Our society is becoming more cynical and jaded all the time. Nothing is pure any more. You can't enjoy food without thinking about its calories and trans fats, you can't wholeheartedly support any political party when you're aware of their scandals and betrayals, and you can't even buy a coffee or a shirt without thinking about where it came from and who made it for you. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; after all, it tends to allow us to see the shades of grey I'm so big on and consider the consequences of our actions. Still, it makes it tough to feel sheer elation and exhilaration about anything.
This transition from a shining ideological paradise to the dirty and grubby world of realpolitik has also happened in sports. Perhaps the best example is baseball's steroid era and the resulting Mitchell Report, the final illusion-shattering document I wrote about here. It's why people were so incensed about steroid use in baseball but willing to tolerate it to a greater degree in leagues like the NFL; baseball always sold itself as something more, something pure, a nostalgic slice of the good old days before corruption and taint, even if that wasn't always true (see Sox, Black). Gary Smith's fantastic Sports Illustrated article is a great look at this view of the sport and how steroids altered it.
It's not just baseball, though. Scandals have rocked other sports with similar results. In The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro, Joe McGinniss describes how an encounter with the seamy underbelly of Italian soccer (and the match-fixing that went hand-in-hand with said underworld) had a terrible effect on his view of the world. A similar malaise struck many basketball fans during the Tim Donaghy scandal. Beyond those scandals involving entire leagues, there have been plenty of exposés demonstrating that our athletic idols are not the heroes we had imagined, but perhaps more like the ancient Greek gods they're sometimes compared to; extremely powerful, but often greedy, capricious and self-centred. Other adventures with franchises and relocations such as the ongoing fight over the Phoenix Coyotes have dragged muddy aspects of the worlds of business, politics and nationalism into the once-shining realm of sport. With all this, it's rare to find a moment in sports that can be unashamedly embraced.
However, LeBron James' game-winning three-pointer against the Orlando Magic with no time left on the clock last night may be such a moment. Orlando had battled hard all game, rallying from a 23-point deficit in the second quarter to take the lead with only one second left in the game on a drive and jumper from Hedo Turkoglu. James made a great move on Turkoglu and broke out to the top of the key. With Turkoglu desperately lunging at him, he gets up a contested three-ball as the last seconds tick off the clock.
At this point, sensible minds had to think Cleveland was all but doomed. One second on the clock to inbound the ball and get up a contested shot? Maybe heroes or gods could pull that off, but in the mortal realms, the expected happens 99 per cent of the time. Moreover, James was the NBA's MVP this year, but he's renowned for his dominant inside game more than his shooting from long range or his clutch heroics. There's a good reason many NBA observers will still tell you that James may be the best player in the game, but they'd prefer having Kobe Bryant on the floor to launch a final buzzer-beater, especially if it's from downtown.
Letting James bomb away from three-point range with a hand in his face and without time to get properly set? That's a likely recipe for disaster, and a disaster that could have doomed Cleveland's title hopes. Going into Orlando down 2-0 against a Magic team that excelled on home court this year wouldn't have been at all promising. Thanks for coming, guys; hope you enjoyed your playoff run.
In millions of universes, perhaps that's how it ends. James' final effort bangs off the rim. Turkoglu and Dwight Howard jump in celebration; Stan Van Gundy celebrates on the bench. A disappointed and dejected crowd of Clevelanders that had pinned so many of their struggling city's hopes on this team, as excellently described by Joe Posnanski in this week's Sports Illustrated, file out of Quicken Loans Arena into the dark. Their hopes and expectations have been crushed yet again. Reality has set in, and so has the famous SI jinx that led Posnanski's friends to encourage him not to write the piece. The Cavaliers win the next game, but can't recover from a 2-0 deficit and fall to the Magic in six. The Magic go on to the Finals and fall to the Western Conference champions. The Cavaliers are torn by disappointment and infighting in the 2009-2010 season and fall in the conference semi-finals. James leaves for the bright lights of New York in the summer, and yet another of Cleveland's golden dreams has gone down in flames.
However, this universe is different. Maybe a few molecules of air are rearranged, or James releases his shot at a slightly different angle. The result is that James' incredible shot swishes its way through the basket, giving the Cavs a win that few could have expected only a second earlier and all the momentum in the series. James answers the critics in fine form and stuns us all, and in a way that no amount of cynicism or realism can taint. It was a pure sporting moment, untainted by business, politics or anything else. The NBA's commercials always promise us that the playoffs are "Where Amazing Happens"; last night, they were right.
The story isn't over yet. There's still a chance of the Magic bouncing back, of an implosion by the Cavs, of an upset in the Finals. If so, this will still be remembered as a great moment, but not a defining one. But if they go on to the title and if this shot proves to be the timing point, it will mark the coronation of King James in a more effective way than any sword-removal or dragon-slaying. Cleveland has its desperately-needed hero, and if he leads them to a glorious triumph, his deeds will be long remembered.
This moment goes beyond Cleveland, however. The NBA is a global game these days with fans all over the world. Regardless of which team they support, a feat of athleticism like the one James provided is an incredible display that can be appreciated by anyone. It transcends our highlight-saturated culture and our partisan divisions for just a brief moment, allowing us to go beyond the surface of sport and delve down to the pure core. For that moment, we can forget about court cases and relocation rumours. We can abandon griping about the refs, blasting players' off-court habits and complaining about high ticket prices. In that moment, we can see a reminder of what pure sport is.
