When Sydney hosted the 2000 Olympics, all eyes fell onto the city for over two weeks. It worked wonders for the city. It gave the world an insight into the lifestyle and culture of the city, challenging the prevalent stereotypes portrayed overseas. Tourism in the city benefitted not just during the Olympics, but beyond it.
However, looking back, I can't help but feel that the Olympics became more of a celebration of a city than a nation. The only time that this wasn't the case was the memorable ceremonies at either end of the Olympic calendar.
A number of factors, including the isolation of our country, its sheer size and the spread between capital cities, led to me taking this line of thought.
I'm also quite sure that many people who know only a pinch of information about Australia would only remember the cities of the Eastern coast of the country - not realising that many other great destinations exist.
For instance, Melbourne is Australia's true sporting capital, and brings in an A-Grade compeition in the Australian Open every January.
A World Cup is a chance to see a true celebration of a country. It will be a tournament accessible to almost the entire population and all corners of the land. As games travel between to different states, so does the fans.
Perth, Adelaide and Hobart would be the three big winners of a successful bid. The concept for the Perth Stadium is captivating, and an incredible opportunity for die-hard sports fans to see it for something other than an Air Racing. Adelaide and Hobart, on the other hand, have never been as lucky to have a chance like this before.
However, it is not just the variation between destinations that make this a juicier prospect than the Olympics, but also the power that the game of football has on a global scale.
Unlike the Olympic games, where we had a collection of different sports under the one banner, the FIFA World Cup is a celebration of one of the most popular sports on Earth. Everyone that is watching a match Down Under is united by a single passion - football.
Furthermore, as Frank Lowy said last night, the multicultural country of Australia means that all teams coming to the country are almost guaranteed to have some form of local support. No other sport on the globe is played between so many different socio-economic classes, different climates or different religions.
This is a chance for something of unthinkable potential.
I was in Sydney during 2000 and the buzz was awesome! It was the best time to be down under, as it allowed the nation the opportunity to really shrug off its backwards reputation for being such a 'young country'. That being said I totally agree, it was more about Sydney than Australia, and as much as I love the Harbour city it is not the be-all and end-all of Australia. The magnificent Whitsundays, the culture and vibe of Melbourne, the beauty of the Red Centre and the awe inspiring waterfalls of Kakadu to name just a few! As far as sports go you are right to mention the tennis and of course the grand prix and Melbourne Cup are other events that come to Melbourne not Sydney. I would be really keen to see the World Cup in Australia in 2022 and so wish you the best of luck! In a little under 3 hours we will know!
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