The Soccer Thread

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/01/33/74/55/b8usae.pdf

 

I skimmed over this thing and I can't believe Chicago was passed over for Kansas City. Miami and San Diego's stadiums are dumps too. Soldier Field isn't great but at least its fairly new.

 

What was the main reason, I remember hearing something but forget what it was.

 

Soldier Field is too small and received bad reviews for site lines after some international game that was held there.

 

They are touting US facilities average capacity is 76,000, Soldier Field is something in the low 60,000s.

[Jon]

Since they were too caught up in the 2016 Olympics bid, they didn't do much to work with US Soccer. There are some issues with the playing surface, among other things, but nothing some money can't fix. Capacity is a hurdle that they'd be able to overcome, most likely. If Chicago wants it later on, hopefully they'll be able to get added.

 

It looks like the announcement is at 9 AM central tomorrow. Is that correct?

 

EDIT: Well, ESPN's release says they'll have the announcement and reactions on SportsCenter starting at 8 AM central. ESPN3 will have coverage of the press conference starting at 9 AM central. Not sure.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://deadspin.com/5703351/gary-lineker-pooped-himself-during-a-world-cup-match

 

I'd rather Soldier Field not be involved if there is a chance of some limey bastard rubbing his backside all over the turf.

[wolf stansson]

Think about it this way with Chicago. If we get the bid, which we probably won't, they will need to find a way to increase capacity and improve field turf. This is something the Bears need to fix anyway. Most cities preparing for the World Cup have to build brand new stadiums from the ground up. A relatively short renovation shouldn't be a big issue, certainly not a big enough issue to take maybe the most tourist friendly and soccer mad cities in the country off the host list.

[jersey cubs fan]

Think about it this way with Chicago. If we get the bid, which we probably won't, they will need to find a way to increase capacity and improve field turf. This is something the Bears need to fix anyway. Most cities preparing for the World Cup have to build brand new stadiums from the ground up. A relatively short renovation shouldn't be a big issue, certainly not a big enough issue to take maybe the most tourist friendly and soccer mad cities in the country off the host list.

 

I think it would be extremely difficult to increase capacity at Soldier Field. Also, it's not owned by the Bears. They can't really do anything. The Park District has offered to go to fake turf, but the Bears don't want that and FIFA doesn't accept it either, correct?

[shnsajax]

Think about it this way with Chicago. If we get the bid, which we probably won't, they will need to find a way to increase capacity and improve field turf. This is something the Bears need to fix anyway. Most cities preparing for the World Cup have to build brand new stadiums from the ground up. A relatively short renovation shouldn't be a big issue, certainly not a big enough issue to take maybe the most tourist friendly and soccer mad cities in the country off the host list.

 

I'm not feeling too good about the bid at all. This Qatar [expletive] is ridiculous, Australia won't bother me at all though. Before SA England and the US were both heavy favorites and neither will probably win.

[USSoccer]

Ownership of the facility won't be a hurdle to expanding capacity. It's the city that would benefit from being a host site, not the Bears. It's millions in tourist dollars and economic help and free advertising for the city itself. If we win the bid, the city would be colossally stupid not to. Basically, if the city wants to be a host, it'll end up happening, considering Soccer House is based here.

 

Wolf, why pesssimistic about the bid?

[jersey cubs fan]

Ownership of the facility won't be a hurdle to expanding capacity. It's the city that would benefit from being a host site, not the Bears. It's millions in tourist dollars and economic help and free advertising for the city itself. If we win the bid, the city would be colossally stupid not to. Basically, if the city wants to be a host, it'll end up happening, considering Soccer House is based here.

 

Wolf, why pesssimistic about the bid?

 

My point on ownership was in relation to the note about the Bears needing to fix things. Also, the reason the capacity is so low is because they decided to build it inside the existing structure. It's very tight in there and not much they can do to add substantial seats.

[USSoccer]

Ownership of the facility won't be a hurdle to expanding capacity. It's the city that would benefit from being a host site, not the Bears. It's millions in tourist dollars and economic help and free advertising for the city itself. If we win the bid, the city would be colossally stupid not to. Basically, if the city wants to be a host, it'll end up happening, considering Soccer House is based here.

 

Wolf, why pesssimistic about the bid?

 

My point on ownership was in relation to the note about the Bears needing to fix things. Also, the reason the capacity is so low is because they decided to build it inside the existing structure. It's very tight in there and not much they can do to add substantial seats.

 

There were two issues with Soldier Field: capacity and width of the field. They could probably remove a couple rows on either side and then expand in the North end zone or something.

 

This is also an event 12 years in the future. A lot can change between now and then.

[jersey cubs fan]

Ownership of the facility won't be a hurdle to expanding capacity. It's the city that would benefit from being a host site, not the Bears. It's millions in tourist dollars and economic help and free advertising for the city itself. If we win the bid, the city would be colossally stupid not to. Basically, if the city wants to be a host, it'll end up happening, considering Soccer House is based here.

 

Wolf, why pesssimistic about the bid?

 

My point on ownership was in relation to the note about the Bears needing to fix things. Also, the reason the capacity is so low is because they decided to build it inside the existing structure. It's very tight in there and not much they can do to add substantial seats.

 

There were two issues with Soldier Field: capacity and width of the field. They could probably remove a couple rows on either side and then expand in the North end zone or something.

 

This is also an event 12 years in the future. A lot can change between now and then.

 

Unless they move or suddenly decided to tear down the outside structure of Soldier Field, not much can change in relation to space for building more capacity. And there isn't much room to add in the end zone, at least not enough to offset taking away sideline seating while adding overall.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Jermaine Jones sent to the reserves at Schalke because of "effort and commitment".

