ive raised this argument elsewhere, but maybe on HC it will make sense, with some level of economics knowledge resident.
the benefits of bringing the WC here are evident, obvious, maybe long term.
the non financial costs are potnetially staggering.
i feared that if we won the WC bid, essentially every cent of media coverage, sponsorship & govt sports funding would go to soccer for the next 12 years (as they would demand), thereby ruining all small sports and damaging the larger. the demands on stadium availability (both thru renovating/converting & actual games) damages the bigger sports here.
a WC here would have been the 1st to directly compete with another football code (every WC except USA played in a soccer country). USA was played during their summer, when baseball was in season. remember the US has plenty of purpose built suitable stadiums for soccer/NFL, as well as multi use stadiums where baseball was played.
from where i sit, soccer simply wanted & expected EVERYTHING to be handed to them on a platter, as thats what happens in every other country, but again this would have been the 1st time a competing football code existed.
