June 9: 2014 FIFA World Cup By The Numbers (Wallet Hub)
Are you ready for some football? We obviously know it as soccer, but no matter what you call it, the beautiful game is set to captivate the globe as the 2014 FIFA World Cup kicks off from Brazil June 12. After all, there is no shortage of story lines associated with the Brazil edition of this quadrennial celebration of sport. From the home country’s last-minute scramble to ready itself for the world stage and the accompanying protests regarding the government’s massive infrastructure investment to questions of tourist safety and doubts about the stability of the 2016 Summer Games in Rio, the drama is at a fever pitch before the games have even begun.
Then there’s what the World Cup means for the business of soccer in the United States. Interest in soccer among American consumers has been steadily rising with the aid of a number of important tailwinds – including the popularity of youth soccer, MLS stability, America’s growing immigrant population, and the rise of new 24/7 sports networks. So, as the red, white and blue prepares to make its seventh consecutive World Cup appearance...