Back by Popular Demand

Okay.  So it turns out that Shakira produced a song for the 2014 World Cup after all . . . a re-worked version of her recent hit, "Dare," and re-titled, "La La La."  Upbeat and catchy, but not even close to "Waka Waka," imho.  You can decide for yourself.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCLKgcWN6eM

Fuleco Unleashed!

Every World Cup since 1966 has had an official mascot, and 2014 will be no different.  Past mascots have included a lion, jalapeño pepper, dog, rooster, leopard, and even an orange.  In the Brazil, the mascot will be . . . get ready for it . . . an armadillo!   

Official Song of the 2014 FIFA World Cup

Not sure what to make of "Ole Ola" . . . how about you?  Kind of hard to shake Shakira's "Waka Waka" out of my mind . . . from four years ago!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGtWWb9emYI

And now . . . for a Classic!

Pretty good a capella version to put you in the mood! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ALhQcpDo-g

A Beautiful Thing

Air travel arrangements?  Check.
Accommodations?  Check, check.
Tickets?  Check, check, check!

World Cup Trivia

Since the World Cup's inception in 1930, there have been 19 editions (1942 and 1946 were interrupted due to WWII) with just eight countries winning the coveted Jules Rimet/FIFA World Cup Trophy:

Brazil (5)

Italy (4)

West Germany (3)

Argentina (2)

Uruguay (2)

England

France

Spain

Of the 19 World Cups, ten have been held in Europe, seven in the Americas, one in Asia, and one in Africa.  Brazil will host the 20^th World Cup in 2014.

On six occasions, the host country also emerged as the World Cup champion:  Uruguay in 1930, Italy in 1934, England in 1966, West Germany in 1974, Argentina in 1978, and France in 1998.  Brazil will have a second chance to pull off this feat in 2014.

Interestingly, in nine out of the ten times that the World Cup was held in Europe, a European team was crowned champion (except in 1958, when Brazil won in Switzerland).  And in the seven times the World Cup was held in the Americas, a South American country won each time.  Of the the two “neutral” sites – Asia and Africa – the results were split, with Brazil winning in Japan/Korea and Spain winning in Africa.

All I can say is that given the national disillusionment following Brazil's defeat to Uruguay before 200,000 partisans in the Maracana at the 1950 World Cup Final, there is incredible pressure on Brazil this time around!

Maracana Stadium . . . or Bust!

This is where we will be for three matches between June 15 and June 22!

Catch all the Action, Live on ESPN/ABC

ESPN, the American broadcast rights holder, will telecast all 64 World Cup matches live from Brazil on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC between June 12 and July 13, 2014.  In case you want to look for some familiar faces in the crowd, we will be taking in three matches at Rio de Janeiro’s famed Estadio do Maracana, built for the 1950 World Cup Finals, between Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina (June 15 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern),  Spain and Chile (June 18 at 2:30 p.m.), and Belgium and Russia (June 22 at 11:30 a.m.).

Mystery Delegation Member

For Seminar Abroad 2010:  FIFA World Cup/South Africa, Dr. Sharianne Walker, Sport Management Department chair, was our delegation's virtual member, and we continued this tradition at Seminar Abroad 2012:  London Olympics, with President Anthony Caprio making numerous cameo appearances.  Stay tuned to find out who the mystery guest will be for Seminar Abroad 2014:  FIFA World Cup/Brazil!

Got Paint?

We'll have to wait and see if our students catch the World Cup fever and get into the spirit of the moment like these Brasileros!

Brazilian Coins

Brazilian coins, called "centavos," look a bit like the Euro and come in these denominations.

Currency

Brazilian currency is called the real (pl. reais) -- currently trading at 1 USD ($) = 2.2 BRL ($R) -- and comes in these denominations.  The new currency in ascending size is at left, while the older currency, at right, is still in circulation.

Quick Facts: 2014 FIFA World Cup

• Dates:  June 12-July 13
• No. teams:  32 (from five confederations)
• No. venues:  12
• Largest stadium:   Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (76,935)
• Smallest stadium:  Arena das Dunas, Natal (42,086)
• Defending champion:  Spain
• Prize money:  $35M for winner; $25M for runner up

Quick Facts: Brazil

• Capital:  Brasilia
• Official language:  Portuguese
• Gained indepndence:  1822
• President:  Dilma Rousseff
• Size:  8.5 million sq. km (fifth largest)
• Population:  203 million (also fifth largest)
• No. of border countries:  10
• Currency:  Brazilian real (R$)
• Climate:  mostly tropical
• GDP per capita:  $11,340

Have accreditation . . . will travel!

Golden Bear is going on this trip as well -- its fourth CISB seminar abroad!

Ross Titelbaum

Intent on going to the Olympic Games or FIFA World Cup while in college, accounting/finance major Ross Titelbaum ’16 (Peabody, MA) follows his brother, Jason Titelbaum ’14, who attended the 2012 London Olympics, as a participant in the CISB’s Seminar Abroad Program.  

Troy Tanzer

Troy Tanzer ’17 (Longmeadow, MA) is majoring in sport management and is a lifelong soccer nut, who can hardly believe his luck in being the only rising sophomore to make the University’s travel roster to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Irina Smith

Irina Smith ’16 (Wilbraham, MA) is already a world traveler, having been to Canada, Ireland, Australia, Bermuda, France, Sweden, and the UK.  This sport management major also spent her fall 2013 semester abroad at Richmond University in London.

Nicholas Prue

Another sport management major, Nick Prue ’15 (Long Valley, NJ) played goal keeper for not one, but two, college teams – Babson College and Western New England University – which transfer to the latter coincided nicely with this seminar abroad opportunity to the World Cup.

McKenzie Pezze

McKenzie Pezze ’16 (Albany, NY), who is majoring in sport management, thought it would be the coolest thing to see the World Cup in person, notwithstanding the fact that she plays softball for Western New England.  A little-known fact about McKenzie is that she also plays the cello. 

Jeremy Patti

A longtime follower of the World Cup, Jeremy Patti ’15 (Raynham, MA) studies accounting and is looking forward to realizing his goal of attending several matches this summer at the world-renowned Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.  

Mark Martinez

Mark Martinez ’15 (Ware, MA) is majoring in political science, is an astute follower of sports, pop culture, and politics, and upon graduation intends to pursue a career with the United Nations.  A fun fact about Mark is that he was a child model.

Thomas Cowin

International business major Thomas Cowin ’15 (Hampden, ME) began his initiation into the world of soccer as a young lad in Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK, where he naturally was a supporter of the English Premier League’s Newcastle United.

Andrea Canales

Originally from Peru, international business major Andrea Canales ’16 (Silver Spring, MD) is passionate about soccer, and it will be a dream-come-true for her to experience the World Cup in futbol-crazed Brazil this summer.  

Sarah Babski

For communication major Sarah Babski ’15 (Holyoke, MA), attending the World Cup in Brazil will be her first trip outside the United States, where she is looking forward to experiencing a culture that is quite different than what she is used to. 

Seminar Abroad 2014: FIFA World Cup/Brazil

This summer, my good friend and sport management faculty colleague, Dr. Dan Covell, and I will lead our fourth Western New England University delegation, this time to the World Cup Finals in Brazil!  A signature program of the Center for International Sport Business within the College of Business at the University, we launched this unique experiential learning opportunity with the 15 students who attended China's first hosting of an Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, followed by the 11 students who witnessed the African continent's inaugural World Cup in South Africa in 2010, and the 17 students who had a thrill of a lifetime at the London Olympics in 2012.  The ten students, who are anxiously awaiting our June 14 departure for Rio de Janeiro, will be introduced in subsequent posts.