That doesn't mean that idealism is back for good, though. There will certainly be plenty of ugly fouls, off-court drama and intrusions of business and politics over the rest of the playoffs. Bad calls will be made and endlessly debated. Cynicism and realism will return in force, and the sports world will revert to its normal shades of grey. But for one solitary moment with an exceptional feat, James brought an unsoiled flash of inspiration. He peeled back the curtain and allowed us to enjoy a pure sports moment in a way we rarely can any more.
Showing posts with label politics in sport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics in sport. Show all posts
Friday, May 22, 2009
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Whitecaps' training facility moves ahead
The Vancouver Whitecaps are expected to announce a deal with the provincial government today to build a $30 million training facility/national development centre at John Oliver Park in South Delta [Phillip Raphael, South Delta Leader]. This is quite an interesting move and may considerably affect Canadian soccer.
For one thing, this kind of new facility will only further shift the balance of Canadian youth development to the West. The Whitecaps already have the most comprehensive youth academy in Canada and are producing and developing a lot of Canada's young talent; this facility should help them attract even more of the top prospects. The climate also favours a Western shift, as the B.C. soccer season goes year-round, unlike much of the rest of the country where snow prevents extensive play in the winter. I don't have many details on this yet, but it certainly sounds like a move that would aid Vancouver's youth development system and Canada's youth development as a whole, and it would also be helpful for the men's and women's senior national teams.
Keep in mind that the precise form of that youth system in the future is still up in the air, though. Negotiations are still underway with MLS about how to integrate the Whitecaps' residency program with the MLS draft system when the team joins the league in 2011. It's unlikely that the residency program will be scrapped altogether, as MLS obviously has substantial motivation to develop local talent, but its structure may change considerably.
That's why this facility will also be important for the full team. A world-class training facility would be a substantial boon to the Whitecaps, especially after they move into B.C. Place in 2011; Swangard Stadium is acceptable as a training ground, but B.C. Place wouldn't be a particularly good spot for practices. Solid training facilities in Delta would also help the Whitecaps in their quest to attract top-tier friendly opponents; in the past, many of the clubs that have come through town, such as Sunderland, have set up their training operations out in Langley at Trinity Western University. The soccer facilities there are decent, but it's a bit of a trek and it isn't an ideal environment.
A third benefit from this proposal for the Whitecaps is the marketing aspect. If this training facility will also be used by elite youth clubs, as seems likely given the government funding, that's a perfect opportunity for the Whitecaps to further develop their connections with those clubs, allowing them to draw both fans and potential prospects from those teams. They already have strong ties with much of the minor soccer community, but this can only help. Geographically, it's also a way to reach out to people in the heavily-populated suburbs south of the Fraser River, many of whom are crazy about soccer but not necessarily all that familiar with the Whitecaps.
The final question to consider is why the provincial government's going along with the idea, and there are several key factors involved. First and foremost, there's an upcoming election on May 12 that's expected to be close. In that election, Delta South is widely predicted to be a hotly contested riding between Liberal attorney-general Wally Oppal and former Delta councillor Vicki Huntington, who is running as an independent candidate. Not surprisingly, Oppal was the source for the above story on the matter and appears to be heavily involved. With the inclusion of time for minor soccer clubs, it also could be a counterstrike against the NDP's campaign pledge to spend $100 million on soccer fields and recreation facilities across the province [Bob Mackin, 24 Hours Vancouver]. Plus, soccer's already shown up as a battleground in this election thanks to the NDP's apparent threats to scratch the B.C. Place retractable roof and subsequent denial of any such threats. The Liberals came out of that mess looking pretty good compared to the NDP, so this could be another area for them to score points with soccer fans.
The Liberals also have solidly supported the Whitecaps' push for MLS status over the years: there were plenty of Liberal politicians who attended or sent letters or videos of support at the official announcement of the bid, and it was their decision to pour money into B.C. Place renovations that paved the way for Vancouver's MLS bid. Finally, don't overlook the self-interest factor; as Mackin reported in his above story, Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot donated $14,290 to the provincial Liberals between 2005 and 2008.
The mere presence of political factors doesn't make this a bad idea, though. As mentioned above, it could do a lot for the Whitecaps, local soccer and the national teams, and both Canada and Vancouver could sorely use a world-class training facility. The timing is likely thanks to politics, but it's a much-needed move and one that will benefit soccer in the Lower Mainland and in this country as a whole.
[Cross-posted to The 24th Minute]
For one thing, this kind of new facility will only further shift the balance of Canadian youth development to the West. The Whitecaps already have the most comprehensive youth academy in Canada and are producing and developing a lot of Canada's young talent; this facility should help them attract even more of the top prospects. The climate also favours a Western shift, as the B.C. soccer season goes year-round, unlike much of the rest of the country where snow prevents extensive play in the winter. I don't have many details on this yet, but it certainly sounds like a move that would aid Vancouver's youth development system and Canada's youth development as a whole, and it would also be helpful for the men's and women's senior national teams.
Keep in mind that the precise form of that youth system in the future is still up in the air, though. Negotiations are still underway with MLS about how to integrate the Whitecaps' residency program with the MLS draft system when the team joins the league in 2011. It's unlikely that the residency program will be scrapped altogether, as MLS obviously has substantial motivation to develop local talent, but its structure may change considerably.
That's why this facility will also be important for the full team. A world-class training facility would be a substantial boon to the Whitecaps, especially after they move into B.C. Place in 2011; Swangard Stadium is acceptable as a training ground, but B.C. Place wouldn't be a particularly good spot for practices. Solid training facilities in Delta would also help the Whitecaps in their quest to attract top-tier friendly opponents; in the past, many of the clubs that have come through town, such as Sunderland, have set up their training operations out in Langley at Trinity Western University. The soccer facilities there are decent, but it's a bit of a trek and it isn't an ideal environment.
