The Cup runneth over

The world’s biggest game was on every TV in every bar and restaurant in the country’s major cities, unusual not only because it’s soccer, but also because the event ran a full month. There have been street parties, late drinking nights, constant wagering, and incessant debating over who would win.

Because of the six-hour time difference with Germany, the quadrennial event robbed more Filipinos of sleep than ever before, particularly yesterday’s final. Is this a sign of the sport’s increased awareness, or a jump in the ratings because of the rarity of the Cup? Events like the finals celebration yesterday in hotel lobbies, bars and restaurants were jam-packed, even though Italy was ultimately declared victor at the ungodly hour of five in the morning. Entities with German roots took the lead in pumping up awareness of World Cup. At the Podium, there was an auction of soccer memorabilia from adidas at 9 p.m., followed by two bands and a street party, then the final match at 2 a.m. The place was wild with flags, conversation, highlight films and cheering. Over a thousand people packed the tiny space in front of the mall.

"I’m pretty surprised myself at how big it’s become. I expected people were coming because it was free, but by 11 p.m., there were no seats available," said Paula Guevarra, project director of the German Cultural Center (Goethe Institute), one of the organizers of the Podium party. "Considering that it was early on a Monday morning, it was standing room only."

In the Philippines, soccer fans have been able to watch the World Cup on television since 1990. This year, Solar Sports All Access allowed private residences and bars and restaurants to show the games live all the time for a fee of P6,000. On Sports Plus, the matches were shown on a delayed basis.

"That was the only way to bring it to the Philippines," explains Ralph Roy, vice-president of Solar Sports, which had broadcast rights of the World Cup. "Unlike basketball, where you have timeouts, the matches run the entire half without timeouts to insert commercials. The only way to cover expenses is closed circuit coverage in hotels, or on a pay-per-view basis in homes."

Everywhere you went, people were out watching the World Cup. Bars like Fiama and Gordo’s were buzzing, and hotels were doing brisk business.

"People have finally been exposed to quality football put on air," Roy continues. "If you watch local football, the interest isn’t there, but when you see the world’s greatest players, it makes a difference. And people who watched knew the game. They were cheering the action, and booing bad calls. I hope the big response is not just because it’s trendy."

Members of the sports community also feel that this may be a sign that Filipino sports fans are maturing, thanks to the constant exposure to other sports on cable.

"I think it’s a television phenomenon," says sports broadcaster Noel Zarate of the Center for Sports Communication. "Sports fans are savvier now. Filipinos normally like high-scoring sports. In basketball, a lay-up is already two points, while a soccer match can end in a scoreless tie."

Europeans are wondering, however, what took us so long to get the fever.

"It’s nice to see people picking up on it, although it’s not like at home," admits James Carwford, a Scottish student who followed the World Cup while vacationing here. "Everywhere in Europe you have unis (uniforms) flying off the racks, and everyone knows the rules and who’s good. Here, it’s basketball, which we don’t really play in university back home. In my school, only Chinese students play basketball."

Although the final would definitely have been a bigger blockbuster had Germany and Brazil not been surprisingly ousted, but still, we’re talking about Metro Manila, where soccer is not even among the top three sports. Imagine how it must have been in Bacolod and Iloilo, where soccer is immensely more popular.