US is bidding for 2018 and 2022 World Cups

[fsujax]

I am not a big fan of soccer but this would be great for the city.

[mtraininjax]

For whatever it’s worth, the Citrus Bowl in Orlando has turned into quite the dump since 1994.

Plans are in place for renovations and skybox upgrades. ORL knows its a dump and it cannot complete for ACCCG or anything of that size without upgrades. ORL has enough money to make it happen.

[JaxByDefault]

No direct flights is a killer, as are no transit and no downtown city tourist pull beyond the event.

I'm such a big soccer fan that our office schedule this time of year revolves around Champions League games. I would love to see World Cup here, but I don't think it's in cards for JAX unless the city makes some big infrastructure and urban revitalization investments.

Since FIFA is talking about a North American host in 2018 or 2022, I guess they're pretty confidant in securing their proposed host-schedule switch agreement in favor of London.

[civil42806]

No direct flights is a killer, as are no transit and no downtown city tourist pull beyond the event.

I'm such a big soccer fan that our office schedule this time of year revolves around Champions League games. I would love to see World Cup here, but I don't think it's in cards for JAX unless the city makes some big infrastructure and urban revitalization investments.

Since FIFA is talking about a North American host in 2018 or 2022, I guess they're pretty confidant in securing their proposed host-schedule switch agreement in favor of London.

But what about rail?

[ProjectMaximus]

Jax Municipal expressed interest in hosting.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=Amv7bgI1vZ.DN5uXazfwsAsmw7YF?slug=ap-bidvenues&prov=ap&type=lgns

With no direct international flights.. I don;t think Jax will make it on the shortlist.

No direct flights is a killer, as are no transit and no downtown city tourist pull beyond the event.

I'm such a big soccer fan that our office schedule this time of year revolves around Champions League games. I would love to see World Cup here, but I don't think it's in cards for JAX unless the city makes some big infrastructure and urban revitalization investments.

Since FIFA is talking about a North American host in 2018 or 2022, I guess they're pretty confidant in securing their proposed host-schedule switch agreement in favor of London.

I could be wrong since Im just speculating, but I dont think no direct flights makes much difference since most of these teams and their fans are traveling from across the world. What difference does it make flying three legs verses four legs. Also, I believe that most teams (at least in recent cups) have played all three of their first round games in three different cities. So the availability of domestic flights are probably far more important than the international ones.

Yeah, I think they are pretty confident. It helps that the announcement for both hosts will be made at the same time.

[blizz01]

Still a contender - 27 cities nixed:

Jacksonville still in running for World Cup soccer
Jacksonville Business Journal

Jacksonville has made the cut of 37 American cities that will bid to host soccer’s World Cup matches in 2018 or 2022.

The USA Bid Committee on Tuesday said it issued requests for proposals (RFPs) to officials representing 37 U.S. cities, including Jacksonville, that currently qualify as potential host cities to FIFA World Cup. The RFPs ask for information from city officials about tourism, climate, security, transportation, promotion and more.

The United States’ application is due to FIFA in May 2010. FIFA’s 24-member executive committee will study the bids, conduct site visits and name the two host nations for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments in December 2010, completing a 21-month bid and review process.

The USA Bid Committee also released a short list of 45 stadiums associated with the 37 candidate host cities. Jacksonville Municipal Stadium is among the venues under consideration.

The United States, Australia, England, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and Russia have formally declared their desire to host to the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022. Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain have each submitted joint bids for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, while Qatar and South Korea have applied as candidates to play host only to the tournament in 2022.

[Jason]

Nice! 

Jacksonville has also added quite a few hotels since the Superbowl.  That should help our chances even more.  Not to mention we have quite a few years left to ride out the recession and for planning and construction of more ammenities downtown, as well as possible expansion of our transit systems.  I think we have a good shot.

[hanjin1]

I wonder who the other 37 cities are? I don't see Jacksonville making the final cut.

[reednavy]

Link to the shorter list. We have some very stiff competition. Nashville has hosted several WC semi-final and qualifying games so I'd expect them to go high upon the list.

http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_14876672.html

[blizz01]

HUGE HUGE HUGE win for the United States today vs. Spain.  They will be in the final on Sunday for the Confederations Cup.  Easily one of the top 5 victories of all time for this club.  This should foster some respect from around the world as FIFA shifts to World Cup mode.  Sadly, it's not even ESPN or CNNSI's lead story, but it certainly is @ BBC Sport.

[JaxByDefault]

Really was a great game. After the US went up 1-nil, I wasn't a fan of the decision to fall off pace for 15 minutes and let Spain take 1,000 shots on goal, but some amazing play by Tim Howard and some excellent clears by defenders handled it well.

[Ocklawaha]

Yeah, Jax can't, can't, can't... God knows how sick I am of that speak. During the heyday of the NASL when we got the Tea Men from Boston, Sports Illustrated lampooned the City as "The NASL Has a Sense of Humor and Relocated a team to Jacksonville..." (last issue I'll ever read). We must have been left off the rest of their coverage because we blew away the other cities in attendance. We were putting 15,000 - 40,000 per game, while Los Angeles was averaging 2,000! Some joke huh SI?


I wouldn't have given you .02 cents for all the Soccer in the World but it was the only game in town, then I got to see PELE Number 10 pull these stunts in our stadium. HOLY S**T! Then I moved to Colombia! Be wild to see Medellin play here.

Well damn the league folded and the little Joker Recoiled to dozens of small league or smaller sports. The arena football was tons of fun but huh? Guess they fizzled too? Now we're set for FIFA and the mother of all games... Guys and Gals, WE ALONE HAVE THE NUMBERS TO BACK IT UP!

OCKLAWAHA

[ProjectMaximus]

Really was a great game. After the US went up 1-nil, I wasn't a fan of the decision to fall off pace for 15 minutes and let Spain take 1,000 shots on goal, but some amazing play by Tim Howard and some excellent clears by defenders handled it well.

I'm not so sure that was a tactical decision in the second half as much as it was us just collapsing so far in that we had no release for a counter attack. and the fact that spain is better and we struggled to handle the pressure.

That said, great game for us, terrific win...hopefully it carries over into a strong finish in qualifying. I just can't get very excited about a non World Cup event.

[civil42806]

Sorry Ock, we were NOT putting large crowds into the gator bowl for the Tea Men heres a nice summary

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacksonville_Tea_Men

we were averaging around 8 or 9 thousand.  I made every game but one against the LA team.  We drew better than LA but thats not saying much

[mtraininjax]

ORL knows its a dump and it cannot complete for ACCCG

ACCCG not coming back to FL anytime soon. After the debacle that was Tampa, they pulled the game, set it in Charlotte, and are hoping to do better than the 28,000 who came in Tampa, where they also held the Super Bowl, so the accomodations were not the issue. People in FL had no desire to see a team from Virginia or Massachusetts. ORL will be no different.