A third benefit from this proposal for the Whitecaps is the marketing aspect. If this training facility will also be used by elite youth clubs, as seems likely given the government funding, that's a perfect opportunity for the Whitecaps to further develop their connections with those clubs, allowing them to draw both fans and potential prospects from those teams. They already have strong ties with much of the minor soccer community, but this can only help. Geographically, it's also a way to reach out to people in the heavily-populated suburbs south of the Fraser River, many of whom are crazy about soccer but not necessarily all that familiar with the Whitecaps.
The final question to consider is why the provincial government's going along with the idea, and there are several key factors involved. First and foremost, there's an upcoming election on May 12 that's expected to be close. In that election, Delta South is widely predicted to be a hotly contested riding between Liberal attorney-general Wally Oppal and former Delta councillor Vicki Huntington, who is running as an independent candidate. Not surprisingly, Oppal was the source for the above story on the matter and appears to be heavily involved. With the inclusion of time for minor soccer clubs, it also could be a counterstrike against the NDP's campaign pledge to spend $100 million on soccer fields and recreation facilities across the province [Bob Mackin, 24 Hours Vancouver]. Plus, soccer's already shown up as a battleground in this election thanks to the NDP's apparent threats to scratch the B.C. Place retractable roof and subsequent denial of any such threats. The Liberals came out of that mess looking pretty good compared to the NDP, so this could be another area for them to score points with soccer fans.
The Liberals also have solidly supported the Whitecaps' push for MLS status over the years: there were plenty of Liberal politicians who attended or sent letters or videos of support at the official announcement of the bid, and it was their decision to pour money into B.C. Place renovations that paved the way for Vancouver's MLS bid. Finally, don't overlook the self-interest factor; as Mackin reported in his above story, Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot donated $14,290 to the provincial Liberals between 2005 and 2008.
The mere presence of political factors doesn't make this a bad idea, though. As mentioned above, it could do a lot for the Whitecaps, local soccer and the national teams, and both Canada and Vancouver could sorely use a world-class training facility. The timing is likely thanks to politics, but it's a much-needed move and one that will benefit soccer in the Lower Mainland and in this country as a whole.
[Cross-posted to The 24th Minute]
Saturday, April 11, 2009
NDP now support BC Place renovations
This is interesting. After the media flurry the other day about apparent threats [Friends of Soccer] by the party to axe the proposed retractable roof for B.C. Place, which I wrote about here, the NDP has come out with a statement calling the whole thing a "Liberal lie" and claiming that they've always been at war with Eurasia in favour of a retractable roof. That does seem to be a bit of a reversal in my mind thanks to the ads they have ran and the lack of specific provisions for B.C. Place in their platform, but it could also have been a misinterpretation.
Regardless of who's to blame, the important thing for B.C. soccer fans is that both sides in the election now are committed to the renovations, which is a great thing for both the Whitecaps and the B.C. Lions. That's as it should be in my mind; this team and their move to MLS are too important to be used as political pawns. Regardless of who takes the election, the future of the renovations now appears assured, and that's important for B.C. soccer.
Related: NDP Officially Back Down On B.C. Place Attacks [Friends of Soccer]
[Cross-posted to The 24th Minute]
Regardless of who's to blame, the important thing for B.C. soccer fans is that both sides in the election now are committed to the renovations, which is a great thing for both the Whitecaps and the B.C. Lions. That's as it should be in my mind; this team and their move to MLS are too important to be used as political pawns. Regardless of who takes the election, the future of the renovations now appears assured, and that's important for B.C. soccer.
Related: NDP Officially Back Down On B.C. Place Attacks [Friends of Soccer]
[Cross-posted to The 24th Minute]
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Whitecaps: NDP threatens to axe retractable roof
The upcoming B.C. provincial election has invaded many areas of life, but sports wasn't really a key issue until now. Tyler Green and Mike Martignago from The TEAM 1040 reported on their blog this afternoon that the provincial New Democrats are threatening to scrap the planned retractable roof for B.C. Place, which of course was a key element in the Whitecaps' successful bid for MLS status. According to the TEAM's sport business commentator Tom Mayenknecht, their goal is "to scrap the plans for a retractable roof and proceed with a simpler replacement fixed roof."
With a retractable roof, as I've written before, B.C. Place could actually become a solid soccer stadium. The renovations are based on Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, home to Eintracht Frankfurt of the Bundesliga and a stadium that hosted World Cup matches in 2006. The new design for B.C. Place follows the lines of Commerzbank Arena quite closely and has a lot of potential.
Without that roof, B.C. Place will not be a great facility for soccer. Yes, it's still not horrible, and the Whitecaps have hosted large-scale matches there before (notably a friendly [Tim Booth, USA Today] against David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy back in 2007). However, the promised B.C. Place renovation was one of the key factors [myself, Sporting Madness] that led the Whitecaps to officially bid for this round of MLS expansion [myself, Out of Left Field]. As Jim Jamieson of the Vancouver Province wrote last year, the Whitecaps were only willing to consider B.C. Place because of the proposed major renovations, and MLS affirmed it as an acceptable venue only with those renovations. If they are cut or scaled back, both the Whitecaps and MLS will be in a very difficult position; MLS can't easily revoke the expansion franchise, but the Whitecaps won't have a suitable arena to play in, thanks to the ongoing mire of politics preventing them from building their preferred waterfront facility any time soon.
This will also hurt the CFL's B.C. Lions, who will share B.C. Place with the Whitecaps. At the moment, B.C. Place isn't a bad arena to watch a football game. It's anything but a great one, though, and it often gets hot and cramped during the summer months. With the new renovations, it should be one of the better arenas in the league; without them, it's acceptable, but not desirable.
