FIFA WORLD CUP BY THE NUMBERS

The 2022 FIFA World Cup, currently under way in Qatar, is on target to break all records. These include elements of its inception, preparation, execution and the ultimate place it will assume in the history of international sports events. Many wonder how a tiny Gulf state with little footballing history ended up hosting the biggest event the sport has to offer. Qatar is one of the world's smallest nations, with fewer than 3 million inhabitants. However, it also ranks as the world's 4th richest nation based on GDP per capita. Its selection stirred controversy from the very beginning. It was selected ahead of bids by the U.S., South Korea, Japan and Australia. Opponents exposed the lack of existing infrastructure and the region's intense heat in the summer when World Cup tournaments are traditionally held. Its bid was considered "high risk." Nevertheless, it triumphed with 14 votes against 8 for the U.S. in the final round of balloting. Given the country's immense wealth and the intense pressure it applied to be selected, "bribery" emerged as a prevalent charge. The country contracted David Beckham, a well known popular British player, who had represented England internationally 115 times, including at 3 FIFA World Cups, as ambassador to promote its culture, tourism and its hosting of this year's World Cup. For Beckham's efforts. Qatar is paying him $277 million over ten years. FIFA's president at the time, Sepp Blatter, initially welcomed the selection as showpiece of the event going to "new lands." Twelve years later he changed his mind, admitting during an interview with a Swiss newspaper that "Qatar is a mistake ... the choice was bad." "It is too small a country. Football and the World Cup are too big for this." In preparation for the World Cup, and to contradict charges of owning a deficient infrastructure for the event, Qatar's finance minister, Ali Shareef Al-Emadi, reported that his country had spent $500 million per week on roads, hotels, stadiums, and airport upgrades since its selection in late 2010. It built seven new soccer stadiums, an airport, hotels and shopping malls. All in all Qatar spent $229 billion to prepare for this event, making it the most expensive World Cup ever. By comparison, Brazil spent $19.7 billion in 2014, Russia $16 billion in 2018, South Africa $7.2 billion in 2010 and the U.S. $500 million in 1994. The return on this kind of massive investment will not come close to covering the expenditure. Expectations are that FIFA stands to gain $7 billion in revenue - generated from T.V. broadcasting rights, marketing, ticket sales and hospitality rights. Long term revenue for Qatar is estimated to be between $17 and $20 billion, anticipating future tourism, improvement of its global reputation and promising development of and investment in expansion of its natural gas export industry. The country currently ranks second in the world in this industry behind sanctions burdened Russia. Comparing costs and revenue numbers of this year's event with the World Cup organized by the U.S. in 1994 comes across as an apples and oranges correlation. That year's event was hosted in a number of cities. Los Angeles, which hosted the final that year, netted $623 million. New York, San Francisco and Boston combined reported a revenue of $1 billion 45 million. While the total cost of organizing the 1994 Cup reached $500 million, this year's prize money alone amounts to $440 million. Just to qualify, clubs received $1.5 million; the top two finishers in group play get $9 million each; winners of the round of 16 earn $16 million; Quarter finalists get $17 million; 4th place finishers $25 million; 3rd place gains $27 million; second place $30 million and the overall winner receives $42 million. Moreover, Fox has added another $425 million for the rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments. And Nike, among others, added another $60 million in sponsorship dollars. One of the downsides to all of this spending by host countries has been that almost all end up with massive debt caused by overspending on infrastructure and stadiums. Many are left with construction that serve little purpose after their World Cup comes to a close. A clear illustration of this is the $1 billion Brazil spent in 2014 on building the Mane Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia. It is now being used as a bus depot. In addition to financial liabilities, being the focus of much of the world has its drawbacks. Something Qatar to its detriment experienced. The country's use of 1.7 million migrant workers for 90% of its entire workforce, mostly underpaid, while 6500 reportedly died in the process, severely undermined its proclamation of success. So, why do this when the cost benefit analysis is unlikely to pencil out? Hosting the FIFA World Cup is viewed as an honor. Soccer is the world's most popular sport with over 5 billion fans. The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event on the global calendar - even ahead of the Olympics. More than 5 billion people are expected to watch this year's event in Qatar, with more than one million turning up to watch the games in person. By comparison, the Beijing Olympics "only" drew in 4.7 billion viewers. This result would not only be a record for the World Cup, it would propel the 2022 World Cup into being the most watched sporting event in history. If, as predicted, the event reaches 5 billion viewers, 65% of the world's population would be watching. Much to think about and compete against for the U.S., Canada and Mexico who are scheduled to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026. Theo Wierdsma

