And the winner is…
November 1, 2023 3:59 PM Subscribe
The process to award the 2034 World Cup will have only a single bidder: Saudi Arabia. Morocco, Portugal and Spain as the only bidders for the 2030 edition, were awarded the tournament, but with games also to be played in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. This will create a “unique global footprint” for football (G. Infantino, head of FIFA) as well as substantial global climate footprint.
Does this represent an example of football’s potential to unite a divided world? Or does the addition of South American sites allow FIFA to tick off not just two but three continents against its commitment to cycling through the world’s major landmasses?
Either way, it allowed the football family to announce on Oct 4th that the 2034 bidding process would allow submissions only from Asia and Oceania, with full bids required by Oct 31st. Saudi Arabia announced its bid immediately - the only other country seen as a possible bidder, Australia, declined to submit within the narrow timeframe. Awarding the WC to Saudi Arabia will allow FIFA further access to the practically limitless pot of oil and gas derived sovereign funding that Saudi Arabia and its Public Investment Fund is willing to throw at sportswashing its international reputation.
Saudi Arabia has spent at least $6.3bn (£4.9bn) in sports deals since early 2021, with huge funding of its home league, buying up four home teams and making record offers for many of the world’s greatest male players (or providing an alternative retirement location for knackered professionals). Recent winner of his eighth Ballon D’Or, Lionel Messi has earned £25M without even having to play there. This built on the 2021 purchase of Newcastle United, a major club in the English Premier League.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said he does not care how the world views his country's heavy investment in sports. "If sportswashing is going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we will continue doing sportswashing". “I don’t care. I have 1% growth in GDP from sport, and I am aiming for another 1.5%. Call it whatever you want.”
There is an increasing academic commentary around sportswashing, Fruh, Archer & Wojtowicz set out the problems with sportswashing (essentially, they make clubs and fans complicit in creating positive associations with the brand of the sportswashing entity and they corrupt positive sporting values) as well as setting out potential ways to address sportswashing. (Open Access academic paper.)
Boykoff digs deeper into the goals underlying sportswashing and its wider political context in relation to mega events like the World Cup and Olympics, and the ability to generate soft power both globally and within domestic politics of the greenwasher. (Open access academic paper.)
Previously: MeFi on sportswashing & the World Cup.
Either way, it allowed the football family to announce on Oct 4th that the 2034 bidding process would allow submissions only from Asia and Oceania, with full bids required by Oct 31st. Saudi Arabia announced its bid immediately - the only other country seen as a possible bidder, Australia, declined to submit within the narrow timeframe. Awarding the WC to Saudi Arabia will allow FIFA further access to the practically limitless pot of oil and gas derived sovereign funding that Saudi Arabia and its Public Investment Fund is willing to throw at sportswashing its international reputation.
Saudi Arabia has spent at least $6.3bn (£4.9bn) in sports deals since early 2021, with huge funding of its home league, buying up four home teams and making record offers for many of the world’s greatest male players (or providing an alternative retirement location for knackered professionals). Recent winner of his eighth Ballon D’Or, Lionel Messi has earned £25M without even having to play there. This built on the 2021 purchase of Newcastle United, a major club in the English Premier League.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said he does not care how the world views his country's heavy investment in sports. "If sportswashing is going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we will continue doing sportswashing". “I don’t care. I have 1% growth in GDP from sport, and I am aiming for another 1.5%. Call it whatever you want.”
There is an increasing academic commentary around sportswashing, Fruh, Archer & Wojtowicz set out the problems with sportswashing (essentially, they make clubs and fans complicit in creating positive associations with the brand of the sportswashing entity and they corrupt positive sporting values) as well as setting out potential ways to address sportswashing. (Open Access academic paper.)
Boykoff digs deeper into the goals underlying sportswashing and its wider political context in relation to mega events like the World Cup and Olympics, and the ability to generate soft power both globally and within domestic politics of the greenwasher. (Open access academic paper.)
Previously: MeFi on sportswashing & the World Cup.
