Should we be having a World Cup?

1. 60

   gabrielthomas72posted 9 years ago

   Should we be having a World Cup?
   
   In a world that is struggling to feed itself, is it correct that a single country should be spending a reported $11.3 Billion to host a sporting tournament? A tournament that is played by men that already earn huge salaries, and through exposure on a Global scale, have the opportunity to increase their own value.
   
   

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2. 75

   JohnGreasyGamerposted 9 years ago

   As I hate every fibre of football (except the fights; they make great movies), I don't believe such huge amounts of cash should be pooled into these events. I also don't believe that footballers should be paid the money they are, regardless of their training, enthusiasm and how tough the sport can be, especially when the sport has devolved into unfair play and cheating. I can understand the love of it and the pride of supporting one's own country or local football team, but this can be done in so many other sports with people who are paid considerably less.
   
   I can understand the money gained from tourism, with people travelling around the world and buying the hosting country's products, but I hardly think that will make up the 11.3 Billion that is spent on it. I can see the appeal of these events, but I find it's just too costly on top of the footballers' outrageous salaries.

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   1. 79

      frantisek78posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Football is the most popular sport in the world, so of course this is a "point" in having a World Cup. Also, players would not get paid so much if club teams did not have supporters who are willing to pay for merchandise and tickets.

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3. 96

   chef-de-jourposted 9 years ago

   As a lifelong football fan I would love to see the World Cup tradition continue but with a slightly different raison d'etre if you will. I'd make wholesale changes:
   
   *The World Cup should be organised and run by a charity, pure and simple, and any proceeds or profits should go to charity or charities. Big business would have to be involved to build structures and what not but monies made would all go to good causes, like local poverty for example.
   
   This would be possible if the political and business will was strong enough. At the moment the big sponsors get too much of the cake and that's wrong.
   
   *FIFA in its current guise should be disbanded and a more democratic structure created.
   
   I agree - some of the top footballers earn too much but remember that we're talking about the top 1-2% only, not every professional footballer earns millions each year. The majority of professionals earn nowhere near as much as the elite few.
   
   Yes, football has big issues and problems but for me as a follower it is still a relatively clean team sport when you compare it to such drug addled sports such as athletics and cycling. Random drugs tests prove that, incredibly, few if any of the top professionals take any of the easily available enhancing drugs.

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4. 79

   frantisek78posted 9 years ago

   Anything is only worth as much as people (supporters/fans in this case) are willing to pay for the merchandise and for tickets to watch the matches. Hosting the World Cup and Olympics is mainly an issue of prestige, as most host countries end up losing money on them. This is no reason why there shouldn't be a World Cup though.
   
   Literally billions of people follow football all over the world, and it is the only truly international team sport that so many people feel so passionate about. Sure, nothing is perfect, but the fact remains that ending the World Cup would not end hunger, poverty or wars.
   
   Also, footballers are in much better physical shape and run a whole lot more than American football players, basketball players, hockey players, not to mention baseball players who don't even break a sweat. At least football players run for their money.

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