The Happening in the Harbor

Have you caught your breath yet?  Have you digested the fact that France and Italy are going home, and the US is still in biggest, most watched, sports tournament in the world?

Most importantly, DO YOU NOW REALIZE JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INTO THIS?

As part of Team Terry's field visit yesterday, I spent a lot of time observing how intent President Bill Clinton was on the match in Pretoria.  Not only did he cheer himself hoarse right up through the 91st minute, but he changed his travel plans to stay through the weekend for the next round, and spent the rest of the evening schmoozing FIFA officials to select US for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

While we are watching the World Cup, we should remember that there are others watching us, seeing what kind of enthusiasm Americans have for the sport and the World Cup series.  Here in Maryland, we are particularly cognizant of this audition process, because we are angling to be one of the regions selected as hosts if the US is successful.  We want our energy to be palpable.  We want our setting to be classic.

Yes, we can whoop and howl in our favorite watering holes just like the best of them.  There are plenty of videos on YouTube of places much like our haunt beyond center field where fans in face paint and jerseys hop up and down and blow pseudo vuvuzelas.  But here in Baltimore we have the opportunity to stage something truly spectacular -- a waterfront watch party with a super screen TV overlooking the harbor, with a festival and beer garden.  For a Sunday in July, how much more fun could you have? 

(Dancing in the nearby Sondheim fountain comes to mind.  Of course, if it were up to me, the screen would be on the Domino board, but no one asked.)

The festival, which is sponsored by the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, and the Maryland Office of Sports Marketing, is being organized by ASG Events, who promoted the very successful outdoor festival in Towson for the US-England match.  The event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and will include appearances from members of the Baltimore Blast, Crystal Palace Baltimore, and D.C. United.

Game time for the final match is 2:30, giving families a full day of fun and excitement in the Inner Harbor.

While the benefit for the Waterfront Partnership is meritous in itself, this celebration is also the opportunity for Team Terry and the Merry Marketeers to make an additional pitch for soccer-philes to sign the online petition supporting our region as a host site.  And it is also a promotion for the upcoming Man City-Inter Milan match coming to M&T Bank stadium later than month.

So plan to be a part of the happening.  Frolic in the fountain, enjoy a brewski, and watch the sun set over the harbor as the world celebrates the most popular sport on the planet.