The proposed slashing of the retractable roof will additionally limit the facility as a venue for concerts and other events, according to Mayenknecht. Thus, it's not simply the costs that need to be compared, but also the potential lost revenue. He calculates that the net difference between the original retractable roof plan and a cheap fixed roof would work out to only about $125-150 million. Yes, that's a fair bit of money, but is it really enough to sabotage two beloved professional sports teams for?
Moreover, this is a ready-made infrastructure investment, which the NDP should be all in favour of. The plans are completed, the money's been found, and the renovations will provide jobs in the construction community and the services sector once the new facility opens. Green and Martignago go into more detail on the matter in their post:
"PavCo estimates that the full renovation and retractable roof plan will generate $100 M in annual economic activity, cause savings in energy costs associated with a fixed air-supported roof and create more than 2,000 jobs. Government officials have reported that 300 people are already working on-site on the initial phases of the renovation.
Estimates for the economic impact of an MLS franchise playing at BC Place are in the $25 M per annum range. The BC Lions could drive $35 M to $40 M annually with the increased attendance projected from a retractable roof. The 2011 CFL Grey Cup would generate at least $75 M (based on results from the last hosting in 2005)."
Many economists are justifiably skeptical of hard numbers in economic benefits from sports teams, but it is difficult to argue that the renovation wouldn't help the local economy. It's already in the pipeline as well, so cancelling it now would strike quite a blow to the Lions, the Whitecaps and the workers involved. This could come back to haunt the NDP politically, according to Mayenknecht:
“It’s beyond me as to why the BC NDP would even consider such an anti-sports development platform given the proven economic, social and health benefits of a sports and active living agenda for young people,” said Mayenknecht. “I’m sure there will be tens of thousands of sports fans, in particular those close to soccer and football, in the Lower Mainland ridings who will take a close look at this position before voting in May.”
It's disappointing that this has to turn into such a political issue, though. Yes, the Liberal government brought the plan forward in the first place and provided the funding for it, but just because an idea was brought up by your opponent doesn't make it a bad one. There are a lot of aspects of this project that would fit well with the NDP's proclaimed values, particularly the job creation and the economic stimulus. Moreover, if the NDP is elected and they don't scrap the project, they wouldn't likely be blamed for cost overruns or potential problems, as they could trace it back to the Liberals. This move seems more like a way to try and make a political point, rather than reasoned policy based on the good of the province. There are plenty of other issues for the parties to fight about without imperiling the future of sports in Vancouver.
There is perhaps some hope on the matter, as this doesn't appear to be a central plank of the NDP's platform. Maybe it will stir up enough outrage among their own supporters that it will be dropped. Maybe they'll keep it in and lose. If they win and try to implement these cuts, though, it could be a dark day for soccer in Vancouver.
[Cross-posted to The 24th Minute].
Update, April 10: A couple of relevant links from the comments. The Friends of Soccer are quite annoyed by this, and particularly upset about NDP ads that apparently ask voters to choose between social services and stadiums. You can read a more NDP-friendly take here, which suggests that this wouldn't have been an issue if the TEAM didn't make it one.
With a retractable roof, as I've written before, B.C. Place could actually become a solid soccer stadium. The renovations are based on Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, home to Eintracht Frankfurt of the Bundesliga and a stadium that hosted World Cup matches in 2006. The new design for B.C. Place follows the lines of Commerzbank Arena quite closely and has a lot of potential.
Without that roof, B.C. Place will not be a great facility for soccer. Yes, it's still not horrible, and the Whitecaps have hosted large-scale matches there before (notably a friendly [Tim Booth, USA Today] against David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy back in 2007). However, the promised B.C. Place renovation was one of the key factors [myself, Sporting Madness] that led the Whitecaps to officially bid for this round of MLS expansion [myself, Out of Left Field]. As Jim Jamieson of the Vancouver Province wrote last year, the Whitecaps were only willing to consider B.C. Place because of the proposed major renovations, and MLS affirmed it as an acceptable venue only with those renovations. If they are cut or scaled back, both the Whitecaps and MLS will be in a very difficult position; MLS can't easily revoke the expansion franchise, but the Whitecaps won't have a suitable arena to play in, thanks to the ongoing mire of politics preventing them from building their preferred waterfront facility any time soon.
This will also hurt the CFL's B.C. Lions, who will share B.C. Place with the Whitecaps. At the moment, B.C. Place isn't a bad arena to watch a football game. It's anything but a great one, though, and it often gets hot and cramped during the summer months. With the new renovations, it should be one of the better arenas in the league; without them, it's acceptable, but not desirable.
The proposed slashing of the retractable roof will additionally limit the facility as a venue for concerts and other events, according to Mayenknecht. Thus, it's not simply the costs that need to be compared, but also the potential lost revenue. He calculates that the net difference between the original retractable roof plan and a cheap fixed roof would work out to only about $125-150 million. Yes, that's a fair bit of money, but is it really enough to sabotage two beloved professional sports teams for?
Moreover, this is a ready-made infrastructure investment, which the NDP should be all in favour of. The plans are completed, the money's been found, and the renovations will provide jobs in the construction community and the services sector once the new facility opens. Green and Martignago go into more detail on the matter in their post:
"PavCo estimates that the full renovation and retractable roof plan will generate $100 M in annual economic activity, cause savings in energy costs associated with a fixed air-supported roof and create more than 2,000 jobs. Government officials have reported that 300 people are already working on-site on the initial phases of the renovation.
