OT - Support Detroit and Michigan Stadium for World Cup 2018/22
USA bid website is up and running (not sure since when). Check it out.
Detroit's bid includes Ford Field, Michigan Stadium, and, umm.... casinos!
http://www.gousabid.com/city/local/DETROIT-MI?utm_source=facebook
October 15th, 2009 at 1:18 AM ^
After doing about 2 minutes of research, the owners of this website run a soccer store in NYC. There is no affiliation with any possible official US bid for the World Cup, and most likely if you enter your email and zip code they're just going to use that info to spam you.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:56 AM ^
...this site is indeed the US Bid Committee's official online campaign.
http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Federation-Services/2009/08/USA-Bid-Commit…
October 15th, 2009 at 6:31 AM ^
not interested in WCS in Michigan Stadium.
October 15th, 2009 at 7:07 AM ^
Why on earth not?
October 15th, 2009 at 7:56 AM ^
What is wrong with hordes of scantily clad Brazilian chicks or Swedish vixens descending upon Ann Arbor for a 2 day festival???
The only downside I would see is if the Jamaicans came to town, and the game was during Hash Bash. If the English drank a German town out of beer during the last World Cup in Germany (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2006/06/28/beer-we-go-115875-1…), then I'm pretty sure the Jamaicans could smoke Ann Arbor out of pot.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:13 AM ^
Ooh. I love the word Brazilian. It places an image in my head of a woman who goes to the "spa" to... (BRIAN SLAP)
...in addition to being a World Cup venue, there better be plans to play a hockey game in Michigan Stadium by winter of 2011! With the new expansion complete, we could sell 120,000 tickets -- 110,000 in the bowl and suites, with another 10,000 fans standing on the field around the rink. If not M-MSU, the Wings!
October 15th, 2009 at 10:51 PM ^
Ok, the northeastern US Brazilian dumping ground over here in Somerville, MA yields nothing but ragged muffin topped chicks who love to push themselves into way-too-small denim while hanging out in the Dunkin Donuts parking lot.
October 15th, 2009 at 10:27 AM ^
The big house would not be good for world cup soccer:
1. FIFA regulations state that all seats in a world cup stadium must be actual seats. There can be no standing areas or bleachers. This would require UM to purchase 100,000 seats for a game or two.
2. The field at the big house is not big enough. Grass would have to be brought in for one game, costing....more money.
If they want to do this thing at ford field, fine. However, soccer should be played outside. If we get the world cup, the venues should be the following
1. Rose Bowl
2. New Meadowlands Stadium
3. Soldier Field
4. Reliant Stadium
5. U of Phoenix Stadium
6. Qwest Field
7. Fedex Field
8. Foxboro
9. Jerry World
10. Lincoln Financial Field
11. Landshark
12. New 49ers stadium/Stanford Stadium/Candlestick
October 15th, 2009 at 10:40 AM ^
Retractable roofs only qualify as sort-of outside, and Jerry World definitely doesn't count - only a small part of the roof opens as a homage to the idiotic design that was Texas Stadium. Guaranteed, if there were inclement weather and they had the ability to close the roof, they'd do it.
Anyway, why outside? They had games just fine at the Silverdome. Detroit has proven time and again it has the ability to put on a world-class sporting event. I think Ford Field ought to be a World Cup venue without a doubt. Your list sadly overemphasizes the coasts, methinks.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:42 PM ^
1. The FIFA regulations prohibit stadiums from using terraces as standing ticket areas, as many stadiums across the globe traditionally have terraces to stand rather than seats. The wording is vague on whether bleachers are considered actual seats or not.
However, if necessary, I would imagine the athletic department would certainly buy seat back chairs for each individual ticket holder. The cost of this (I guess $20 each at cost = $2 million) would likely then be absorbed in the ticket price of the seat to whoever buys the seat package for more expensive seats, and the remainder could be auctioned afterwards for collectors' items. Remember that tickets for this event will likely be sold in packages to include every game and every event that occurs at the venue for the entirety of the event.
For example, for the 2005 All-Star Game, the Tigers had temporary seating areas made of plushly cushioned folding chairs with the All-Star game logo on them. Afterwards, they mailed the seats to the people who purchased those tickets, free of charge. Surely the cost of the chair was absorbed by the ticket price (a ticket package which included every event - Futures' Game, Home Run Derby, Celebrity Softball, and the All-Star Game)
2. In regards to the field, in 1994, the Silverdome found it cost effective to successfully install natural grass for 4 weeks indoors, so installing a platform to raise and install a grass field covering a few of the front rows at Michigan does not seem entirely implausible.
