The word game's a perfect fit for world trade

[the_gun]

Australians were once were worriers. And we had good reason to be. We had little to do with Asia and our living standards were slipping. People talked about the ‘tyranny of distance’ and how we had no hope because we were at the bottom of the world imprisoned by our geography.

For those in the football community, things weren’t that great either.

For in football terms, Australia was a backwater. The late and great Socceroos captain Johnny Warren famously wrote about it in his book titled Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters and Australia’s first high profile football export, Craig Johnston allegedly said: “Playing soccer for Australia was like surfing for England,” although it was later found out that he had been unfairly misquoted.

On the road to the World Cup the Socceroos did it the hard way too, usually beating some poor Pacific island nation (who may have not even had running water) 20-0 before stumbling against the might of Uruguay, Argentina, Scotland or famously in 1997 (to much heartbreak) Iran.

But the times are a-changing on the pitch and in the boardrooms of corporate Australia too. The Australian economy is now enmeshed in Asia in terms of trade and investment. And just as trade and investment ties with Asia are strengthening so are our sporting ties thanks to the world game.

In fact, in a paper that I prepared for football diplomacy conference at the Lowy institute just after the Socceroos made the 2006 World Cup, I found that joining the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) was significant trade wise.

In the paper, comparing the top AFC nations versus the top FIFA nations the Asia accounted for $88 billion in export revenue compared to $19.5 billion for the top FIFA nations.

So in essence, by gaining admission in to the AFC, Football Federation of Australia (FFA) chairman Frank Lowy and his team not only gave football fans something to cheer about, but they have also given Australia a long run economic benefit in terms of trade.

And in terms of trade and football, Asia is clearly where the action is for Australia.

Of course the opportunity to qualify for the World Cup via Asia, as the Socceroos successfully did this year in South Africa, greatly helped Australia’s football prowess and our trade opportunities, as indeed being part of the Asia Cup which we get to host in 2015.

But this process will be greatly enhanced in a few days’ time if Australia is successful in its bid to host the FIFA World cup in 2022.

So how significant is the FIFAWorld Cup economically?

According to IBISWorld’s Robert Bryant, the World Cup is a big deal.

“The World Cup and the Summer Olympics vie for the title of the biggest sports events on the planet; however when it comes to spending, football is the clear winner.

"IBIS World forecasts the 2022 World Cup in Australia would, in real terms, generate four times the spending of the Sydney 2000 Olympics."

Why is that so?

It’s partly because of the stadia upgrades needed for the 10 host cities and the travel between the cities by visiting fans. The Olympics is concentrated in one city whilst the World Cup is spread around the country with additional region benefits helping host cities like Geelong and Newcastle.

As well as bums on seats there are eyes on the TV screen as well. The World Cup dwarfs the Olympics in terms of TV viewers with 26.3 billion people watching Germany 2006 and 40 billion for South Africa 2010 compared to 4.7 billion for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and 3.6 billion in Sydney 2000.

All in all, the World Cup will generate economic benefits in terms of broadcasting rights and an injection in to the local economy in terms of tourism, travel and logistics.

FFA CEO Ben Buckley, who is busily lobbying for 2022 cites the well-known PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) study that anticipates a $5.3 billion boost in GDP and the generation of 74,000 full-time jobs from Australia hosting the Cup.

But the lasting benefits will be in the lead up to and the legacy, especially in terms of the opportunity it will bring in Asia.

According to PWC, Asia provides the biggest TV audience for the World Cup has the fastest growth rates in terms of viewing and corporately hosts 31 per cent of the world’s largest corporations by revenue.

Asia’s growing middle class and emerging consumer power is driving demand for ‘all things football’ so it is important that FIFA and Australia takes advantage of these trends.

According to Ben Buckley: “FIFA’s corporate partners will have access to the fasters growing economies in the world and the massive middle classes of China and India”, if it recommends Australia host the Cup given its strong trade ties to the region.

One thing allegedly going against Australia’s bid is TV rights and time zones versus USA (an argument often used in Olympic circles too).

But as PWC analysis shows Asia will be important in terms of TV viewers, sponsorship and overall business potential especially over the next 12 years as the focus of the global economy centres on Asia and the emerging economies after the northern woes of the global financial crisis (GFC).

So it may well be that in terms of sport as well as economics, Australia may well find itself in the right place at the right time as ‘the power of proximity’ replaces ‘the tyranny of distance’.

Let’s hope FIFA is thinking the same way when it makes its big announcement next week as football looks toward its future and Australia looks to its own future as opportunity beckons in Asia, on and off the field.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/australi ... orld-trade

[Old Master]

After listening to the BBC World Service coverage last night I have started to worry that we aren't even in the race for 2022.

When talking about the who is likely to get the 2018 & 2022 cups, the panel of "experts" never even mentioned Australia's bid.

They were all of the opinion that the 2018 cup will go to England or Russia and the 2022 cup to either the USA or Qatar, with the latter named of each being the favourite due to FIFA's "policy" of taking the game to developing football areas.

What is Australia, an established power? Idiots!

But it seems that the Yanks and Qataris are the only countries in the frame for 2022 according to most European reports.

Oh well, we'll just have to try for 2026 or 2030!

[the_gun]

what some guy from the bbc thinks is just an opinion and it means diddly-squat. in the end it comes down to the voters.

[Bomber]

I must say I do enjoy some word games.

[the_gun]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/wo ... 5961832231

[The Kop]

After listening to the BBC World Service coverage last night I have started to worry that we aren't even in the race for 2022.

When talking about the who is likely to get the 2018 & 2022 cups, the panel of "experts" never even mentioned Australia's bid.

They were all of the opinion that the 2018 cup will go to England or Russia and the 2022 cup to either the USA or Qatar, with the latter named of each being the favourite due to FIFA's "policy" of taking the game to developing football areas.

What is Australia, an established power? Idiots!

But it seems that the Yanks and Qataris are the only countries in the frame for 2022 according to most European reports.

Oh well, we'll just have to try for 2026 or 2030!

Australia doesn't have the politcal pull--only 2022 bidder with no member on the FIFA executive.

If Aus misses out on 2022 to Qatar, the WC wont be back in Asia for at least another 2 world cups. 2034 at the earliest and see below.

If Aus misses out to USA, the next bid will almost 99% be from Asia. Qatar bid will be back stronger for 2026, probably a more realistic bid with Dubai joint bid. And China will be in the hunt and have pulling power on the intl stage by then.

It's 2022 or forget it (in our lifetime).

[Steelinho]

I thought Grease was the word.