Where's the passion? (Not with the fans)

It's amazed me to see the lack of enthusiasm for the Olympic games in today's yougov poll which showed more than 50% of people weren't bothered about the Olympics being in our country this year. Half of the London population aren't interested either, the city of the games and it's only 100 days until it get underway.


Why is there such a lack of interest? Why do people not care that the one of the biggest sporting events in the world is coming to our country? I understand it's tough at the moment, people are unemployed etc and generally morale is fairly low, but shouldn't an event like this bring back some enthusiasm and passion to people? Other countries are in a mess too, but I'm sure they'd kill to have the Olympics in their country.


If nothing else, it might give us the first steps towards recovering from the recession, and even though billions have been spent on the games, no Olympics games has recorded a loss since Montreal in 1976. In 1984 Los Angeles made a profit of $225m, and that was in 1984! Added to that, it gives the UK a shop window to sell itself to tourists, holidaymakers and people from all over the world, who may be visiting for the games, or watching on TV. It's well known that tourism in Sydney and Barcelona, increased significantly in the years after their Olympic games.

Jack Rodwell in his GB shirt.

That will mean if anyone is to come out of this recession first, it could well be us. Jobs will be created in the future, there will be a profit made by the 2012 games, there will be affordable housing in part of London, and we get to see some of the world's greatest athletes on show. Tickets have been made affordable for certain events, and the sport I thought would be the most popular (football) still has tickets left for games.


We haven't been successful in bringing the World Cup to this country, yet we have the Olympics. But still people are negative about it. Get out of your head out of your glum arses and embrace it! You probably won't see the games again in this country, so don't be so negative. The Olympics covers so many different sports, there must be one sport in that lot that takes your fancy!? Surely!? I'm not saying go and buy a ticket, but be a bit more upbeat, watch it on the TV and if someone asks you if you are interested in the Olympics this year, then say yes! Even if your not interested in sport that much, you must realise that this can be a benefit to the country?


On a side note, the FA have confirmed today why they are killing the famous, enigmatic FA Cup. Years of tradition and history that has been embraced by fans up and down the country is being stripped away from the real fans. I understand money makes the game go round, and if switching the semi-finals to Wembley wasn't enough, the fact they are giving only 25,000 tickets each to Liverpool and Chelsea is a joke. That's 50,000 to the fans, tell me where the other 40,000 tickets are going? Almost half of the ground won't be filled with football fans. 

A familiar sight at Wembely, 50,000 tickets for none fans.

They may be making a quick buck now, but it will force the real fans away. The value to corporate sponsors won't be as high when the real fans walk away from the famous competition. Tickets start at £45 up to £115 for the cup final, and despite having attended every FA Cup game this season I am not guaranteed a ticket. I've done everything Liverpool wanted people to do to get a ticket for the final, but the measly allocation from the FA has meant that season ticket holders will get first crack (if they have the same games as me) and then the rest will enter a ballot. It's barmy, and as I say, people will lose the love for the FA Cup, and it will de-value the competition in the long run.


Yet another cock up from the FA!