Did You Know? (World Cup 2014 Edition)

Okay, I'll admit it. Despite having two soccer (or futbol) playing children, repeated attendance at practices and games, and attempts to watch professional soccer numerous times, I don't know that much about the sport, and it really hasn't grabbed me.

It's not that I dislike soccer, it's just that a whole lot happens on the field, without seemingly anything happening on the field! A one-to-nil final (or worse, a tie) after 90 minutes (or more, depending on the time-keeping), is, to me, a non-starter. I'm an American, and I like lots of scoring. I find pitcher's duels in baseball to be dull, and I'm no fan of an NFL game that features a final score in single digits.

However, the World Cup is on right now, and since my son is monopolizing my TV watching it, I figured I should get myself (and now, potentially, you too) up to speed on some nuggets of knowledge regarding the world's favorite pastime, and it's ultimate showcase.

So, from Wallethub.com, we get a look at the World Cup by the numbers:

Did you know that a flight to the 2014 World Cup costs between $1,200 and $4,200? Or that 3.7 million tourists are expected to visit World Cup sites?

 

$11 billion: The cost of hosting the World Cup

 

65 percent: The amount of FIFA's 2014 World Cup revenue from television rights

 

3.5 percent: The number by which the victor's nation outperforms the world's economy the month following the World Cup

 

40 percent: The increase in average flight costs to Brazil over the prior year

 

600,000: The number of tourists coming from abroad

Really? You already knew all that stuff? Okay, here's more, Mr/Ms Know-it-All:

$2,500: The average amount spent by average foreign tourists

 

$10: The price of the cheapest World Cup ticket, Greece vs. the Ivory Coast

 

$50,000: The cost of VIP package to the final

 

1.6 million: The number of World Cup tickets sold by April 1

 

155,000: The tickets that went to U.S. buyers

Here's the thing. To me, it's far more enjoyable to see the really cool highlights instead of watching the game. Sorry, but that's just me. With that in mind, I've gotta tell you, I really enjoyed this: