Greetings from Vancouver, British Columbia, my home away from home for 28 days for the Men’s World Cup.
While I’m immersed on the men’s side of the sport right now, here’s what I’m sitting next to at the media center at BC Place for the opening match here between Australia and Turkey.
YOU CANNOT ESCAPE CHRISTINE SINCLAIR.
She even announces the Metro Line stop for the Vancouver Fan Festival. And if you know anything about Christine Sinclair, this had to be really hard for her to read.
She was at Canada’s opener in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovenia and I swear she got a bigger ovation than Ryan Reynolds.
Oh, and I’m staying in her hometown, Burnaby.
She’s not the only player to be taking part in the World Cup festivities. The USWNT and the NWSL are also all over the place. It is, after all, summer break for everyone.
But while the Men’s World Cup has all but taken over this city, I did see one advertisement in a Sky Train station for the Northern Super League. I’m also hoping to go to a Vancouver Rise match while I’m here.
Both the National Women’s Soccer League and the Northern Super League have plans to capitalize on the Summer of Soccer. Probably one of the most interesting collaborations comes with Seattle’s Reign and Sounders, who share owners, and have set up a floating pitch and fan zone on the Seattle waterfront.
There’s also the NWSL Challenge Cup on June 26, between Gotham FC and the Kansas City Current, in Columbus, that hopes to steal some eyeballs from the men.
The NSL’s plans include activities at Canada Celebrates, the fan fests in both Toronto and Vancouver, as well as the Canada Soccer House in both cities.
The Rise are playing Toronto here in Burnaby on June 28. I can never predict what I’m doing from day to day while on these kinds of assignments, but the game is walking distance from where I’m staying.
Meanwhile, they turned Science World into a huge World Cup Soccer Ball:
And finally, me at 9 p.m., sweating and trying not to throw up right before the opening match of my sixth World Cup. Australia defeated Turkey 2-0. While I’ve covered about a million soccer games, the World Cup just hits differently, whether it’s men or women playing. I still get crazy nervous.
Anyway, forgive the abbreviated post because I’m sort of doing a lot of stuff right now.
LINKS
USA Today looks at what we learning in the first half of the NWSL season
Columbus mayor says women’s hockey is next after NWSL
Landon Donovan says the NWSL is the best investment in sports
Netherlands is training at the Current’s practice facility
Dudinha sustained an ACL injury playing for Brazil
Women’s Soccer in Mexico ahead of bid to co-host in 2031
Gotham is building a $35 million practice facility
Heath and Press join Pride House for the World Cup
Is it just me or does the US win over Brazil seem like a lifetime ago. It’s just me, but wild game.
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Soccer: Annie Peterson, @AnnieMPeterson, AP Women’s Soccer
Tennis: Joey Dillon, @JoeyDillon, Freelance Tennis Writer
Basketball: Howard Megdal, @HowardMegdal, The IX Sports
Softball: Maren Angus-Coombs, @Maren-Angus, The IX Sports
Golf: Marin Dremock, @MDremock, The IX Sports
Hockey: @TheIceGarden, The Ice Garden
Gymnastics: Jessica Taylor Price, @jesstaylorprice, Freelance Writer