Estimates for the economic impact of an MLS franchise playing at BC Place are in the $25 M per annum range. The BC Lions could drive $35 M to $40 M annually with the increased attendance projected from a retractable roof. The 2011 CFL Grey Cup would generate at least $75 M (based on results from the last hosting in 2005)."
Many economists are justifiably skeptical of hard numbers in economic benefits from sports teams, but it is difficult to argue that the renovation wouldn't help the local economy. It's already in the pipeline as well, so cancelling it now would strike quite a blow to the Lions, the Whitecaps and the workers involved. This could come back to haunt the NDP politically, according to Mayenknecht:
“It’s beyond me as to why the BC NDP would even consider such an anti-sports development platform given the proven economic, social and health benefits of a sports and active living agenda for young people,” said Mayenknecht. “I’m sure there will be tens of thousands of sports fans, in particular those close to soccer and football, in the Lower Mainland ridings who will take a close look at this position before voting in May.”
It's disappointing that this has to turn into such a political issue, though. Yes, the Liberal government brought the plan forward in the first place and provided the funding for it, but just because an idea was brought up by your opponent doesn't make it a bad one. There are a lot of aspects of this project that would fit well with the NDP's proclaimed values, particularly the job creation and the economic stimulus. Moreover, if the NDP is elected and they don't scrap the project, they wouldn't likely be blamed for cost overruns or potential problems, as they could trace it back to the Liberals. This move seems more like a way to try and make a political point, rather than reasoned policy based on the good of the province. There are plenty of other issues for the parties to fight about without imperiling the future of sports in Vancouver.
There is perhaps some hope on the matter, as this doesn't appear to be a central plank of the NDP's platform. Maybe it will stir up enough outrage among their own supporters that it will be dropped. Maybe they'll keep it in and lose. If they win and try to implement these cuts, though, it could be a dark day for soccer in Vancouver.
[Cross-posted to The 24th Minute].
Update, April 10: A couple of relevant links from the comments. The Friends of Soccer are quite annoyed by this, and particularly upset about NDP ads that apparently ask voters to choose between social services and stadiums. You can read a more NDP-friendly take here, which suggests that this wouldn't have been an issue if the TEAM didn't make it one.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The reasons behind the ban of the Dalai Lama
Wednesday's announcement [Geoffrey York, The Globe and Mail] that the Dalai Lama will be barred from visiting South Africa until after the 2010 World Cup was rather interesting. After all, as the Globe pointed out in their editorial on the matter, this is a country famous for producing civil-rights advocates like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. This move seemed a step back from the recent success of South Africa, and more in tune with the country's ugly past under apartheid.
Government spokesman Thabo Masebe told the Globe the move “would not be in South Africa's best interests.” That depends on the interests you're considering. There's a good reason "Follow the money" is one of the most memorable lines from the film version of All The President's Men, one of my favourite journalism books of all time. You can often learn quite a bit from the greenback trail. Let's try and apply that methodology here and see where it takes us.
South Africa, of course, is hosting the 2010 World Cup, a massive multibillion-dollar event. The World Cup is organized by FIFA, known for shady financial dealings and influence-peddling in the past (see this excellent story by Andrew Jennings on the Swiss bribery trial where FIFA head Sepp Blatter has been named; there are plenty of other examples in his book, Foul). FIFA gets the money to put on lavish World Cups through TV rights deals and sponsorship agreements with global companies such as adidas, Coke, Visa and McDonalds.
Those global companies are always looking to expand their brands into new and emerging markets. One of the most crucial markets for expansion is the People's Republic of China, which boasts over 1.3 billion people and an emerging middle class with significant buying power. The PRC has had significant problems with the Dalai Lama for some time due to his credentials as a Tibetan exile leader, and accused him of orchestrating riots [The Associated Press via MSNBC] in the lead-up to last summer's Olympics. Given the power of the PRC government, it could make either life very difficult or very easy for those companies if it felt like it. That doesn't mean that they're involved with this ban, but it does suggest that they would have strong motivations to help the PRC if asked.
Of course, the sponsors needn't necessarily be involved at all. China is also a key target market for FIFA: 1.3 billion people with substantial purchasing power in an area where soccer has not yet become the dominant game. Given the PRC government's control of the country's media, they have tremendous power to either aid FIFA in their marketing or make it very difficult for anyone in China to watch or follow soccer. FIFA has also been known to exercise substantial political influence before [one example from Andrew Jennings, in the Sunday Herald], so it's not like meddling in international relations would be anything new for them.
There are also options for China to put substantial pressure on South Africa without involving soccer or corporate intermediaries. As York wrote, "The ban is the latest signal of Beijing's growing power and influence in Africa. China has become the top trading partner of many African countries, and China's ruling Communist Party is reported to be one of the biggest financial contributors to the African National Congress, South Africa's ruling party." Yeah, that probably didn't hurt their case.
It's not a secret that the PRC is at the back of this. From York's story, we learn that "The Chinese embassy in South Africa has confirmed that it opposed the Dalai Lama's visit. In Beijing, a foreign ministry spokesman said yesterday that China appreciates any country that takes "measures" against the Dalai Lama." They may or may not have invoked the help of those looking for Chinese support in the soccer and corporate worlds; that's not for me to say without evidence. However, as pointed out above, exerting pressure on South Africa to keep the Dalai Lama out is in line with the key goals of the PRC government. Thus, FIFA and the global companies involved certainly can't oppose this easily without annoying a key government ally they need on their side, and the PRC may have even persuaded them to go along with it. If they felt like it, they could add their voices to those of the PRC and make life even tougher for the Dalai Lama to pick up a few brownie points with the Chinese government. It's business as usual in the world of soccer, but it's a depressing day for humanity and civil rights.
