BY SERGEI KLEBNIKOV | The World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world. According to FIFA (the Fédération Internationale de Football Association), some 3.2 billion people watched at least a few minutes of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Now, four years later, media experts say that the Brazil 2014 tournament will become the most watched sporting event in history, as record numbers of television viewers are likely to tune in. Large domestic audiences, new technologies, timing of matches and the sport’s growing fan base in countries where other sports take precedence will all contribute to increased viewership around the world.
One key component to more viewers in recent years has been the growth of “the beautiful game” in the U.S., the world’s biggest sports market. U.S. soccer has indeed seen significant development in recent years. Youth programs around the country are becoming increasingly effective in producing stars of future generations. The national team has slowly earned more global respect with increasingly solid performances on the world stage.
The TV industry has played a large part, as well, with broadcasting companies like NBC Sports, which bought television rights for the Barclays Premier League, England’s primary domestic league, last year. Sports giant ESPN has also been a regular broadcaster of big games, and currently has viewing rights for all of the World Cup matches.
ESPN and Spanish-language network Univision had a combined 16 million Americans tuning in to watch the U.S. beat Ghana in their first game, a competitive 2-1 match. This set records for both networks for a soccer game. But with World Cup fever still growing, the U.S.’s next match, against Portugal, shattered that mark, notching a new all-time viewing record, with 24.7 million American viewers.
Fueling the excitement around the tournament here is the fact that New York is such a truly global city. Crowds gather everywhere to watch the games — in bars and restaurants, or in outdoor screening venues.
The World Cup is “good from a nationalistic point of view,” said a British tavern-goer at Churchill’s Tavern, at 45 E. 28th St.
“It’s war without guns,” added a German fan at Zum Schneider, 107 Avenue C, as he sported his country’s colors with a red-yellow-and-black Viking hat on.
Of course, all die-hard soccer fans will be following the tournament. But the widespread interest in this year’s tournament is also bringing in new fans.
“People are getting involved in World Cup fever who might otherwise not be interested in soccer,” said Sol Metcalfe, an employee at Churchill Tavern.
Even local youth soccer programs have been caught up in the spreading futbol mania. Tom Frambach, general manager for Downtown United Soccer Club, talked about their summer camp. With more than 1,000 kids participating, the club has “lots of themes and activities revolved around the World Cup,” he said.
At DUSC’s camp, kids are encouraged to participate in fan brackets, trading cards and mini-tournaments.
“It’s ingrained in our culture as a club,” he said of the World Cup. “It is important for kids to watch the games as well, because the more accessible they are, the more the kids can aspire and relate to their favorite professional players.”
With World Cup fever spreading throughout the city, there are many great venues to watch the world’s biggest sporting event in an exciting atmosphere.
One is the above-mentioned Churchill Tavern, which claims to be New York’s finest English-style pub. However, England’s team already bowed out of the tournament in disappointing style.
“It makes the place a livelier environment,” said Sara Perez, an employee there. “There are usually fans here for whichever game is on.”
There was a lively atmosphere there to watch the Netherlands demolish defending Cup champs Spain, 5-1. Spain would go on to be eliminated ingloriously in the next game.
The East Village’s Zum Schneider is another hot spot to watch the games. This German beer garden and restaurant has transformed into World Cup central — they show every game live, with replays shown at night. For the first time, the bar is offering a special World Cup menu with traditional Brazilian dishes.
This is the local for German football fans.
“Everyone knows if you root for Germany, you have to go to Zum’s,” said a fan outside the bar.
During Germany’s highly anticipated opening match against Portugal, the entire street was flooded by a sea of fans wearing German leis, skirts, tops, jerseys, flags, face paint, scarves and hats. Zum Schneider filled up almost immediately, with people lining up several hours before the game to get in. German fans spilled over into nearby bars, restaurants and cafes all along the block to watch the games there and support their team.
As the German national team demolished Portugal in an impressive 4-0 win, widespread celebrations kicked off. Inside the bar, fans waving large pints of beer yelled out chants as a DJ played music. People ran out to celebrate in the street, madly waving German flags at stopped traffic.
“It is amazing to be with other Germans and to watch in a German community,” said two girls visiting from Germany, who were among the masses gathered for the game.
“The mood was amazing,” said Sylvia Lochmann, the place’s manager. She went on to describe how, for big games, like Germany versus the U.S., as well as the semifinal and final matches, they will close the restaurant and move to E. 23rd St. along the East River, where they will have open-air screenings on a massive LED screen, as well as live bands performing.
And of course, there is Nevada Smith’s. Described as a “soccer mecca,” the East Village bar, at 100 Third Ave., is perhaps one of the most popular spots to watch the sport in the city. Nevada Smith’s boasts more than four floors, 40 flat-screen TVs and two projectors. There is a reason their motto is “Where Football Is Religion” — the fans are hardcore and passionate about the sport.
“Everybody knows this is the real place to watch football,” said Shak Diabi, who was manning the front door. Manager Eric Silva described the “excellent market” the World Cup generates for the bar, including various fan apparel for the games that is sold at the front door. During the U.S.-Ghana match, the place was packed to the brim, with the line to get inside stretching well around the block. More than 300 cheering and yelling fans filled the multilevel watering hole for the game.
Other local venues worth noting are Felix, at 340 W. Broadway at Grand St., a French bistro with a large Brazilian fan base, and Mr. Dennehy’s, at 63 Carmine St., an Irish bar with a staff full of soccer fans and a comprehensive World Cup screening program.
During the Brazil-Mexico game, Felix was full of fans crowding inside and spilling out onto the sidewalk, in a sea of clashing green and yellow jerseys.
This past Sunday evening, when Clint Dempsey scored a late go-ahead goal against Portugal, the place went nuts. A guy in a large, floppy Uncle Sam hat waved an American flag as people cheered, yelled and hugged. But soon afterward, Portugal scored a last-gasp equalizer on a long, pinpoint crossing pass by — who else? — superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, and the elation was replaced by a massive groan.
The U.S. still has a chance to advance from “The Group of Death,” but they face powerful Germany on Thursday. Sounds like it’s going to be another packed house at Zum Schneider!