FIFA does not deserve football, and football only sort of deserves FIFA.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:13 PM on November 1, 2023 [17 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:13 PM on November 1, 2023 [17 favorites]
I am so fucking weary of fucking horrible places trying to buy global good will through buying sports tournaments.
Maybe we need to just stop all the big money global sports tournaments somehow, because at this point, none of them are doing the great thing of promotion human unity through sports and instead are doing all kinds of other things through the politics of perception that aren't at all allied with the unity of humanity.
I hate that at this point it feels like the only "pure" [and I use that term loosely] sports are the singularly US sport of American Football and the majority US sport of Baseball.
posted by hippybear at 4:14 PM on November 1, 2023 [5 favorites]
Maybe we need to just stop all the big money global sports tournaments somehow, because at this point, none of them are doing the great thing of promotion human unity through sports and instead are doing all kinds of other things through the politics of perception that aren't at all allied with the unity of humanity.
I hate that at this point it feels like the only "pure" [and I use that term loosely] sports are the singularly US sport of American Football and the majority US sport of Baseball.
posted by hippybear at 4:14 PM on November 1, 2023 [5 favorites]
Eh, running is still pretty pure. Especially ultramarathons!
posted by grumpybear69 at 4:30 PM on November 1, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by grumpybear69 at 4:30 PM on November 1, 2023 [2 favorites]
Eh, running is still pretty pure. Especially ultramarathons!
Oh, now someone in MBE's orbit will have read this, and within 5 years it will be enshittified.
posted by hippybear at 4:35 PM on November 1, 2023 [2 favorites]
Oh, now someone in MBE's orbit will have read this, and within 5 years it will be enshittified.
posted by hippybear at 4:35 PM on November 1, 2023 [2 favorites]
Writing was on the wall when Ronaldo chose Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr over China.
posted by chavenet at 4:45 PM on November 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by chavenet at 4:45 PM on November 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
i can't post what i really think so hopefully this will suffice: fuck Mohammed bin Salman
posted by glonous keming at 4:53 PM on November 1, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by glonous keming at 4:53 PM on November 1, 2023 [8 favorites]
Also, can I say how FUCKING GLOBALLY CLIMATE IRRESPONSIBLE it has been for these last few World Cups, and apparently upcoming tournaments, to rely so heavily on fucking FLYING the players everywhere?
I mean, okay, yes, it's all been captured by the gulf oil states at this point. But wow! If it were chocolate nobody would care if it were being consumed in gigantic quantities for each futbol cycle, but oil is dooming the planet.
posted by hippybear at 4:56 PM on November 1, 2023 [6 favorites]
I mean, okay, yes, it's all been captured by the gulf oil states at this point. But wow! If it were chocolate nobody would care if it were being consumed in gigantic quantities for each futbol cycle, but oil is dooming the planet.
posted by hippybear at 4:56 PM on November 1, 2023 [6 favorites]
Bone Saw Cup
posted by Artw at 5:17 PM on November 1, 2023 [14 favorites]
posted by Artw at 5:17 PM on November 1, 2023 [14 favorites]
Yeah, the Qatar branding was pretty hard to swallow last time around...
Yeah right, that little girl is so free and happy!!!
Ugh. Money talks, good intentions walk.
posted by Windopaene at 5:20 PM on November 1, 2023
Yeah right, that little girl is so free and happy!!!
Ugh. Money talks, good intentions walk.
posted by Windopaene at 5:20 PM on November 1, 2023
As long as people keep viewing the events, they're gonna keep doing this, because they have no reason* to stop.
(*decent people would have a reason, but c'mon, these are the ultrawealthy we're talking about. Decency doesn't come within a thousand miles of them)
The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. Global sports fans have made their standards pretty fuckin' clear, so let's stop pretending.
Just like football fans in the US clearly don't give a shit about CTE.
posted by aramaic at 5:34 PM on November 1, 2023 [6 favorites]
(*decent people would have a reason, but c'mon, these are the ultrawealthy we're talking about. Decency doesn't come within a thousand miles of them)
The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. Global sports fans have made their standards pretty fuckin' clear, so let's stop pretending.
