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The greatest sporting event in the world has concluded its play and with it millions of viewers around the world can finally return to normal everyday schedule. The tournament, first ever hosted in Africa was great and aside from some refereeing errors and the constant noise of the vuvuzelas most people will view it as a success.
For the final on Sunday, I decided to go to Soldier Field and watch the game with a couple thousand fans at Soldier Field. The event was called 2010 Chicago World Cup Festival and it featured live soccer matches on the field, live music and entertainment, as well as a live viewing of the final game between Netherlands and Spain.
The event did not draw a crowd that the organizers were hoping for (I’m assuming) but the atmosphere at the stadium was great nevertheless. Lots of Spain and Holland supporters came on to cheer their country in this historic game. (Neither team had won the World Cup before)
The first noticeable thing I came across as I was arriving at Soldier Field (walking from Grant Park) was the shortage of signs pointing people in the right direction. The entire north side of the stadium was barricaded off and after walking downstairs and upstairs numerous times, myself and a large group of others decided to circle around the stadium and try our luck from the south entrance. That turned out to be the right way to go, but the lack of any signs whatsoever and the 90 degree heat made the walk a very uncomfortable one.
Once at the gate there were several tents outside providing the fans with free Coke Zero or Powerade refreshments. This certainly seemed to raise the spirits of those who just spent half an hour trying to figure out a way in. Once in and inside the concourse of the stadium there was a real, party like atmosphere. Live entertainment, music and numerous tents made the event seem like a Sport Expo. There were tents sponsoring different charities, offering newest equipment, to the official South African tent with all kinds of different memorabilia, including an option to buy a signature “vuvuzela.” After purchasing mine, I decided to see what exactly is happening on the field.
The field was split up in three different areas, which created three smaller size soccer fields enabling the tournament to be completed quicker. There were many different age groups on display ranging from the young adults, teens, girls teams to even young guys in grade school. The quality of play was great and it certainly provided entertainment for those waiting for the final to start.
The final between Spain and Holland was a disappointment from a quality of game perspective but not in terms of drama. Andres Iniesta’s goal in the 116th minute gave Spain its first ever World Cup title, much to the delight of the Spanish fans at Soldier Field.
Couple things I didn’t like about the event was the admission price ($20 a little to expensive for my taste) and even the food inside the stadium was the same price like it is during Chicago Bears games. Buying a $6 beer or a $5 hot dog is expensive even when at a Bears game, let alone at an event such as this one was. In my opinion the food was overpriced and it probably stopped some people from ordering. Another problem was the lack of signs on the north side of the stadium leaving people to wonder which way they needed to go. A couple of signs on either side would have solved this problem and saved a bunch of people less walking on a hot summer day.
Overall, the festival was an interesting experience to attend as a fan and a member of the press. I got to see a World Cup Final alongside a couple thousand other fans at Soldier Field. Sure there were some things that could have been better but I have yet to go to a festival that didn’t miss a thing here or there. I will definitely be looking forward to a similar event in July of 2014 when the World Cup takes place in Brazil. Hopefully USA will make a deeper run in that tournament.
To view pictures from the event click here:
Tags: 2010 FIFA World Cup, Africa, Andres Iniesta, Chicago, Chicago Bears, Coke Zero, Grant Park, Netherlands, Powerade, Soldier Field, South Africa, Spain, vuvuzela
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