Update: 9:43 P.M. Found some other good takes on the situation. Sam of The Canadian Stretford End calls it "a disgusting move", while Cesar Benoit sees it as a "huge PR blunder".
Government spokesman Thabo Masebe told the Globe the move “would not be in South Africa's best interests.” That depends on the interests you're considering. There's a good reason "Follow the money" is one of the most memorable lines from the film version of All The President's Men, one of my favourite journalism books of all time. You can often learn quite a bit from the greenback trail. Let's try and apply that methodology here and see where it takes us.
South Africa, of course, is hosting the 2010 World Cup, a massive multibillion-dollar event. The World Cup is organized by FIFA, known for shady financial dealings and influence-peddling in the past (see this excellent story by Andrew Jennings on the Swiss bribery trial where FIFA head Sepp Blatter has been named; there are plenty of other examples in his book, Foul). FIFA gets the money to put on lavish World Cups through TV rights deals and sponsorship agreements with global companies such as adidas, Coke, Visa and McDonalds.
Those global companies are always looking to expand their brands into new and emerging markets. One of the most crucial markets for expansion is the People's Republic of China, which boasts over 1.3 billion people and an emerging middle class with significant buying power. The PRC has had significant problems with the Dalai Lama for some time due to his credentials as a Tibetan exile leader, and accused him of orchestrating riots [The Associated Press via MSNBC] in the lead-up to last summer's Olympics. Given the power of the PRC government, it could make either life very difficult or very easy for those companies if it felt like it. That doesn't mean that they're involved with this ban, but it does suggest that they would have strong motivations to help the PRC if asked.
Of course, the sponsors needn't necessarily be involved at all. China is also a key target market for FIFA: 1.3 billion people with substantial purchasing power in an area where soccer has not yet become the dominant game. Given the PRC government's control of the country's media, they have tremendous power to either aid FIFA in their marketing or make it very difficult for anyone in China to watch or follow soccer. FIFA has also been known to exercise substantial political influence before [one example from Andrew Jennings, in the Sunday Herald], so it's not like meddling in international relations would be anything new for them.
There are also options for China to put substantial pressure on South Africa without involving soccer or corporate intermediaries. As York wrote, "The ban is the latest signal of Beijing's growing power and influence in Africa. China has become the top trading partner of many African countries, and China's ruling Communist Party is reported to be one of the biggest financial contributors to the African National Congress, South Africa's ruling party." Yeah, that probably didn't hurt their case.
It's not a secret that the PRC is at the back of this. From York's story, we learn that "The Chinese embassy in South Africa has confirmed that it opposed the Dalai Lama's visit. In Beijing, a foreign ministry spokesman said yesterday that China appreciates any country that takes "measures" against the Dalai Lama." They may or may not have invoked the help of those looking for Chinese support in the soccer and corporate worlds; that's not for me to say without evidence. However, as pointed out above, exerting pressure on South Africa to keep the Dalai Lama out is in line with the key goals of the PRC government. Thus, FIFA and the global companies involved certainly can't oppose this easily without annoying a key government ally they need on their side, and the PRC may have even persuaded them to go along with it. If they felt like it, they could add their voices to those of the PRC and make life even tougher for the Dalai Lama to pick up a few brownie points with the Chinese government. It's business as usual in the world of soccer, but it's a depressing day for humanity and civil rights.
Update: 9:43 P.M. Found some other good takes on the situation. Sam of The Canadian Stretford End calls it "a disgusting move", while Cesar Benoit sees it as a "huge PR blunder".
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Whitecaps to push for MLS status?
Some interesting news came out today. The Vancouver Whitecaps, who have been trying for ages to give the city a privately-funded new showcase stadium (supposed to be paid for entirely by Vancouver multi-millionare Greg Kerfoot, the team's owner who has been a key financial backer of the growth of soccer in Canada) with little success, may have finally made the breakthrough needed on a stadium of suitable size to support their Major League Soccer ambitions. However, the potential breakthrough has come from an unexpected direction that may cause as many problems as it creates. According to local radio station CKNW, both the Whitecaps and Lions will be represented tomorrow morning at a news conference called by B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, which is believed to be on the subject of a new retractable roof for B.C. Place. The Whitecaps told CKNW last week that they'd consider playing in B.C. Place with the new roof if it helped their chances of landing an MLS franchise.
On the face of it, this seems like it may be a problematic proposition for the Whitecaps. B.C. Place was opened in 1983, and it's appeared to show its age recently, most notably when the roof collapsed in January 2007. It also goes against the soccer-specific stadium model so desired by MLS. However, the idea makes a lot more sense once you consider comments from Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi in a April 30 Vancouver Province article by Jim Jamieson.
"The club is still 100 per cent committed to building a soccer-specific, natural grass stadium on the Vancouver waterfront, but would consider B.C. Place as a temporary venue if major renos are announced shortly as expected," Jamieson writes. 'Our priority is still the waterfront stadium, but given that it's taking as long as it has, we need to have alternatives if the opportunity to move to a higher level is available,' said Lenarduzzi. 'It would be a short-term solution, as we're looking at the waterfront stadium being our permanent solution but of course we're mired in that process right now.'
Now, that makes a lot of sense. The key goal here is for Vancouver to get into MLS, and the window is rapidly closing. MLS has said it will cap expansion at 18 teams. There are currently 14 teams, and two more franchises have already been approved (Seattle next year and Philadelphia in 2010). The Montreal Impact already have a bid on the table, backed by their brand-new natural-grass Saputo Stadium, and St. Louis is apparently applying as well. Given the rapidly expanding popularity of MLS, it's hard to believe that these are the only other cities interested. If both those clubs make it in and the league sticks to its previous comments, Vancouver would be on the outside looking in. Time is clearly of the essence, so a move to a newly-reinvigorated B.C. Place (which MLS has deemed acceptable as long as there's a long-term plan for a soccer-specific stadium) would dramatically boost the team's
chances of cracking the exclusive MLS club.