Just like football fans in the US clearly don't give a shit about CTE.
posted by aramaic at 5:34 PM on November 1, 2023 [6 favorites]
I am currently infatuated with Aussie rules football. Even saw women's ARF a while back, which I didn't know was a thing. As a game, I like it way better than rugby. Which I watched a bunch of world cup matches, (don't think that was as corrupt as FIFA or the IOC). but I am not a big person, so rugby is pretty much a "no, not going to tackle that dude". Aussie rules is all about catching crazy ass kicks, while someone is trying to fuck you up. As a soccer goalie, I relate to that way better.
And while American football is just so bad for the players, it is just such an intricate game. Anyone else play Play Maker Football on the early Macs? Was primitive, but also let you build awesome plays, and watch them unfold. Hugh Millen, UW standout and NFL journeyman QB is an analyst on a local sports radio station. And his descriptions of what is going on, with routes and coverages and such, is pretty mind-blowing to listen to. Lots of folks are breaking the game down to an extreme level. Which is pretty cool. But yeah, never let any of my kids play football.
But the love of playing is certainly a thing. I've probably played my last game as an indoor soccer goalkeeper, due to age and medication reasons. And ALL I want to do is to play again. And I was paying for that privilege. Not getting paid. Sigh. Deep breath.
Yes, professional sports bring out the worst in us it seems. But, mass money to be made, and the workers really want to keep doing it.
And, youth sports, (albeit with some qualifications), are awesome. I coached a few youth soccer teams, and have run into parents who have hugged me and said, "thanks for doing what you did for ____"! Which feels good man. And I am heading off next week to LA, (watch out LA, I'm gonna wreck that place!), to see my son play for his college water polo team. (Second child to play at the college level, first had an intoxicated-caused injury, and then COVID lockdown, and then grade issues, so never really got to play again).
But sports teach us a lot about being people. Team sports especially. All your teammates are counting on you to not suck. And sometimes, you totally suck. And you have to move past that. Which feels like a good skill to learn. (The last games I played, I was terrible. I had a strained left MCL, and I had had sciatica in my right leg, so it was about two seconds behind my brain. And I feel so bad about that. Give me one more chance to not be terrible!!!)
But big-time pro sports seem completely fucked up.
Go Hibernian!
posted by Windopaene at 6:55 PM on November 1, 2023 [4 favorites]
And while American football is just so bad for the players, it is just such an intricate game. Anyone else play Play Maker Football on the early Macs? Was primitive, but also let you build awesome plays, and watch them unfold. Hugh Millen, UW standout and NFL journeyman QB is an analyst on a local sports radio station. And his descriptions of what is going on, with routes and coverages and such, is pretty mind-blowing to listen to. Lots of folks are breaking the game down to an extreme level. Which is pretty cool. But yeah, never let any of my kids play football.
But the love of playing is certainly a thing. I've probably played my last game as an indoor soccer goalkeeper, due to age and medication reasons. And ALL I want to do is to play again. And I was paying for that privilege. Not getting paid. Sigh. Deep breath.
Yes, professional sports bring out the worst in us it seems. But, mass money to be made, and the workers really want to keep doing it.
And, youth sports, (albeit with some qualifications), are awesome. I coached a few youth soccer teams, and have run into parents who have hugged me and said, "thanks for doing what you did for ____"! Which feels good man. And I am heading off next week to LA, (watch out LA, I'm gonna wreck that place!), to see my son play for his college water polo team. (Second child to play at the college level, first had an intoxicated-caused injury, and then COVID lockdown, and then grade issues, so never really got to play again).
But sports teach us a lot about being people. Team sports especially. All your teammates are counting on you to not suck. And sometimes, you totally suck. And you have to move past that. Which feels like a good skill to learn. (The last games I played, I was terrible. I had a strained left MCL, and I had had sciatica in my right leg, so it was about two seconds behind my brain. And I feel so bad about that. Give me one more chance to not be terrible!!!)
