Soccer lovers in Johannesburg will have the opportunity to experience the UEFA EURO 2008 soccer tournament in Fan Parks as local spots are converted into public viewing spaces.

Venues that will be hosting soccer fans for the Euro 2008 matches are the Palace Pub & Grill in Newclare, Backroom in Pimville Soweto, the Hot Box in Westbury and the Bassline in Newtown.

The Fan Parks are the result of a partnership between the Gauteng Department of Sport, Culture and Recreation and the embassies of Austria and Switzerland.

It is hoped that the Euro 2008 Fan Parks will not only fuel support and passion for football in communities but also create awareness among local businesses about the kinds of opportunities the 2010 FIFA World Cup will present.

Gladys Gailey, owner of the Palace Pub & Grill, said, "I am happy that my tavern was picked by Gauteng to be one of the public viewing places. This is my chance to prepare for the 2010 World Cup."

MEC for Sports, Culture and Recreation Barbara Creecy says that fan parks are an established part of all major football tournaments. "During the 2006 World Cup, about 18 million people watched games in Fan Parks, six times more than the number who watched games in stadiums."

"These Fan Parks offered an important opportunity for local businesses to benefit from the large numbers of fans through [selling] food, drinks and memorabilia in parks, taverns and street cafes," she said.

The Euro Cup is the third largest sporting event in the world after the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. In all, 16 teams from Europe, including World Cup champions Italy, will take part in the tournament that will run from 7 to 29 June 2008.

 

Source: Joburg.org.za / SAGN