Points of difference
I doubt you’d see this local enthusiasm for a major international sporting event. Our way of expressing passion and excitement pales against that of the Brazilians for their football…futbol. What excitement it will be.
Why ‘points of difference’? Well, this is quite a tournament, local controversies and global FIFA controversy, it is singularly the largest single sporting event on the calendar, Brazil increased the scope, ie the number of host cities, by 50% but really did not appreciate all that would mean, a high proportion of locals are not happy with the money spent although they’ll mostly be dedicated Brazil supporters, major sponsors are spending big both locally and globally, as are their non-sponsor competitors…and above all it will still be amazing fun.
Andrew Das, New York Times World Cup editor writes: ….in the Flamengo neighborhood, where countless Brazilian flags flutter in the steamy air, attached to everything from apartment balconies and car antennas to streetlights and tree branches.
If Brazil is ambivalent about the Cup, someone clearly forgot to tell the children on Rua Honório de Barros. They blocked the end of the short street with a cardboard box on Sunday night while they painted over the blacktop with cartoons and caricatures and chalk drawings of everything from city landmarks to Brazil’s coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, and his players.
At the end of the block was a line of six gold stars. Brazil, of course, has earned only five so far — for its World Cup titles in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. But on Rua Honório de Barros, the clear belief is that a sixth is only weeks away.
Have look at England players learning to dance the capoeira during a visit to the Rocinha Sports Complex in Rio de Janerio.
England players learn the capoeira 
The Cup is underway
The Opening Ceremony featured Jennifer Lopez, after loud denials just a few days ago that she’d be there. Also rapper Pitbull and Claudia Leitte. It was musical fiesta. With plenty of empty seats. (Photo by Getty Images)
More than 3 million tickets have been sold. The next weeks will be amazing. Notwithstanding strikes and various interruptions.
GO SOCCEROOS on Saturday, vs Chile…watch it at 8am.
The first match was one with a few hearts in mouths as Brazil hit an own goal and star Neymar saved the day, saved the Brazilians’ skin for another day. Controversy from the start with Croatia claiming they were robbed.
A great lift for Brazil to start with a win.
The Guardian’s Owen Gibson filed this report on the Fifa-approved atmosphere around the stadium:
Less than 8km away, police remain engaged in stand off with protesters who tried to block the main highway to the stadium, but around the Arena de Sao Paulo itself the scene will be a familiar one to anyone who has travelled to a major tournament in recent years. Inside the security cordon set up up around the stadium, for which tickets are required, the atmosphere is excited if somewhat antiseptic. The street stalls offering beers and barbequed meat that were here on Sunday have been shipped out to make way for Coca Cola and Brahma sellers to comply with Fifa’s regulations. Exhibitionist fans in wacky costumes are clowning around for the TV cameras, some sort of Budweiser sponsored fan fest is in full swing and supporters of different stripes are gathering to pose with flags and fake World Cups. One group of Croatia fans from Chicago has set up camp on a grass verge near the gates. Inside the stadium itself, things seem to be running relatively smoothly, although there are still more than a few rough edge back of house and there is understandable nervousness about whether everything from the turnstiles to the wi-fi will work as it is supposed to. But the atmosphere is building in brilliant sunshine – quite a stark contrast to the tense stand off less than 20 minutes away.
Jorge Knijnik writes, call me if the Seleção scores, please! Exploring Brazilians’ ambivalent feelings towards the mega event. A very insightful piece, well worth the read…
Read Jorge’s full article here
How big is the money?
World Cup Brazil will generate US$4 billion in total revenue for FIFA, or 66% more than the previous tournament in South Africa in 2010. The vast majority of the money will come from the sale of television and marketing rights. The World Cup generates more revenue for its association than any other sports tournament, save the Olympics (based on revenue per-event-day, the NFL’s Super Bowl reigns supreme). FIFA’s profit for the Brazil World Cup: US$2 billion.
Almost all of the revenue FIFA generates comes from television rights (US$1.7 billion) and marketing rights (US$1.35 billion).
US$70 million will go to the competition prize money.
The projected economic impact of the Fifa World Cup 2014 is estimated at $27.8 billion, according to the Brazilian government – but the actual impact will be largely dependent on the tournament taking place with finished and fully functioning venues, minimal social unrest and the anticipated number of overseas visitors arriving, giving Brazil the economic stimulus that it seeks.
Brazil offers an array of business opportunities
The main sponsors, corporate partners as some like to say, include Adidas Emirates, Sony , Visa V -0.2%, Hyundai and Coca-Cola . Blue chip companies love to throw money at the World Cup because it is followed passionately throughout most of the world.
I’ve been far from overwhelmed by World Cup advertising…oh sure you can see it about the traps but it’s not ‘big and exciting’ although I guess some brands such as Adidas and Nike have their targets and dedicate accordingly. And then there was that betting company’s balloon affair in Melbourne – out of the box but tacky?
Read our coverage on Adidas and Nike, Coke and Pepsi…
Read the Adidas-Nike article at New Millennium Business –
Read the Coca Cola – Pepsi article at New Millennium Business -
How about this for near-ambush marketing? … from KFC in the US….
How will Brazil benefit?
If Brazil can successfully host the World Cup, its rewards in the stock market, international trade, tourism and global politics could outweigh the huge costs of running the event, writes Tim Harcourt.
Read Tim Harcourt’s article
McKinsey Global has taken a view about Brazil’s path to inclusive growth.
More than 25 years of democracy and political stability have allowed Brazil to make major strides in economic development, including cutting its official poverty rate by half. Yet the forces that provided much of the economy’s momentum during the past decade—an expanding labour force, credit-fuelled consumption, and high commodity prices—are beginning to stall.
As new markets open, Brazil has a crucial opportunity to weigh the state of its connections with the global economy. The country has traditionally focused on mitigating the risks of openness, but the inward-focused policies of the past probably won’t be sufficient to meet its goals for inclusive growth and higher living standards. Government and business leaders can increase Brazil’s dynamism only by harnessing the potential of global connections to increase productivity; by tapping into more of the world’s ideas, research, and best practices; by encouraging greater digital connectivity; and by increasing the flow of skilled workers and international students. The country needs a new catalyst for growth that can deliver broad-based prosperity to the vast majority of its citizens—and that catalyst could be found beyond its borders.
Here’s a link to the full McKinsey study
About “Back on the Block”
Published by New Millennium Business. The company is led by Ericc Winton, who is widely known across the business of major international events.
I help you create defining moments….bring meaning, magic and memory to events.
As an Events Strategist and knowledge broker, I’ll help you with events planning and business, working closely with enterprises like yours.
A LinkedIn milestone: Along with some of the 200 million members of LinkedIn, my profile was one of the top 1% most viewed profiles in 2012 and 2013.
SOCCEREX GLOBAL CONVENTIONManchester, UK6 – 10 September 2014
Twickenham
No, not the gum although that was part of the ‘starter pack’…Wrigley Field in Chicago has celebrated 100 years with an anniversary match, baseball, between The Cubs and the Diamondbacks, Players wore throwback jerseys, and the first 10,000 fans to arrive received a birthday cupcake. A 400-pound cake in the shape of the park was shipped in from Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, and displayed outside the stadium. Ushers wore birthday hats.
Targeting budget flyers and taking a nice dig at the ‘false-prestige’ loaded programs of other airlines, Tigerair has launched an Infrequent Flyers Club. Says John Mescall, McCann Australia ECD who created the program: “Any airline can have a frequent flyer program, but it takes a special kind of airline to think about the people who may not be able to fly regularly.
According to FIFA the cumulative audiences who will watch the 64 matches of the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil this summer are expected to exceed 26 billion. And the World Cup Finals are expected to be seen live by nearly half of the earth’s total population. The World Cup offers global companies a rare opportunity to connect with customers all over the world. Nike and Adidas are spending millions in their own private battle for World Cup supremacy. Last edition of “Back on the Block” brought you hot news of Nike’s first marketing barrage, its #RiskEverything campaign. This campaign encourages soccer players worldwide to share their own personal soccer highlights at 
year to free up space at the Oxford, UK, factory, for new models. Oxford is running at full capacity. So what?? Isn’t the car industry and sales very much a bell-weather of economic conditions? And what does the Mini represent….?
Sport management is arguably the largest enterprise in the world with literally billions of stakeholders. From local to global, sport is managed with the view to bring joy and pleasure to all … participant or spectator. The World Association for Sport Management was constituted in2012 to “facilitate sport management research, teaching and learning excellence and professional practice worldwide” …The inaugural WASM conference is the first opportunity for all the world’s stakeholders in sport management to share their knowledge and perspectives with colleagues – both practitioner and academic. Paul Jonson of SMAANZ and UTS is WASM President.The idea behind the theme is a focus on sport business practice, issues, collaboration, networking, management and marketing of sport business from around the world. The conference will serve as a platform for the international exchange of ideas, best practices, and research focused on sport management globally.
Pepsi is building on celebrity footballers with whom it is already engaged, including Lionel Messi and Robin van Persie. In the Pepsi #FutbolNow World Cup campaign, both feature in a new TV ad, ‘Now Is What You Make It’, set in Rio de Janeiro.
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