But big-time pro sports seem completely fucked up.
Go Hibernian!
posted by Windopaene at 6:55 PM on November 1, 2023 [4 favorites]
I'm looking forward to the Mordor Olympics. Nine Five rings for mortal men doomed to die. And on the podium the athletes wearing the medals transform into immortal wraiths cursed to serve the dark lord forever. If you can overlook Sauron's human rights record for a buck, you've already lost your soul anyway.
posted by adept256 at 7:12 PM on November 1, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by adept256 at 7:12 PM on November 1, 2023 [9 favorites]
Also, can I say how FUCKING GLOBALLY CLIMATE IRRESPONSIBLE it has been for these last few World Cups, and apparently upcoming tournaments, to rely so heavily on fucking FLYING the players everywhere?
I am sure the impact of flying the players around positively pales in comparison to the number of fans who fly to attend games.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:23 PM on November 1, 2023 [5 favorites]
I am sure the impact of flying the players around positively pales in comparison to the number of fans who fly to attend games.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:23 PM on November 1, 2023 [5 favorites]
I am sure the impact of flying the players around positively pales in comparison to the number of fans who fly to attend games.
You are correct, and I can't even claim "but the players are a proxy" because until I read this I wasn't even on this page.
posted by hippybear at 7:28 PM on November 1, 2023
You are correct, and I can't even claim "but the players are a proxy" because until I read this I wasn't even on this page.
posted by hippybear at 7:28 PM on November 1, 2023
I curse them all to live in a world cup stadium 10 years after the trophies are handed out.
posted by cmfletcher at 7:56 PM on November 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by cmfletcher at 7:56 PM on November 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
Indeed, 35-40k Argentinians went to the last World Cup, so if even a small proportion of them stay home, putting some games in Argentina (and Uruguay) would be a big net win for carbon emissions (though knowing Argentinians, they will go anyways if they are in the final again).
Probably the best thing FIFA could do to keep the carbon emissions down would be to rig games so it's Portugal versus Spain in the final.
posted by ssg at 7:57 PM on November 1, 2023
Probably the best thing FIFA could do to keep the carbon emissions down would be to rig games so it's Portugal versus Spain in the final.
posted by ssg at 7:57 PM on November 1, 2023
Arguably the BEST thing FIFA could do to keep carbon emissions down would be to say that continuing the competition is untenable in the face of the climate crisis, apologize to fans and players, and disband.
But Capitalism, so no.
posted by hippybear at 8:06 PM on November 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
But Capitalism, so no.
posted by hippybear at 8:06 PM on November 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
I don't know if not holding the competition is the way forward. I don't think capitalism, in spite it's many faults is responsible for the innate human condition of what to see who's father, better more skillful. I guarantee early man was stoked about the upcoming contest against the fucking Cro Magnons.
posted by Keith Talent at 8:37 PM on November 1, 2023
posted by Keith Talent at 8:37 PM on November 1, 2023
They should have stopped after the games in Germany, it's all been downhill since then.
More venues equals more opportunity for the IOC to collect bribes. Eventually every game will be played in a different country leading to maximum bribing opportunity.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 8:47 PM on November 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
More venues equals more opportunity for the IOC to collect bribes. Eventually every game will be played in a different country leading to maximum bribing opportunity.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 8:47 PM on November 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
Am so glad Australia gave up on this shit. I'd love to have a world cup here, and I'm sure we have a world-class set of corrupt sport administrators to facilitate all the graft, but the whole thing is such a massive upward-transfer of wealth, and fuck all about football.
posted by pompomtom at 9:03 PM on November 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by pompomtom at 9:03 PM on November 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
The Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand was excellent, it’s sad they won’t get to host the men’s game.
