Different feel to World Cup

From the flippant remarks about ticket prices from FIFA president Gianni Infantino, which amounted to, “we charge exorbitant prices because we know know you’ll pay them,” coupled with a “let them eat cake” ethos, I’ve kind of been turned off by the event as a whole — at least in the lead up.

Despite local media trying to pump up the excitement of the tournament returning to the Bay Area — this time at the modern marvel that is Levi’s Stadium, which FIFA will rebrand “San Francisco Bay Area Stadium” because it makes no money off of using “Levi’s Stadium” — the tournament just seems to be falling flat. No one I know is talking about it, I don’t feel a buzz in the community. It almost feels like a made-for-TV event now and we’re just waiting for it to show up on FOX Sports.

The games used to be surrounded by organic festivities. Now, everything is planned out, so forced, so manufactured. Come to this square for this sponsored party, go there for that one.

And the current world climate certainly isn’t helping, either. Wars in the Middle East and Eastern Europe; a sports autocrat trying to defend a global money grab; political tensions that resulted in a referee from Somalia being banned from entering the United States, and the Iranian national team staying in Mexico but playing in the United States, it’s hard to get excited about games.

From strictly a logistics perspective, the Bay Area didn’t get a great draw. Six games will be played here. No world heavyweight is scheduled to play and really none that are on that second level, either. The only European teams are Switzerland and Austria; the only South American team hails from Paraguay. Qatar, Jordan, Turkey and Algeria are the others scheduled to appear.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m going to consume as much World Cup soccer on TV that I can manage and maybe my excitement will build. But right now, it just feels like a giant, soulless, corporate event, with the sole purpose to make as much money as possible.

I mean, FIFA banned fans from bringing refillable water bottles into stadiums, for crying out loud.

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NFL wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is still a member of the San Francisco 49ers team, despite not being paid by the team after he violated his contract. He has been posting to social media increasingly unhinged videos, in which he calls unnamed parties “female dogs” and “little cats,” which can reasonably be assumed is directed at the 49ers organization.

That was Sunday. Tuesday, he called the 49ers “stupid,” presumably for signing him to a giant contract.

But he suffered a catastrophic knee injury and hasn’t played since 2024. He then ghosted the team during the rehabilitation process, leading the 49ers to take action.

I have seen some crazy behavior from professional athletes, notably NFL players. But I don’t think I have seen anyone sabotage his own career like Aiyuk is doing. What organization, in its right mind, would think this headache is worth whatever athletic ability a receiver would have — coming off a completely reconstructed knee?

It seems an odd strategy to belittle the team that holds your contract rights, to get them to trade or release you. There is no doubt in my mind that the 49ers are completely jerking Aiyuk around. They are going to hold on to him for as long as it doesn’t cost them money and make things as difficult as possible for him.

At this point, the team owes Aiyuk nothing.

Nathan Mollat has been covering high school sports in San Mateo County for the San Mateo Daily Journal since 2001. He can be reached by email: nathan@smdailyjournal.com.