OPINION:
Former Washington football team owner Dan Snyder left behind a legacy of pain and shame for Washington sports fans — with perhaps one exception.
The stadium he owned like a slumlord was in such sad shape that not even the gangsters who run FIFA could stomach it.
Northwest Stadium — then known as FedEx Field — was such a steaming pile of garbage that it was considered unacceptable to host a World Cup game.
Not even a revised bid to host a game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore could salvage it.
A member of the D.C. 2026 World Cup Advisory Board told me they knew its bid was likely doomed from the start — even though by all other measures, Washington, a hotbed for soccer and one of the world’s most prestigious cities, was an attractive option.
They knew FedEx Field was a lost cause before FIFA officials ever got a look at it, said the board member, who asked not to be identified. “But what were we supposed to do?” they asked. “Not put in a bid? How would that have looked?”
So here we are, on the brink of the World Cup starting Thursday in 16 cities in Canada, the United States and Mexico — not the American capital in a year when the country is celebrating its 250th anniversary.
Thank you Dan Snyder.
Hosting a World Cup game has gone from a prize to a punishment. The gangsters at FIFA held up cities for costs to host the celebrated world tournament – Vancouver for more than $700 million, New York/New Jersey over $500 million, with inflated revenues that diminish with each passing day and every empty hotel room that was supposed to be sold.
All this while the public is gouged with ridiculous ticket prices in the thousands of dollars on the resale market, which FIFA gets a taste of as well.
Washington was forced out of the hosting due to the lack of an adequate facility. Some other cities refused to be held hostage by FIFA.
And you know, as is often the case with such events, the costs for cities that did do business with FIFA will wind up higher than reported and the benefits diminished.
Cities like Quebec are elated to watch their counterparts being held up.
“Our government made a responsible decision in the management of public funds, and in hindsight, it was the right one,” Quebec Minister of Tourism Amélie Dionne told Sportico.
Chicago declined to be sucked in.
“The guys from international soccer wanted us to underwrite their sporting event,” then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel said at the time. “I am not going to write a company a blank check that can fleece the taxpayers.”
A 2003 economic study of the 1994 World Cup hosted by the United States showed that cities lost $5.5 billion to $9.3 billion. “Potential hosts should consider with care whether the award of the World Cup is an honor or a burden,” the study concluded.
Already, FIFA has been targeted by law enforcement.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport have launched a joint investigation into FIFA’s ticket pricing process for the tournament, subpoenaing records from the organization.
Washington-area World Cup fans will get a great alternative without the burden of the costs. The National Mall will host watch parties — sometimes up to as late as 1 a.m. — plus interactive exhibits, youth programming, cultural showcases, food, music and family-friendly activations, according to organizers.
Let other cities get their pockets picked.
• You can hear Thom Loverro on “The Kevin Sheehan Show” podcast.
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