B.C. Place also can handle soccer. It played host to the old NASL Whitecaps for several years, and staged the last Soccer Bowl before the league folded. More recently, 48,172 soccer fans packed the joint for last November's clash between the Whitecaps and David Beckham's L.A. Galaxy. It isn't the ideal outdoor stadium the Whitecaps have been dreaming of, but with a new roof, it would make a great interim venue until the new stadium gets finished. The capacity's also a tremendous advantage: far better than the 6,868 seats in Swangard Stadium (the Caps' current home) or even the 20,500 at TFC's BMO Field. If the Whitecaps make it into MLS, there will be likely be tremendous ticket demand similar to what happened with TFC. The Vancouver area has long been very supportive of top-quality soccer, and the old NASL team used to regularly sell out Empire Stadium (32,000 capacity). With B.C. Place, fans wouldn't have to sell their soul for a ticket the way you have to for a TFC game at BMO Field.
There are other alternatives coming out of the woodwork as well for the long-term stadium solution, which should put some pressure on the Vancouver bureaucrats who have dithered for five years over accepting a free stadium (ironic that this is happening just up I-5 from where a team is about to be stolen due to the lack of a publicly-funded stadium). One compelling one is the idea of building a new stadium in the suburbs out in Surrey, just off the SkyTrain rapid-transit line, floated by my esteemed father a while ago and promptly followed up on by the Vancouver Province with a story by Kent Spencer (which included Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts offering support for the proposal) and an editorial backing the idea. A downtown stadium would be more desirable, but Surrey is a viable alternative (especially due to the easy access provided by transit to the western part of Surrey, where the stadium would likely be located), and its inclusion in the mix should give Vancouver council a little pressure to hurry up on the downtown proposal for fear of losing out. Suburban stadiums have worked out well in other MLS locations, notably Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts (home of the New England Revolution and the NFL's New England Patriots) and Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (home of the New York Red Bulls, and the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets).
As the Globe's Matthew Sekeres wrote in his excellent article last month, the team is quite happy to look at different stadium solutions.
"Maybe I underplay it, but I don't think it would make a difference," Lenarduzzi said. "What we're saying is, 'We can build it anywhere, just tell us where.'"
Five years later, that question awaits an answer.
In other communities, with a smidgen of political will and dollop of pressure from the local millionaire, an answer would've come in five minutes.
Perhaps the presence of political backing in Surrey (where landing a pro sports franchise would be a huge coup for the city) will be enough to get things done, or perhaps the idea of competition will produce new will in Vancouver to keep the team downtown (even though they currently play in another suburb, Burnaby). Either way, at least the team looks to have some options now.
Regardless of where the new soccer-specific stadium is located, one (and a preferably natural-grass one) is still desperately needed. However, this announcement on B.C. Place is very promising: it should give the Whitecaps a good jump on their bid for MLS by providing a suitable high-capacity venue for them to play in. In turn, the team gaining MLS status would put more pressure on local officials to get things done on a new stadium. It's rather a reverse of the normal model of stadium, then team, but a similar manuever worked for the Blue Jays many years ago: they got into Major League Baseball with the terrible confines of Exhibition Place on the promise that a new stadium would be built down the road, and then they were able to use that leverage to forge the political and financial support needed for the SkyDome. Let's hope stadium history can repeat itself in Vancouver.
Update: 7:42 P.M.: Jim Jamieson has a new story up on the expected deal.
On the face of it, this seems like it may be a problematic proposition for the Whitecaps. B.C. Place was opened in 1983, and it's appeared to show its age recently, most notably when the roof collapsed in January 2007. It also goes against the soccer-specific stadium model so desired by MLS. However, the idea makes a lot more sense once you consider comments from Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi in a April 30 Vancouver Province article by Jim Jamieson.
"The club is still 100 per cent committed to building a soccer-specific, natural grass stadium on the Vancouver waterfront, but would consider B.C. Place as a temporary venue if major renos are announced shortly as expected," Jamieson writes. 'Our priority is still the waterfront stadium, but given that it's taking as long as it has, we need to have alternatives if the opportunity to move to a higher level is available,' said Lenarduzzi. 'It would be a short-term solution, as we're looking at the waterfront stadium being our permanent solution but of course we're mired in that process right now.'
Now, that makes a lot of sense. The key goal here is for Vancouver to get into MLS, and the window is rapidly closing. MLS has said it will cap expansion at 18 teams. There are currently 14 teams, and two more franchises have already been approved (Seattle next year and Philadelphia in 2010). The Montreal Impact already have a bid on the table, backed by their brand-new natural-grass Saputo Stadium, and St. Louis is apparently applying as well. Given the rapidly expanding popularity of MLS, it's hard to believe that these are the only other cities interested. If both those clubs make it in and the league sticks to its previous comments, Vancouver would be on the outside looking in. Time is clearly of the essence, so a move to a newly-reinvigorated B.C. Place (which MLS has deemed acceptable as long as there's a long-term plan for a soccer-specific stadium) would dramatically boost the team's
chances of cracking the exclusive MLS club.
