themselves once they return back home.
The World Cup can help repair the damage that has been done to the U.S.’s relationship with allies throughout the world. Soccer fans from other countries get to interact with regular Americans and form lasting bonds and impressions. The U.S. is a country made up of immigrants from many of the countries that the foreign World Cup fans represent. This can be source of pride for both Americans and foreigners. For Americans, we get to see people of other cultures that we may have never seen in our lifetime if the World Cup had not come to the U.S.
The World Cup can also strengthen ties among us Americans. In my office, if either the U.S. or Mexico is playing anywhere near lunchtime, work stops, a potluck meal is planned, and we watch the matches on a big screen TV. I don’t consider this a loss of productivity, rather it is a chance to bond with my office mates. How many times do we get to interact with office members outside of office duties?
So, let the World Cup take the U.S. by storm. Let soccer provide us with an excuse to party and to have a good time. Let’s be proud and kind Americans and welcome the world into our home.
Jerry Pacheco is the president of the Border Industrial Association.
Jerry Pacheco's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of KRWG Public Media or NMSU.