DUTCH TRADITION REMAINS CONTROVERSIAL

Several weeks ago I asked one of my brothers in the Netherlands to send me traditional literature depicting the Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) festivities that get under way around November 12 each year. While the U.S. prepares to celebrate Thanksgiving, one of our major holiday traditions, Dutch citizens, and especially their offspring, get ready to immerse themselves into what has been described as perhaps the most important Dutch annual celebration. As kids, growing up, we anticipated this perennial event with mixed emotions. A few weeks before the actual holiday, which is either December 5 or 6, depending on a convoluted mix of factors, Sinterklaas arrives from Spain on a steamboat filled with presents his team prepared the previous year. He visits with a white horse and an entourage of black-faced helpers, the "zwarte pieten" or black Petes. His helpers are traditionally portrayed by white people in full blackface, complete with oversized lips, dangling earrings and Afro wigs. Government officials and all media outlets welcome Sinterklaas officially. Press coverage is national, and the entire country generally plays into the folkloric narrative. After the saint's arrival, and leading up to the official holiday celebration, before going to bed at night, children place their shoes in front of the fireplace or under the chimney. They may insert carrots, hay or milk for Sinterklaas's horse to entice attention. At night Sinterklaas visits all the houses by traveling across the roofs on horseback. Black Pete will enter the houses by sliding down chimneys to place candy or little gifts into the shoes. When the actual holiday arrives major gift giving takes place. This may happen family style, or during large gatherings involving schools and other organizations. Sinterklaas will selectively review some kids' performance during the previous year. Naughty kids may be singled out for a symbolic beating, or end up in Pete's gunny sack to be transferred to Spain and converted into peppernuts. Hence the mixed emotions entering this folkloric festival. Parents tend to use this potential threat to control their kids' behavior during this time of the year. The story of Sinterklaas is based on the supposed history of the bishop of Myra, who lived in the 4th century A.D. There are many legends about the exceptional selfless acts of kindness he is said to have performed during his lifetime. The Catholic Church declared him a saint, and he is considered to be the patron-saint of children among many other designations, including merchants, archers, repentant thieves, brewers, pawnbrokers and others. At the end of the 19th century, the Sinterklaas character was given a servant, a young black man in the costume of a 16th century page. In 1850, the writer Jan Schenkman wrote a children's book: "Saint Nicholas and his servant." The servant had no name, but was inspired by the representations of the Moors in portrait art of the 17th and 18th century. This concept was adopted by other authors of children's books. The name "zwarte Piet" emerged first in a children's book of 1891. Sinterklaas is white, old, wise. Black Pete is a subservient helper, resembling concepts from Dutch colonial and slave running past. My brother responded to my request by letting me know that he had to search through antique book stores to get the documentation I wanted. He indicated that these days the term "zwarte Piet" was no longer acceptable and considered discriminatory. In fact, even though this folkloric celebration remains popular and continues going strong, the past decade the entire idea of black Pete as Santa's helper has morphed into a pitched culture war within Dutch society. Anti-racism activists denounce the racial stereotype, while others insist that the figure represents a harmless tradition, according to which Pete's skin is darkened by soot from sliding down chimneys with gifts. In 2013 the U.N. even decided to investigate the "zwarte Piet" controversy. That year the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination delivered a report to the Dutch government, essentially suggesting it abolish the tradition. In response, some Dutch politicians angrily retorted that they would rather the Netherlands pull out of the U.N. Although diminishing, the controversy has not significantly abated. Entire PHD dissertations have dissected multiple sides of the concept. Some libraries have actively removed relevant documentation, others refuse. Every year protests pro and con flare up in multiple locations. In some large cities, black Pete has appeared in multiple colors. In some case he shows up as "chimney-Pete," with dark smudges on his face - a compromise narrative that envisions Sinterklaas' helper as covered in soot because he came down the chimney. Opponents suggest that this is a lame movement from "racism" to "racism light." In general, people are tired of the perennially recurring discussion. However, most seem unwilling to give up on this cultural tradition. A 2021 "Statista research" study indicated that a little more that 80% of respondents do not believe that black Pete is a racist phenomenon. The same study also reveals that a growing percentage of Dutch consumers are beginning to adopt the commercial gift-giving side of Christmas as practiced in the U.S. However, very few, (only about 9%), are giving up on Sinterklaas altogether. Theo Wierdsma