B.C. Place also can handle soccer. It played host to the old NASL Whitecaps for several years, and staged the last Soccer Bowl before the league folded. More recently, 48,172 soccer fans packed the joint for last November's clash between the Whitecaps and David Beckham's L.A. Galaxy. It isn't the ideal outdoor stadium the Whitecaps have been dreaming of, but with a new roof, it would make a great interim venue until the new stadium gets finished. The capacity's also a tremendous advantage: far better than the 6,868 seats in Swangard Stadium (the Caps' current home) or even the 20,500 at TFC's BMO Field. If the Whitecaps make it into MLS, there will be likely be tremendous ticket demand similar to what happened with TFC. The Vancouver area has long been very supportive of top-quality soccer, and the old NASL team used to regularly sell out Empire Stadium (32,000 capacity). With B.C. Place, fans wouldn't have to sell their soul for a ticket the way you have to for a TFC game at BMO Field.
There are other alternatives coming out of the woodwork as well for the long-term stadium solution, which should put some pressure on the Vancouver bureaucrats who have dithered for five years over accepting a free stadium (ironic that this is happening just up I-5 from where a team is about to be stolen due to the lack of a publicly-funded stadium). One compelling one is the idea of building a new stadium in the suburbs out in Surrey, just off the SkyTrain rapid-transit line, floated by my esteemed father a while ago and promptly followed up on by the Vancouver Province with a story by Kent Spencer (which included Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts offering support for the proposal) and an editorial backing the idea. A downtown stadium would be more desirable, but Surrey is a viable alternative (especially due to the easy access provided by transit to the western part of Surrey, where the stadium would likely be located), and its inclusion in the mix should give Vancouver council a little pressure to hurry up on the downtown proposal for fear of losing out. Suburban stadiums have worked out well in other MLS locations, notably Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts (home of the New England Revolution and the NFL's New England Patriots) and Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (home of the New York Red Bulls, and the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets).
As the Globe's Matthew Sekeres wrote in his excellent article last month, the team is quite happy to look at different stadium solutions.
"Maybe I underplay it, but I don't think it would make a difference," Lenarduzzi said. "What we're saying is, 'We can build it anywhere, just tell us where.'"
Five years later, that question awaits an answer.
In other communities, with a smidgen of political will and dollop of pressure from the local millionaire, an answer would've come in five minutes.
Perhaps the presence of political backing in Surrey (where landing a pro sports franchise would be a huge coup for the city) will be enough to get things done, or perhaps the idea of competition will produce new will in Vancouver to keep the team downtown (even though they currently play in another suburb, Burnaby). Either way, at least the team looks to have some options now.
Regardless of where the new soccer-specific stadium is located, one (and a preferably natural-grass one) is still desperately needed. However, this announcement on B.C. Place is very promising: it should give the Whitecaps a good jump on their bid for MLS by providing a suitable high-capacity venue for them to play in. In turn, the team gaining MLS status would put more pressure on local officials to get things done on a new stadium. It's rather a reverse of the normal model of stadium, then team, but a similar manuever worked for the Blue Jays many years ago: they got into Major League Baseball with the terrible confines of Exhibition Place on the promise that a new stadium would be built down the road, and then they were able to use that leverage to forge the political and financial support needed for the SkyDome. Let's hope stadium history can repeat itself in Vancouver.
Update: 7:42 P.M.: Jim Jamieson has a new story up on the expected deal.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Standing up and speaking out
Good for former Canadian Olympic swimmers Shannon Shakespeare and Nikki Dryden, who delivered an open letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Chinese Mission to the United Nations today. I've written about this before, but in my mind, politics are inextricably linked with sport, and it's far too late to pull them out now. Kudos to Shakespeare and Dryden for taking a stand on an important issue using their athletic status: I'd much rather see that than just another ad for sneakers or Gatorade.
This also shows the futility of the Belgian Olympic Committee trying to impose a "gag order" on their athletes. As James Christie's Globe and Mail story linked above points out, the IOC already has relegations to allow athletes freedom of speech while at the same time ensuring the entire games don't become about politics: attempts by individual organizations to try and clamp down even harder are over the top.
It was also nice to see Steven Spielberg back out of his involvement with these games due to China's dubious human-rights record at home and abroad. The withdrawal of such a prominent name should do a good bit to raise awareness of the very real world problems China is contributing to, and should show people that this year's Olympics cannot be viewed purely in sporting terms. Sure, the athletic achievements are still the main story, but you can't just whitewash the background.
As I've mentioned before, it's extremely unfortunate that China's doing all they can to spin these Olympics, including keeping a database on foreign journalists. However, stories like this one show that this is essentially futile: in the famous words of Leia Organa, "The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers." These Olympics are going to get hammered on China's rights record no matter how much the government tries to surpress the media: they'd be better off just presenting their own side of the story.
This also shows the futility of the Belgian Olympic Committee trying to impose a "gag order" on their athletes. As James Christie's Globe and Mail story linked above points out, the IOC already has relegations to allow athletes freedom of speech while at the same time ensuring the entire games don't become about politics: attempts by individual organizations to try and clamp down even harder are over the top.
It was also nice to see Steven Spielberg back out of his involvement with these games due to China's dubious human-rights record at home and abroad. The withdrawal of such a prominent name should do a good bit to raise awareness of the very real world problems China is contributing to, and should show people that this year's Olympics cannot be viewed purely in sporting terms. Sure, the athletic achievements are still the main story, but you can't just whitewash the background.
As I've mentioned before, it's extremely unfortunate that China's doing all they can to spin these Olympics, including keeping a database on foreign journalists. However, stories like this one show that this is essentially futile: in the famous words of Leia Organa, "The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers." These Olympics are going to get hammered on China's rights record no matter how much the government tries to surpress the media: they'd be better off just presenting their own side of the story.
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