World Cup craze to boost night activities
World Cup craze to boost night activities
JAKARTA (JP): As the World Cup hype continues to sweep
Indonesia, the country's ardent soccer fans are set to
participate in what could be the most extravagant nocturnal
celebration in spectator sport.
The football fiestas range from a US$7,500 luxury tour to
watch the World Cup events directly in the United States, late-
night beer and pizza in one of Jakarta's leading Italian
restaurants to a one month leave from the workplace - required
for proper early dawn couch-potatoing in front of the television.
The point is, what ever the form of celebration, some people
are going to make a profit.
For example, cash registers at A & E Sports Communication -the
only agent licensed to sell Cup tickets in Southeast Asia- have
been striking music for the managers' ears.
A & E offers a $7,500 Cup tour per head which covers the four
tickets required to watch the quarter finals, semifinal, grand
final and the consolation match that decides which team comes
third.
The tour, subsequently, encloses events in New York City,
Boston, Dallas, San Francisco and Los Angeles. All accommodations
are five-star hotels.
Maurice Tuguis, a staffer at A & E, told The Jakarta Post
yesterday that the agency had already sold 100 packages for
soccer fanatics outside Indonesia and 50 packages in the country.
"We sold the Indonesian packages to Vaya Tour which then sells
them directly to the consumers," he said.
Tuguis added that Vaya Tour has already sold about 70 percent
of those packages and has 16 confirmed costumers.
Apparently, one of the 16 clients is the entertainer and RCTI
talk-show host Ebet Kadarusman.
"I just love this sport," Ebet said to the Post by telephone.
The entertainer - often dubbed the Indonesian answer to Johnny
Carson- however, claims not to be a fan of any specific team.
"Besides my soccer addiction, I'm going to America also to
observe the preparation and organization of this spectacular
event, which is also a showbiz happening," he said.
"As you know, America is the mecca of showbiz," added Ebet,
adding that he is planning to make the tour with his wife and a
group of friends.
Meanwhile, for those who choose to, or are forced to,
cultivate their Cup fever at home, a five-star Italian restaurant
here has prepared an arena for these fanatics, as long as they
shout Forza Italia.
"We will open our bar at three in the morning beginning
Saturday night to watch Italy against Ireland," said Paolo
Randone, the manager of Il Punto, yesterday.
"Beer and pizzas will be offered with a discount price," the
Italian said, adding "however, I'm not sure whether we can
continue this if Italy is ejected from the Cup."
Orgy
For those who enjoy a more private setting for the inevitable
nocturnal football orgy, the best option is clearly the living
room, where intense couch-potatoing before the television can be
executed.
This choice, as matter of fact, has contributed to the sales
figures of some television manufactures based in Jakarta. A
recent report, for instance, indicated that 10 points of this
year's 30 percent growth in the sales of JVC televisions comes
directly from this hype.
Meanwhile, it is not clear how this soccer euphoria will
affect the productivity of the country's workforce, which will
devote some of their normal sleeping hours to their addiction.
A graphic designer who works at a newspaper recently informed
the Post that he has taken one month leave so that he can
"concentrate on watching the World Cup broadcasts."
No statistical studies have been conducted to see how many of
Indonesia's professionals have taken a similar soccer sabbatical.
(hdj)