Before any big event hosted in Vancouver, from Expo 86 to the 2010 Winter Olympics, there have always been people who aren’t happy, and the FIFA World Cup is no different.
There has been pushback around the cost, especially at a time the economy is struggling and provincial debt is through the roof. Concerns are swirling around the numerous traffic closures, expected delays on transit, impacts on businesses — and the list goes on.
So, where’s the buzz before the first of seven matches at BC Place on June 13?
“I think a lot of the talk has been about the high ticket prices, and traffic and transit have been a nightmare,” says Simon Bennett, a sports anchor at our 680 NewsRadio station in Toronto — the other Canadian host city.
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But he thinks any negative vibes will fall by the wayside once Canada takes to the pitch, especially if Canada wins or goes the distance.
“I’ve talked to people out in Vancouver about the Olympics; people were complaining about the lead-up there, and once they started, it was like, ‘Ah! This is amazing!’” Bennett said.
“I think we’ll see that. And as a sports fan and a soccer fan, the fact there are World Cup games in my city, in my country, is still astounding to me. I don’t think it has sunk in.”
Bennett says it’s obvious in both Vancouver and Toronto the World Cup has arrived, but it may take a while until it really resonates with people.
This is a sentiment echoed by Tom Mayenknecht, host on our sister station, Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, who feels the lead-up has been full of “negative news” like the price tag.
“That narrative will change, and some of the criticisms, from ticket pricing to other displacements, will be replaced by the beautiful game,” Mayenknecht said.
“The bigger the event, the more negative the storyline going in, but once the athletes start doing their stuff, it really changes.”
Given Vancouver’s stunning backdrop, he thinks this is a huge opportunity to showcase the city as the main special events hub in the country.
“When you look at some of the beauty shots, like Science World as a soccer ball and, of course, BC Place itself, and the North Shore mountains, those are going to be beauty shots that are going to go to more than 200 countries around the world,” he said.
“That’ll provide a lot of added media value for tourism boosters here in Vancouver and in British Columbia.”
BC Place did undergo millions of dollars of upgrades, and Mayenknecht thinks that could help attract the right kind of business, especially with so much uncertainty around the Vancouver Whitecaps.
“There are more special events, especially sport tourism events at BC Place and in Vancouver, than any other Canadian city, and that is going to drive more special events, more international friendlies afterwards, so I think that is what’s really positive,” he said.
“It might not have the impact that people thought in terms of net hotel bookings here in the marketplace, but in terms of future-facing promotion of Vancouver as one of the most beautiful cities and tourist destinations in the world, I don’t think the World Cup will disappoint on that front.”
He feels if the Canadian squad plays well or goes far, people will associate it with hosting in Vancouver, similar to Sidney Crosby scoring the Golden Goal here in 2010.
“It will transform the event from an expensive, successful event to an event people only measure by the success of the Canadian team. It can be that powerful,” Mayenknecht said.
“And if they wind up turning heads and not only getting out of the group but getting to the round of 32 and possibly the round of 16, very few people are going to be worried about the construction costs at that stage of the game. If Canada bows out disappointedly, then that’s the outcome nobody wants to see, especially those who have invested in this hosting opportunity.”
“In terms of future-facing promotion of Vancouver as one of the most beautiful cities and tourist destinations in the world, I don’t think the World Cup will disappoint on that front.”
Mayenknecht adds there could be major upsides off the field if Team Canada does well.
“The Canadian national team is the single biggest wildcard of this whole hosting effort. If they go on a winning streak, it will be electric, and the sport tourism spin-off and the economic spin-offs will be greatly enhanced.”
One of the obvious downsides, he points out, is the provincial government confirming it may spend as much as $729 million on all this, and more costs will likely be incurred as the tournament continues.
“If a Canadian winning streak doesn’t happen, there will be more attention on, ‘Was it all worth it?’ Certainly, everything about this event is arguably too expensive, especially from a public policy point of view. On the other hand, if the investment spawns another few decades of Vancouver being one of the most popular tourism destinations in the world… it’ll draw not only tourists, but it’ll draw talent to this part of Canada.”
Mayenknecht wants people to understand there are always going to be major financial vulnerabilities with hosting duties like this, pointing to security costs, which are currently more than $240 million.
“It comes down to, how is the Vancouver experience? What seed does this plant in terms of international tourism going forward, and what is the legacy of the Canadian men’s national team?”
He also thinks this will help grow the game in this country and help in getting Canada name recognition on an international level.
The last time the men’s national team qualified for the World Cup was in 1986, and at one point about a decade ago, Canada was ranked 114th in the world. They made it to 26th last September and are currently 30th.
A combined 13 matches are being hosted in Vancouver and Toronto, with Vancouver hosting seven games at BC Place. The first is on June 13 between Australia and Türkiye.
Canada is facing Bosnia and Herzegovina this afternoon.
~With files from Kyle Benning