01:39So Texas overall, can you believe the star power we're going to have?
01:43Yeah, it's going to be amazing.
01:44We actually had a call with the state yesterday, the Texas World Cup task force is being set up.
01:50And we went through the whole lineup.
01:52And I mean, I think Texas is going to be the star in the number of matches that we have here.
01:57But the teams that are going to be having here and the opportunities for both Houston and Dallas and the base camp.
02:03So the teams that could actually be living here through the World Cup.
02:06With Houston, was it competition, friendly competition, or how did it go through this process?
02:12Oh, a friendly competition.
02:13They were actually sitting right next to us during the draw.
02:16And their group came before, one of their groups came before ours.
02:21And they were cheering.
02:22And then we were cheering right afterwards.
02:24So very supportive of Houston.
02:26And they're very supportive of us in the planning and execution.
02:31Overall impact for the area.
02:34What do you expect it to be?
02:36And did it change with the draw?
02:38Well, right now we're still reporting $1.5 to $2.1 billion.
02:43But now knowing that we have Argentina, two matches with Japan as well as Netherlands and that England-Croatia game,
02:50we're going to look at some updated estimates in the early spring.
02:55And obviously continue to track that well after the World Cup is over.
02:59The International Broadcast Center, I can't believe it, but it's going to be up and running in like 11 minutes.
03:04Can you believe it's happening so fast?
03:06And I want to know, are we prepared?
03:09Yes, we're going to be prepared.
03:10They start moving in January 14th.
03:12It will become fully 24-7 operational around May 28th.
03:16We had a lot of chance to engage with the media, the broadcasters that were up in Washington, D.C., preparing to come to Dallas in 2026.
03:25So a lot of work to do, but we will be ready for that International Broadcast Center.
03:30And I believe the number is 2,000 journalists you're expecting here?
03:33Well, we're anticipating about 3,500 broadcasters in media and staff within the International Broadcast Center.
03:40And there are probably another 1,500 media that will be here, non-credentialed for the International Broadcast Center.
03:45But we'll have our own media center that they can work out of.
03:48And that's where the stories and the things to do and some other things that we'll be providing them at that media center.
03:55So another lottery for tickets is about to begin.
03:58I was looking today, premium seats running well over $1,000.
04:01Then I started looking at the suites.
04:04I mean, you're looking at in now what will be Dallas Stadium.
04:07You're looking at $45,000 for these massive suites.
04:11But overall, what is the best way for somebody that doesn't have that kind of money to spend to get to see the World Cup?
04:16Yeah, so the next ticket opportunity through FIFA, you go to fifa.com slash tickets.
04:22It'll start December 11th and go through January 13th.
04:26But a great opportunity to get into at least a few matches.
04:30These are difficult numbers, obviously, though, for a lot of soccer fans.
04:34But you did discuss that so many people come here and they don't even go to a game.
04:39Yeah, so our numbers are estimates from FIFA.
04:42About 54% will be international travelers.
04:45And that's international guests that do not have tickets or include international guests that don't have necessarily tickets to the matches.
04:52But your FIFA Fan Festival, which will broadcast every match of the World Cup, we're anticipating 35,000, 40,000 people at one time, that traditionally becomes the heartbeat of the World Cup in every host city.
05:04So we're anticipating a lot of visitors just to come for the Fan Fest, both international and national.
05:10Obviously, with these numbers, you expect no problems with selling these tickets.
05:15Well, I think with the draw, and you have Argentina and Messi, you know, potentially here, the Netherlands, just our overall draw and matchup.
05:23We've had a lot of interest here coming out of D.C. over the last two days for both lounge packages that are available as well as suite packages.
05:32And there is another lottery after this one, correct?
05:38Correct.
05:38There'll be another lottery, and then there'll, I think, be some tickets that come available in early spring.
05:44It is interesting.
05:45You look at the secondary markets, and those numbers are eye-popping.
05:49Oh, yes.
05:51A lot of people looking for tickets.
05:54I think there were some that were out there even before this draw took place.
05:57So it's been very interesting over this past three, four days to see where ticket prices are going and where the demand are based off of the draw and the matchups all throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
06:09We've talked about this throughout the process.
06:10North Texas, it has a lack of public transportation that needed to be addressed.
06:14How do you feel the process is going now to make sure people are able to get to these games and not sit in traffic for hours or not have a way to get there?
06:21Well, our next transportation meeting is actually Friday.
06:24Now that we know the match times, we're going to fine-tune that.
06:26Our plan from the very beginning is to use our rail system and the Trinity Metro, as well as the DART, utilize that rail station to the Centerport Station, just south of DFW Airport, and then look to utilize buses to bus the spectators in.
06:42But both our safety and security and transportation teams, as well as our fan festival teams, are working to fine-tune what does that schedule look like now that we know all the times of every match.
06:53And I remember you explaining that you get fans there, but FIFA is in charge of getting teams where they need to go.
07:01What's the working relationship been like with FIFA through this process?
07:05Oh, very good working relationship.
07:07We actually have some FIFA staff in our office here in Dallas now, some working safety, security, transportation, but the FIFA team is in our transportation meeting.
07:16So we have an idea of what their plans are.
07:19We've already established what the routes are for those teams, officials, the VIPs that will be here.
07:25So now it's going to be fine-tuning.
07:27Once we know what base camps are, we'll add that into the mix, as well as what that transportation plan looks like.
07:33Through the Dallas Sports Commission, you have been involved with bringing a lot of projects here, final fours, championships.
07:39You've brought a lot here.
07:41But this is a totally different league, isn't it?
07:43This is a different animal.
07:44What it means to the region, the opportunities, the economic development, the economic impact, the fact that this is a 39-plus day event that now we've been preparing for for about eight years.
07:57So it's hard to imagine that in just six to eight months, the World Cup is going to be over.
08:02We have a lot of work to do.
08:04But this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that we have in front of us.
08:08Is this something that people who are not attending games need to pack their patience for?
08:12Or is it not really going to affect the daily life of people in North Texas?
08:16Well, we definitely will have an increased number of visitors here, so they should see that impact.
08:22But we're going to have communication of, here's what our transportation system is.
08:27Here are when the buses are going.
08:29Here's when, hey, maybe let's stay off the freeways during this time because this is going to be a heavy transport out to the stadium on match day.
08:38So we have an entire marketing communications team working hand-in-hand with our North Central Texas Council of Governments,
08:44as well as the city of Arlington, city of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Frisco, on putting that plan together.
08:49And we want to not only communicate to the spectators and fans that are coming in, but our residents as well,
08:55because we want them to have an enjoyable experience through this World Cup.
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