One of the world's most powerful soccer executives said big crowds for North and Central American and Caribbean women's Olympic qualifying games mean B.C. Place Stadium is one step closer to hosting Women's World Cup matches in 2015.
"I am happy to say that B.C. Place is an excellent facility and Vancouver's operations in this qualifying tournament certainly positions themselves well for consideration," FIFA executive committee member Chuck Blazer told the Courier.
The United States beat Canada 4-0 on Sunday in front of 25,427, a record B.C. crowd for a women's team sporting event. Both qualified for the London Olympics on Friday when 22,954 attended semifinals. The cumulative announced total for the eight-night, eight-nation tournament was 97,188. Canada's 3-1 Friday win over Mexico averaged 473,000 Sportsnet viewers and peaked at 727,100 at 8: 52 p.m. PT.
Canada was awarded the 2015 tournament last March. If Vancouver is chosen to host the final, it would be the biggest sporting event in the city since the men's Olympic gold medal hockey final in 2010.
Last week's FIFA conference at the Wall Centre about the 2011 Women's World Cup in Germany heard that country drew 845,000 spectators last summer and organizers made a 55 million Euro profit. In Japan, 15 million TV viewers watched their team win the final in a shootout over the United States, where 14.1 million people watched.
FIFA estimates soccer is played by 29 million women and girls worldwide. Thierry Regenass, director of member associations and development, said FIFA plans to appoint a woman to its executive committee this year.
"Women's football is becoming now also interesting economically," Regenass said.
Last year, American Blazer famously blew the whistle on CONCACAF president Jack Warner for buying votes to support Mohamed Bin Hammam's bid to unseat Sepp Blatter from the FIFA presidency. Warner, who chaired the 2007 Under-20 World Cup in Canada, quit to avoid a FIFA investigation. Bin Hammam was banned.
"My role in that was like the ring of a bell," Blazer said. "People recognize there are sanctions that will be meted out if they violate those rules. It was a very good example of how it works."
Blazer said soccer has grown exponentially over the last three decades into a multi-billion-dollar business. He said there may be room for more transparency that does not compromise FIFA's business relationships.
"The temptations are all the much greater, so you have to be able to control that much better," said Blazer, who stepped down as CONCACAF's general secretary at the end of 2011.
After he revealed Warner and Bin Hammam's scheme, Blazer's own affairs came under scrutiny, including $500,000 of payments to his Sportvertising company in the tax haven Cayman Islands. In December, Warner claimed he paid just $1 for Trinidad and Tobago TV rights for the 1998 World Cup in exchange for supporting Blatter's presidency.
"Regarding the Warner issue and anything arising from that, I will not comment on that while the appeal process is ongoing," Blazer said.
CONCACAF doesn't publish financial reports, but a copy of the 2010 financial statements leaked to British journalist Andrew Jennings shows the New York-based confederation had a US$2.416-million profit on US$25.313-million revenue and US$45.75 million in assets.
