Bob Mackin
The ABC-controlled City of Vancouver and NDP provincial government are both refusing to say how much the province is spending on the $47.6 million FIFA Fan Festival.
But city hall is admitting its local World Cup sponsorship program will not meet its goal — almost a year after the province listed it as a risk and six months after Mayor Ken Sim’s party passed an election year property tax freeze.
Vancouver city hall’s FIFA World Cup host committee lead Jessie Adcock (left) and COO Taunya Geelhoed. (Mackin)
Last June, the province’s FIFA World Cup budget estimates identified the potential for “less-than-planned net revenue from the host city commercial program due to lower market demand.” In that report, the province estimated $50 million to $62 million in revenue from the city and parks board. On May 29, it said the range fell to $43 million to $53 million — a 14% decrease.
“The figures outlined above are driven by a projected decrease in sponsorship program revenue,” said a prepared statement, delivered via David Harrison of the host city office. “This revenue decrease is partially offset by an anticipated [$21.6 million] increase in FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver revenue.”
The city is hoping for $21.6 million revenue from food, beverage and tickets, leaving the net cost of the festival at $26 million.
Ironically, Fan Festival site PNE is the only one of the nine host city supporters announced May 21 to disclose the top terms of its sponsorship: it is paying $0 and buying zero tickets to BC Place matches.
The host city agreement between FIFA and City of Vancouver said the Fan Festival is supposed to operate every day of the tournament, showing every match and no admission is to be charged.
Vancouver’s will operate on 28 of the 39 days. While it is free to enter the gates and watch matches on a big screen outdoors, reserved seats under the amphitheatre roof are $115.05 and up. Around 2,600 standing room freebies will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
FIFA sells pitch access for selfies
FIFA has found even more ways to sell its most-expensive packages to World Cup matches, beginning next week.
In March, FIFA’s New York-based hospitality contractor On Location told a manager at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver that it was “excited” to offer host city clients “the opportunity to purchase the barstools and standing room only (SRO)” inside VIP suites.
“Please note that all barstools in a given suite must be purchased before an SRO can be purchased. SRO tickets do not guarantee a view of the pitch,” according to documents theBreaker obtained under freedom of information.
Suites for seven matches at B.C. Place appear to be sold out; the website contains “join waitlist” links.
Also, through its “elite and reserve packages,” On Location is selling post-match, on-pitch experiences: the team bench photo experience and penalty kick experience.
“Guests can visit the team benches post-match to experience the players’ perspective and take a memorable photo. Guests can take a penalty kick on the pitch, post-match.”
Prices were not mentioned in the email from On Location’s director of sales partnerships Stephen Sonkin, but the local host committee gets six complimentary passes for on-pitch activations.
The Vancouver host committee is spending $14.4 million of taxpayers’ money on tickets, lounges and suites. Phil Adams at taxpayer-owned B.C. Pavilion Corporation is acting as sales agent for City of Vancouver’s commercial program.
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