In other news we now know where the next three Men’s World Cups will be held, while FIFA cannot even bother to award the next Women’s World Cup which happens in 3.5 years from now.
posted by jmauro at 9:30 PM on November 1, 2023
In other news we now know where the next three Men’s World Cups will be held, while FIFA cannot even bother to award the next Women’s World Cup which happens in 3.5 years from now.
posted by jmauro at 9:30 PM on November 1, 2023
FIFA- The Search For More Money
posted by pthomas745 at 9:36 PM on November 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by pthomas745 at 9:36 PM on November 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
Am so glad Australia gave up on this shit.
If anyone needs a place to stay for the 2032 Brisbane olympics my apartment is free because I will be anywhere else.
posted by adept256 at 9:47 PM on November 1, 2023 [4 favorites]
If anyone needs a place to stay for the 2032 Brisbane olympics my apartment is free because I will be anywhere else.
posted by adept256 at 9:47 PM on November 1, 2023 [4 favorites]
I am really looking forward to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics because I am a train ride away, and the city isn’t doing anything they wouldn’t already be doing in terms of stadium or infrastructure projects. Still a global media circus in a global media capital, but not quite the same level of reputation washing for authoritarianism(unless you count the Chinese gymnastics coaches)
posted by CostcoCultist at 10:12 PM on November 1, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by CostcoCultist at 10:12 PM on November 1, 2023 [2 favorites]
On the Soccer of side of things, the new San Diego MLS team is majority owned by Egyptian-British billionaire Mansour family who seems to have ugly connections to the Torries in the UK and human rights abuse in Egypt. I would love municipally owned sports in the US.
posted by CostcoCultist at 10:17 PM on November 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by CostcoCultist at 10:17 PM on November 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
I hate how the sport I have loved for coming on fifty years, has been so utterly corrupted by money. It’s such a depressing state of affairs.
posted by grumblemf at 10:46 PM on November 1, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by grumblemf at 10:46 PM on November 1, 2023 [2 favorites]
2032 Brisbane olympics
2026 Commonwealth Games: apparently expensive to not-have, but still better than having it.
posted by pompomtom at 11:24 PM on November 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
2026 Commonwealth Games: apparently expensive to not-have, but still better than having it.
posted by pompomtom at 11:24 PM on November 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
…though I do wonder if that’s why Dandrews chucked it in.
posted by pompomtom at 11:25 PM on November 1, 2023
posted by pompomtom at 11:25 PM on November 1, 2023
My comment about the capture of football by the world's worst rich people is just, essentially, a gif of a person melting as they scream into the void.
There are rumblings of discontent, especially in South America and Europe, and it's possible that those two confederations will threaten to break away, but sadly it probably won't be over Saudi Arabia, but more likely FIFA's attempts to pre-empt the Champions League and to a lesser extent the Copa Libertadores (the South American equivalent) by expanding the Club World Cup.
However, on climate issues, there's at least a model for how to do it. In 2020, when UEFA restarted the Champions League after Covid shutdowns, the eight teams remaining in the competition were all essentially just in one city, Lisbon, and the whole thing was held over ten days. It probably wouldn't be possible to have a whole world cup in just one city, but you could probably do it in four.
posted by Kattullus at 3:07 AM on November 2, 2023 [1 favorite]
There are rumblings of discontent, especially in South America and Europe, and it's possible that those two confederations will threaten to break away, but sadly it probably won't be over Saudi Arabia, but more likely FIFA's attempts to pre-empt the Champions League and to a lesser extent the Copa Libertadores (the South American equivalent) by expanding the Club World Cup.
However, on climate issues, there's at least a model for how to do it. In 2020, when UEFA restarted the Champions League after Covid shutdowns, the eight teams remaining in the competition were all essentially just in one city, Lisbon, and the whole thing was held over ten days. It probably wouldn't be possible to have a whole world cup in just one city, but you could probably do it in four.
posted by Kattullus at 3:07 AM on November 2, 2023 [1 favorite]
Harder with the 48 teams they are expanding to do they can milk a bit more money.
posted by biffa at 3:43 AM on November 2, 2023
posted by biffa at 3:43 AM on November 2, 2023
I hate that at this point it feels like the only "pure" [and I use that term loosely] sports are the singularly US sport of American Football and the majority US sport of Baseball.
