{"id":5587,"date":"2009-12-03T14:00:08","date_gmt":"2009-12-03T12:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=5587"},"modified":"2009-12-05T19:43:37","modified_gmt":"2009-12-05T17:43:37","slug":"fifa-fanfare-friday-focus-on-cape-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/fifa-fanfare-friday-focus-on-cape-town\/","title":{"rendered":"FIFA Fanfare Friday focus on Cape Town"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The world’s eyes will be on Cape Town tomorrow, when the FIFA Final Draw takes place at 19h30 in the Cape Town International Convention Centre.\u00a0\u00a0 More than\u00a0700 million\u00a0TV viewers in more than 200 countries are expected to\u00a0watch the Final Draw, which is hugely important\u00a0as it\u00a0determines which of the 32 teams play against each other, and where these matches will take place.<\/p>\n

A huge upsurge in ticket sales is expected after tomorrow’s Final Draw, when soccer fans choose which matches they book tickets for and which teams they want to see play.\u00a0 A new wave of ticket sales starts on Saturday, with low-priced tickets at R 140 still available to South Africans.<\/p>\n

More than 5 000 media, FIFA officials, team coaches and VIP’s will attend the Final Draw at the Convention Centre.\u00a0 Charlize Theron, Oscar actress and originally from South Africa, is one of the presenters, while David Beckham, Pele, Archbishop\u00a0Tutu, Past President FW de Klerk, Franz Beckenbauer\u00a0and President Zuma\u00a0will also be present.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Executive Producer\u00a0for the Final Draw, South African George\u00a0Mazarakis, says that it would be the best FIFA Final Draw ever.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He said that “the event would showcase not only South Africa’s ability to deliver a successful World Cup, but that it would also celebrate Africa’s humanity, reports the Cape Argus<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 “The final draw is more than just a TV show, it’s a celebration of football and Africa” he said.<\/p>\n

A stage of 40 meters wide, and 8 meters tall, which took 5 000 hours to build, will be filmed by 18 cameras.\u00a0\u00a0 The set was almost predominantly\u00a0made in Cape Town.\u00a0 More than 3 000 locals are involved in the production.\u00a0 Entertainers performing at the Final Draw are the Soweto Gospel Choir, Angelique Kidjo and Johnny Clegg.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The weather forecast looks favourable for tomorrow, with lovely blue skies, ensuring good scenery shots for Cape Town.\u00a0\u00a0 This is Cape Town’s biggest international\u00a0marketing event ever, only to be capped by the semi-final for the 2010 World Cup in July.<\/p>\n

At the mountain end of Long Street a stage will be set up, on which local bands will perform, and large TV screens will broadcast the Final Draw.\u00a0\u00a0 More than 15 000 Fan Fest revellers\u00a0are expected to enjoy the celebration, at which Freshlyground, Jimmy Dludlu, Coda and other musicians will play.<\/p>\n

Access into and out of the city tomorrow is expected to be a nightmare, with numerous road closures near the Convention Centre, and around Long Street.\u00a0\u00a0 On Sunday evening 100 000 Capetonians came to see the switching on of the Christmas Lights, and this caused traffic anarchy in the city center.\u00a0 No traffic police were visible on that evening, and pedestrians took over the street lanes, which clogged up all\u00a0vehicle movement.<\/p>\n

The FIFA VIP’s have been entertained this week, with a lunch yesterday on Signal Hill, with a spectacular view onto the new Cape Town Stadium, and a 5-jet formation flyover put on for them.\u00a0\u00a0 A dinner party was hosted by Premier Helen Zille in her official residence, and the FIFA executive committee is meeting on Robben Island today.\u00a0\u00a0 Journalists will be treated to a media gathering at\u00a0Maiden’s Cove between Camps Bay and Clifton, and one hopes that the weather gods will switch off the southeaster on that day!<\/p>\n

Disappointingly, very little FIFA World Cup branding is visible in the city – a huge banner is visible on the Westin Grand Hotel, at which FIFA President Sepp Blatter is staying with his entourage.\u00a0 Eight Adidas footballs have been set up near the Caltex garage at the entrance to the Waterfront, and tiny VISA flags are visible in the Waterfront.\u00a0\u00a0 The lamp pole banners on\u00a0Buitengracht Street are boring, and one can barely see the FIFA 2010 World Cup logo on them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Grant Thornton Strategic Solutions estimates that 480 000 foreign soccer\u00a0fans will attend the 2010 World Cup, and will generate R 8,5 billion for South Africa, generating a benefit of R 11,5 billion for the country’s economy.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The consultancy expects 50 % of the tickets to be sold to locals, and the balance to international soccer fans.\u00a0\u00a0About 18 000 journalists are expecetd\u00a0 next year and 26 million soccer fans will view the World Cup on TV.\u00a0\u00a0 The largest number of international tickets have been sold to\u00a0the USA (360 565), the UK (481 184), Germany (25 060) and Australia (17 848), reports the Cape Argus.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio www.whalecottage.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The world’s eyes will be on Cape Town tomorrow, when the FIFA Final Draw takes place at 19h30 in the Cape Town International Convention Centre.\u00a0\u00a0 More than\u00a0700 million\u00a0TV viewers in more than 200 countries are expected to\u00a0watch the Final Draw, which is hugely important\u00a0as it\u00a0determines which of the 32 teams play against each other, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[3,124,22,21,11],"tags":[264,2454,2907,1048,650,32370,32366,256,2901,32378,2916,32383,1520,2902,2918,2911,2908,18,1779,2912,1104,2913,2919,186,2915,2906,2917,2910,1374,87,96,2914,2150,32373],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t