Eugene, Oregon Awarded 2021 World Championships!

[Powell]

A plane ticket to Moscow + living expenses there for 10 days probably costs a lot more for Europeans than a plane ticket to Eugene + living expenses there for 10 days.

I don't think so; I was in Moscow for the WIC in 2006, it wasn't THAT expensive (though it probably would be if you wanted high-standard accomodation). I suspect it's more about West Europeans perceiving Russia as an unfriendly/ scary place, and the fact you need visas to go there.

[Powell]

And you know, none of the national media cover Oregon football these days.

Be specific: what's the number of journalists coming for a typical football game? Because I did check the number of media people accredited at a couple of WCs. It was 2970 in Berlin 2009, 2706 in Daegu 2011.

Eugene/Springfield (they are essentially one city) is 250,000 - small but not tiny, and growing fairly rapidly.

That's significantly smaller than Bydgoszcz, which struggled with providing accomodation for everyone at WJC - and that's an event hardly anyone apart from the participants bothers to go to.

[berkeley]

To those Europeans complaining about what a tough ticket Hayward will be, where were you when the event was held a short plane ride away in Moscow? I doubt if more than a few thousand fans from Western Europe attended every day, based on the nearly empty stands for AM sessions.

A plane ticket to Moscow + living expenses there for 10 days probably costs a lot more for Europeans than a plane ticket to Eugene + living expenses there for 10 days.

[berkeley]

A good answer would be high speed rail between Eugene and Portland, but the US government seems to have no interest in HS rail outside the Boston/NY/DC corridors and they're sure not going to build one for a track meet.

Haha. California can't even get one built between two giant metro centers, with all the economic incentives behind that.

[tandfman]

I assumed that the athletes and team staffs would be staying in the student housing, as they did at the World Juniors last year.

[berkeley]

That's a 2-hour bus ride. Do you really think a lot of people are going to do that every day? I dunno.

Not normally, no, but I'm not sure there will be any other option, since I don't know what developer would build enough hotel capacity in Eugene. Maybe they'll co-opt all the student housing at UO and make that available to anyone willing to stay there.

[bruce3404]

Yes, there is one hotel in town that I would consider 5 star-like, but it only has about a dozen rooms, if that. Surrounding communities within 30 minutes drive (Cottage Grove, Creswell, Coburg) offer more rooms and you've got Corvallis and Albany about an hour away (though I sure wouldn't want to drive that far twice a day with nowhere to rest between sessions). A good answer would be high speed rail between Eugene and Portland, but the US government seems to have no interest in HS rail outside the Boston/NY/DC corridors and they're sure not going to build one for a track meet.

In past years, the dorms across the street from Hayward have been available for fans during the Olympic Trials. Not sure if they'll be reserved for athletes and/or other credentialed people during the WC. So much to sort out over the next few years, but Eugene will get it done.

[26mi235]

And you know, none of the national media cover Oregon football these days. And, the more years that they are at the top the more hotels and other accommodations will be built. Eugene/Springfield (they are essentially one city) is 250,000 - small but not tiny, and growing fairly rapidly. Accommodations will be adequate for everyone except those wanting 5-star hotels, and I really feel sorry for them -- not.

[bruce3404]

I suspect London is that rare bird which would have (at least for all intents and purposes) been able to fill the Olympic Stadium for the WC.

No doubt. If I remember correctly, the 2013 DL meet there sold out in a couple of hours and that was for two days. What I don't understand is why they would need to tarp the upper deck. I look at London as one of the toughest WC tickets in many years.

To those Europeans complaining about what a tough ticket Hayward will be, where were you when the event was held a short plane ride away in Moscow? I doubt if more than a few thousand fans from Western Europe attended every day, based on the nearly empty stands for AM sessions.

[Powell]

Also as mentioned, the Ducks football games draw a lot more people than will be at the WCs, while it is true many are local, a lot come from afar and want to party so stay overnight.

I doubt the number of people actually staying overnight for a football game is higher than what we're going to see for the WC. And those who do, will usually come for one night only, and will be more willing to rough it than the folks who will be there for 9 days.
And for the total number of visitors, we're not just talking fans - think how many participants and team members are there for a football game vs for the T&FN champs. Add the journalists etc. and you're talking thousands of people before you can even start thinking about the fans.

[26mi235]

As mentioned above, there is already a big presence of AirBnB; think what changes in products and services we are seeing in such a time frame. Also as mentioned, the Ducks football games draw a lot more people than will be at the WCs, while it is true many are local, a lot come from afar and want to party so stay overnight.

[tandfman]

I'm guessing there will be a lot of busing to and from Portland and other points north.

That's a 2-hour bus ride. Do you really think a lot of people are going to do that every day? I dunno.

[berkeley]

I think hotel rooms are a bigger problem than stadium seats. As noted earlier, adding another 10-15k via stands at the ends at Hayward Field should be adequate (though perhaps not fully meeting demand). I'm guessing there will be a lot of busing to and from Portland and other points north.

[Flumpy]

I suspect London is that rare bird which would have (at least for all intents and purposes) been able to fill the Olympic Stadium for the WC.

Not only would it sell out but it would do so 2 years in advance.

[bruce3404]

maybe we should let Walmart buy the 2024 games to be held in Bentonville.

Works for me, though they'd have to move it down to Fayetteville, which has a nice, expandable facility, a fine indoor facility and a track fan base second only to Eugene's (with all their NCAA titles, NW Arkansas fans have been following the sport a long time).