Have you seen how much money goes into US Football? It's insane. Not to mention the hyper-militarization and weird forced patriotism they work into the games (true of all US sports, but the NFL seems to be by far the biggest offender).
But sports teach us a lot about being people. Team sports especially. All your teammates are counting on you to not suck. And sometimes, you totally suck. And you have to move past that. Which feels like a good skill to learn.
That is not at all my experience. Try being an awkward kid who'd rather be reading a book, but forced to play sports because "that's what kids do". You suck because you're awkward, are subsequently bullied by the other kids, and are now scarred and humiliated. What exactly is that supposed to teach? The whole idea that supporting a team will make you better yourself is naive at best, and assumes your teammates will support you. That is not how it usually works in reality.
posted by photo guy at 4:34 AM on November 2, 2023 [11 favorites]
Have you seen how much money goes into US Football? It's insane. Not to mention the hyper-militarization and weird forced patriotism they work into the games (true of all US sports, but the NFL seems to be by far the biggest offender).
But sports teach us a lot about being people. Team sports especially. All your teammates are counting on you to not suck. And sometimes, you totally suck. And you have to move past that. Which feels like a good skill to learn.
That is not at all my experience. Try being an awkward kid who'd rather be reading a book, but forced to play sports because "that's what kids do". You suck because you're awkward, are subsequently bullied by the other kids, and are now scarred and humiliated. What exactly is that supposed to teach? The whole idea that supporting a team will make you better yourself is naive at best, and assumes your teammates will support you. That is not how it usually works in reality.
posted by photo guy at 4:34 AM on November 2, 2023 [11 favorites]
I am really looking forward to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics because I am a train ride away, and the city isn’t doing anything they wouldn’t already be doing in terms of stadium or infrastructure projects.
And I'm still glad we kicked the Olympics out of Boston because holy shit were those plans disruptive.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:45 AM on November 2, 2023 [3 favorites]
And I'm still glad we kicked the Olympics out of Boston because holy shit were those plans disruptive.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:45 AM on November 2, 2023 [3 favorites]
I am really looking forward to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
I went to the 1984 LA Olympics! Saw both days of the Decathlon, Greg Louganis doing springboard diving, and the baseball medal matches double header. Remains one of the better memories of my life. It was peak Cold War and attending anything where it felt like the world might be pulling together and cooperating instead of wanting to nuke each other felt truly magical.
posted by hippybear at 6:08 AM on November 2, 2023 [2 favorites]
I went to the 1984 LA Olympics! Saw both days of the Decathlon, Greg Louganis doing springboard diving, and the baseball medal matches double header. Remains one of the better memories of my life. It was peak Cold War and attending anything where it felt like the world might be pulling together and cooperating instead of wanting to nuke each other felt truly magical.
posted by hippybear at 6:08 AM on November 2, 2023 [2 favorites]
Speaking of sports related environmental / climate change fuckery, may I present the FIS - the International Ski Federation.
Protect Our Winters (POW) called out FIS a few weeks back after photographs surfaced of excavators digging into the Theodul glacier in Zermatt and bulldozers destroying glacier ice in Solden just so that early season ski events could be held....some of that glacier ice and snow ended up building out ski out areas for the event. Because that is a great use of glaciers.
I mean if you can think of one group of sports that are at the bleeding edge of impact from climate change - snow sports would be it
posted by inflatablekiwi at 6:37 AM on November 2, 2023 [3 favorites]
Protect Our Winters (POW) called out FIS a few weeks back after photographs surfaced of excavators digging into the Theodul glacier in Zermatt and bulldozers destroying glacier ice in Solden just so that early season ski events could be held....some of that glacier ice and snow ended up building out ski out areas for the event. Because that is a great use of glaciers.