[Exile on Waveland]

Ownership of the facility won't be a hurdle to expanding capacity. It's the city that would benefit from being a host site, not the Bears. It's millions in tourist dollars and economic help and free advertising for the city itself. If we win the bid, the city would be colossally stupid not to. Basically, if the city wants to be a host, it'll end up happening, considering Soccer House is based here.

 

Wolf, why pesssimistic about the bid?

 

No Wolf, but because FIFA is highly politicized and loves to be "progressive" and "cutting edge." They're just dying to give the bid to new venues and it's totally going to be Russia and freakin' Qatar. It's going to be stupid and absurd, but alas.

[wolf stansson]

Ownership of the facility won't be a hurdle to expanding capacity. It's the city that would benefit from being a host site, not the Bears. It's millions in tourist dollars and economic help and free advertising for the city itself. If we win the bid, the city would be colossally stupid not to. Basically, if the city wants to be a host, it'll end up happening, considering Soccer House is based here.

 

Wolf, why pesssimistic about the bid?

 

No Wolf, but because FIFA is highly politicized and loves to be "progressive" and "cutting edge." They're just dying to give the bid to new venues and it's totally going to be Russia and freakin' Qatar. It's going to be stupid and absurd, but alas.

Yeah, also I think we are one of the least likely delegations to offer the correct perks/bribes just because we don't have the unilateral backing from our society as a whole that other countries do. I don't think the English public would be all that upset if they found out Prince William brought suitcases full of cash to hand out. If Clinton did that, our country would flip. It'd be the biggest corruption scandal since Clinton's previous one.

[wolf stansson]

Here's our bid presentation. May have been posted already, I'm too lazy to go back a page.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/bidders/live/newsid=1343822/index.html

[shnsajax]

Ownership of the facility won't be a hurdle to expanding capacity. It's the city that would benefit from being a host site, not the Bears. It's millions in tourist dollars and economic help and free advertising for the city itself. If we win the bid, the city would be colossally stupid not to. Basically, if the city wants to be a host, it'll end up happening, considering Soccer House is based here.

 

Wolf, why pesssimistic about the bid?

 

No Wolf, but because FIFA is highly politicized and loves to be "progressive" and "cutting edge." They're just dying to give the bid to new venues and it's totally going to be Russia and freakin' Qatar. It's going to be stupid and absurd, but alas.

Yeah, also I think we are one of the least likely delegations to offer the correct perks/bribes just because we don't have the unilateral backing from our society as a whole that other countries do. I don't think the English public would be all that upset if they found out Prince William brought suitcases full of cash to hand out. If Clinton did that, our country would flip. It'd be the biggest corruption scandal since Clinton's previous one.

 

England would only care if Prince William did that and still lost. Considering the amount of money it would inject into the economy, I wouldn't care if we gave the voters $20 million or whatever amount it would take. Hell if we get it the market might go up another 250 points tomorrow.

[shnsajax]

I thought this was funny

 

The joint Holland-Belgium bid has been very low key. So low key in fact that the bid team delivered their bid documents to FIFA on bicycle.

[wolf stansson]

Considering the amount of money it would inject into the economy, I wouldn't care if we gave the voters $20 million or whatever amount it would take. Hell if we get it the market might go up another 250 points tomorrow.

That's the best part for us. Most countries have to spend so much public money to improve infrastructure, facilities and build new stadiums that it becomes a boondoggle of epic proportions. We'd have to do very little, just sit back and wait for those tourist and sponsorship dollars.

 

I'm sampling some of the other bid presentations right now and I've gotta say, we big leagued everybody. I'm not saying there aren't compelling reasons for Australia or Qatar to host, there are. I'm just saying our presentations level of professionalism with the presentation's design, content and presenters is way better than the others.

[wolf stansson]

Quick summary of the Australian bid: "DO IT. IT'LL BE AWESOME HERE. ALSO, ASIAN TELEVISION TIME ZONE."

 

Quick summary of Qatar's bid: "We're prepared to spend waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, way too much money on shiny objects just to get you guys here. Please please please come. Also, we won't terrorist any of your asses. Remember, we're the nice Muslims!"

[shnsajax]

Here you go Wolf, the Cosmos jersey is available. Strangely though not yet on the Cosmos site.

 

http://www.u90soccer.com/products/New-York-Cosmos-Home-Jersey.html

[USSoccer]

Is Morgan Freeman missing a hand?

[wolf stansson]

From twitter:

@GrantWahl No definitive answers hours before World Cup bid news, but general consensus of sources in Zurich says US is indeed SLIGHT 2022 favorite.

[Guest]

It looks like the announcement is at 9 AM central tomorrow. Is that correct?

 

EDIT: Well, ESPN's release says they'll have the announcement and reactions on SportsCenter starting at 8 AM central. ESPN3 will have coverage of the press conference starting at 9 AM central. Not sure.

 

So is 8 AM or 9 AM Central or some other time?

[shnsajax]

I thought 9 but not positive.

 

Confirmed it is at 9 central on Sports Center.

[jersey cubs fan]

Now that the Bidders' presentations are over, the FIFA Executive Committee will gather to consider its verdict and vote for who has the right to be hosts of the FIFA World Cup for 2018 and 2022 respectively. The announcement is expected at approximately 16.00 CET, when FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter will open the envelopes to reveal the names of the winners before a live audience and the global media representatives at the Zurich Exhibition Centre.

 

Right now it's 15:34 CET right?

[Mark Priors Calves]

I have a bad feeling for the US. I'm guessing its Russia and Australia.