A stretch? Maybe. However, Bill Martin has proved time and time again that he has a decent IQ when it comes to financials. His continued interest in this endeavor highly suggests that this is indeed a financially lucrative opportunity for the Athletic Department.
Overall, this opportunity for the city of Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan, and the state itself to be highlighted on the world stage strikes me as truly unique and exciting, greatly overwhelming the fact that I am not a soccer fan.
October 15th, 2009 at 6:53 PM ^
"The wording is vague on whether bleachers are considered actual seats or not." No, it's not. From Fifa's Football Stadiums: Technical recommendations and requirements - 4th Edition:
All spectators should be seated. Seats must be individual, affixed to the structure and comfortably shaped, with backrests of a minimum height of 30cm to provide support. To ensure a minimum level of comfort, “tractor-style” seats, with only a tiny flange purporting to represent a backrest, are not acceptable. The provision of backrests also helps to prevent the highly dangerous forward surge of spectators which frequently took place on the old standing terraces whenever a goal was scored and which still happens today in some stadiums where the seats have no backrests. Standing viewing areas and benches of any kind are not acceptable under any circumstances for the FIFA World Cup.There are also specifications on leg room and distance between seats.
October 16th, 2009 at 10:31 AM ^
I had been looking at the World Cup regulations for both 2006 and 2010, in which the wording was vague in reference to seating, did not define the guidelines for "all-seater", and on further review only mentioned seating in reference to the preliminary matches, not the final round (the actual event):
"As a general rule, the preliminary matches may only be played in all-seater stadiums."
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/56/42/69/fifa_wc…
I have found your reference, and indeed it is very specific. Do you know if this manual is only for new build stadiums?
For others interested, Coach is referencing:
http://www.fifa.com/mm/51/54/02/football_stadiums_technical_recommendat…
A fascinating read, and relevant seating requirements begin on page 104. All new stadiums for every sport should have such specific regulations!
By those standards, the Big House would never stand a chance, but on the other hand, it is also difficult to believe that the other proposed US sites in the US for the bid would hold up to all those requirements too.
October 16th, 2009 at 12:26 PM ^
Sorry for not linking that guide and forcing you to look it up.
I think that the measurements and spacing requirements only apply to new stadiums, which is nice, but the no benches thing applies to all World Cup stadiums. If all of that is correct, I'm curious as to what the Big House capacity would be with seats instead of bleachers.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:04 PM ^
There should be no opposition to either of these sites. Southeast Michigan is desperately in need of the economic boom that comes from such a global event.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:07 PM ^
Of course, by the year 2018 or 2022, SE Michigan may not be in such dire straits. And if games are held in Ann Arbor, the economic impact on the city that needs the most help (Detroit) would be very modest.
October 15th, 2009 at 6:09 PM ^
It's possible, but it doesn't seem likely to be any better off than it was pre-recession. Which is still not very.
I'd argue the economic impact on Detroit would still be great. Ann Arbor lacks the hotel space to handle the type of crowd that will come, most people will stay around the airport in Wayne County. And while I love Ann Arbor, it provides precious little space and very little to see from an international perspective. Assuming the currently proposed commuter line does happen by the time of the WC, I'd guess most tourists would opt to spend their time in Detroit with the casinos, restaurants and museum.
October 16th, 2009 at 10:51 AM ^
It would help the economy a little, but it'd just be a quick short-term boost. Economists dub these kinds of events a "sugar rush" - they make people in the area feel good for a little while, but have little long-term effect.
October 15th, 2009 at 10:07 PM ^
I definately support WC in Detroit... it would help the economy a lot... tourism to Detroit and surrounding areas...
michigan stadium only would only need to replace bleachers with seats and to add grass... detroit/ann arbor wouldnt have to pay a lot at all for it to be in michigan stadium.... South Aftrica is building several stadiums for WC 2010...
but... the WC might affect football during the summer of 2018 season because of all the people trying to pack into the stadium and in town...
i definately support it and would pry go to the games if in Ann Arbor....
October 16th, 2009 at 12:43 PM ^
in your world 98xj? You seem a little off your game today.