World Cup 2018 may cost a fair amount
The World Cup in 2018 in Holland and Belgium; it is the passionate wish of the ‘HollandBelgium bid World Cup 2018’. In December, it will be decided. But what is in it for these countries? And what will it cost? The minister of Economic Affairs had these troubles all calculated out. Not only the immediate costs were taken into account, but also the effects in the long term. The result was negative, a World Cup costs more than it yields.
Calculating the costs
The bid committee has therefore done a countercheck and Egbert Oldenboom, teacher at the institute of Sport studies (ISBS) was one of the investigators. Egbert, member of the taskforce Sport economy of the ISBS, who fights for more economy within the curriculum. He is sports economist and took his doctoral degree in the costs and benefits of the European Championship Soccer 2000.
No realistic opportunity
The conclusion which was drawn from the countercheck is that the cost-benefit analysis isn’t realistic. An example: within the research, a part is about displacement effects in the touristic sector: a hotel room can only be let once. The committee however suggests that soccer fans often sleep somewhere else. Egbert finds there are no good answers to the question how profitable some of the investments are. ‘If we adapts soccer stadiums, there will be space for more supporters in the future.’
And will Egbert pack his bags for a seat in the top class during the World Cup? No way. ‘I don’t like soccer at all, I love investigating’
