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Vegas Glitz Met Soccer's 'Sin City' World Cup Draw
1 Dec
Summary
- The 1994 World Cup draw occurred in Las Vegas' Caesars Palace amid gambling and entertainment.
- Sepp Blatter and FIFA officials described the event as unique, hysterical, bizarre, and surreal.
- Celebrities like James Brown and Robin Williams performed, contrasting with traditional FIFA draws.
The 1994 World Cup draw unfolded in the glitzy, unconventional setting of Las Vegas' Caesars Palace, a far cry from the usual formal FIFA gatherings. This event, held in December 1993, saw aging soccer governors immersed in a world of slot machines and lavish entertainment, leading attendees to describe it as "unique," "bizarre," and "out of body."
Organized with a vision to create a massive spectacle, the draw featured performances by James Brown and comedian Robin Williams, who famously jested with FIFA Secretary General Sepp Blatter. This approach, driven by a desire to boost the World Cup's profile in America, embraced the "Americanness" of the location, even incorporating celebrities and entertainment elements previously unseen in such events.
Despite some traditionalists grumbling about the "tacky" and "commercial" nature of the draw, it was deemed a resounding success by FIFA and the US organizing committee. It set a "new standard" for combining entertainment with soccer, helping to establish America as a "new frontier" for the sport and proving the World Cup could be a major spectacle.
