RE: No Beer For You!
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I'm not that into soccer, but I sometimes watch some of the World Cup. This one is controversial in various ways. Hosting it in a country that has never qualified and does not have much of a soccer scene seems weird for a start. I'm sure it was all about money, but isn't the sport pretty rich anyway? Then there's all the alleged deaths of construction workers who are poorly paid. That is not good for the image.
There would have been long negotiations between the hosts and sponsors, so changing the rules at the last minute seems strange. Did you hear that a beer would cost £12/$14 there? It would be expensive to get drunk.
I feel for the fans and the players who just want to play for their country. This is all a distraction from the sport.
It might surprise many, but it seems that Qatar has actually had a "pro" league since 1972, and teams were around since the fifties (according to wikipedia), and whilst their top division only has 12 teams currently, given they are a relatively small country their soccer scene is well established.
That said, I agree having them host it was the worst decision FIFA could ever have made, and as has been widely publicised since it was awarded to them the level of corruption and bribery at the heart of FIFA's decsion making process would rival perhaps a US presidential campaign (ooopsss ... a bit controversial lol). Add to that the treatment of migrant workers building the stadia, civil rights issues, including the potential for the mistreatment and worse of the LGBTQ+ communties that have arisen over the years only adds fuel to fire. Recent comments by FIFA officials haven't helped asuage the thoughts of most that having such a prestigous tournament in such a country was always a mistake.
The issue over removing mainstream alcohol at the event is also a bit of mockery of the tournament and the sponsors, since it has also been revealed that certain privileged VIP guests (commonly known as freeloaders) will be able to quaff champagne/sparkling wines and cocktails to their hearts content.
I'll admit I don't know much about the country beyond what I have been reading recently. The native population is pretty small with a lot of ex-pats. The fact is that big money drives sport and the actual fans may not be seen as so important by those in charge.
I expect you heard that Joe Lycett plans to shred £10k unless David Beckham pulls out of his well paid promotional position.
It will be interesting to see if people watch anyway. I know my Welsh colleague wants to see his team do well.
Thanks for the awesome comment! Yeah, this seems like it was a road to ruin right from the get go. Paved with bribes and nefarious back room deals. It will be interesting to see how many visitors end up being detained during the events and how many of them are never heard from again. If the US thinks the Russia/Griner thing is crazy, can you imagine what is going to happen here?
How much does that equate to per beer in US dollars. Beers at sporting events are horrendously priced, so it might not be as out of bounds as you think. Okay, yes, totally outrageous, but unfortunately, not uncommon. I wrote a post a long time ago about the migrant workers who were just disappearing during the construction phase. Definitely not a good look. I think this falls really similar to the Olympic games. It is likely more about money than we want to admit.
As I said above, about $14 for a beer. Would you pay that much?
Oh, okay, I see you did both. I usually get confused when I see that pound mark show up. Yeah, I think I have paid that before. I don't usually drink at concerts or events because then I have to pee and I might miss something. Occasionally, I will have a drink or two. That sounds about normal price-wise for a stadium drink.
If it's even £7 for a beer I'll think twice about it and I also don't want to be peeing during a gig. It can be an expensive night out anyway. Not as much as people are paying to be at the World Cup. I heard people are paying a lot just to sleep in a tent, but they want to be part of it.
I don't know if it is the same over there, but you would be shocked with the mentality at concerts in the US. I have seen people drop hundreds if not thousands of dollars on drinks at a show. Spend all their time talking and going back and forth and nearly passing out they are so drunk. It makes you wonder why they even bought the tickets unless they got them for free or something.
Oh yes, I've seen that. So much for an unforgettable experience. Maybe I'm just old, but I'm not interested in getting really drunk now.
Btw we've got tickets to see Sting at an outdoor gig next year. It's actually across the road from where my parents live.
That's awesome Sting would be great to see live. He has been doing some really great collaborations lately plus all of his original stuff. It should be quite a show!
and on top of that, the cultural/traditional restrictions limits the joy of the fans who just wants to enjoy football. Totally understandable that we need to follow their rules but why give it in the first place.
Also, I read a reliable source that after Qatar was granted to host the World cup, six months later they purchased fighter jets from France costing around $14.6 billion.
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