I mean if you can think of one group of sports that are at the bleeding edge of impact from climate change - snow sports would be it
posted by inflatablekiwi at 6:37 AM on November 2, 2023 [3 favorites]
But sports teach us a lot about being people. Team sports especially. All your teammates are counting on you to not suck. And sometimes, you totally suck. And you have to move past that. Which feels like a good skill to learn.
That is a very nice and privileged view of youth sports you have there.
If only it were as simple as getting past one's own feelings of guilt for having let the team down. I'm sure the rest of the team understands and will be supportive. I'm sure they won't hold grudges or constantly remind us of how much we sucked.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:38 AM on November 2, 2023 [1 favorite]
That is a very nice and privileged view of youth sports you have there.
If only it were as simple as getting past one's own feelings of guilt for having let the team down. I'm sure the rest of the team understands and will be supportive. I'm sure they won't hold grudges or constantly remind us of how much we sucked.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:38 AM on November 2, 2023 [1 favorite]
Eventually every game will be played in a different country leading to maximum bribing opportunity.
UEFA Euro 2020.
posted by Cardinal Fang at 6:40 AM on November 2, 2023
UEFA Euro 2020.
posted by Cardinal Fang at 6:40 AM on November 2, 2023
This is another good opportunity to plug the Lords of Soccer podcast (CW: Apple Podcast link; iheartmedia content) for a deep dive into FIFA fuckery.
I've pretty much given up on major international and US sports events. It's all so nakedly exploitative at this point. If you're disgusted by FIFA (and the IOC, and the NFL, &c, &c) the best thing you can do is boycott it. Don't turn on your television. Don't play the video games. Don't buy bananas with their logos on the labels. If a new taxpayer funded football stadium is being proposed for your town, call your elected leaders and protest it. Sure, it doesn't amount to much, but at least it's something to feel smug about.
posted by slogger at 8:10 AM on November 2, 2023
I've pretty much given up on major international and US sports events. It's all so nakedly exploitative at this point. If you're disgusted by FIFA (and the IOC, and the NFL, &c, &c) the best thing you can do is boycott it. Don't turn on your television. Don't play the video games. Don't buy bananas with their logos on the labels. If a new taxpayer funded football stadium is being proposed for your town, call your elected leaders and protest it. Sure, it doesn't amount to much, but at least it's something to feel smug about.
posted by slogger at 8:10 AM on November 2, 2023
And speaking of Saudi Arabia. It’s not an Onion Headline - but Saudi Arabia will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in a Desert Mountain area that occasionally gets a few inches of snow in a good year. All as part of the Trojena region of the $500B Noem development. They will then build a 100 story skyscraper next to it. Apres Ski in floors 80-99 will be wild I’m sure.
posted by inflatablekiwi at 9:08 AM on November 2, 2023
posted by inflatablekiwi at 9:08 AM on November 2, 2023
RE: youth sports.
Sorry to those above who took offense at my thoughts on youth sports. If a child doesn't want to play, they should not be forced to. I had a few of those kids, and they did present challenges. My thoughts about not sucking were related to adult sports, not kids. I coached many kids who totally sucked. And all the team members knew who those kids were. And strangely enough, they didn't harass them for that, because they knew those players weren't very good, and did not count on them to be good. Not that I would have tolerated that behavior.
posted by Windopaene at 1:25 PM on November 2, 2023 [2 favorites]
Sorry to those above who took offense at my thoughts on youth sports. If a child doesn't want to play, they should not be forced to. I had a few of those kids, and they did present challenges. My thoughts about not sucking were related to adult sports, not kids. I coached many kids who totally sucked. And all the team members knew who those kids were. And strangely enough, they didn't harass them for that, because they knew those players weren't very good, and did not count on them to be good. Not that I would have tolerated that behavior.
posted by Windopaene at 1:25 PM on November 2, 2023 [2 favorites]
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Perhaps they should make it a sport and set up an international tournament.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 4:12 PM on November 1, 2023 [37 favorites]