Top-shelf treatment for celebrities at World Cup
(nytimes.com)
Updated: 2006-06-07 15:27
Elton John, Prince Albert of Monaco, Boris Becker and Sir Howard Stringer of
the Sony Corporation — all are zealous soccer fans, and all are expected to make
the trip to Germany for the World Cup.
British pop musician
Elton John.[filephoto] |
George Taylor's job is to take care of such V.I.P.'s. And he is doing it on a
scale that befits this gargantuan event. Over the next month, his company,
iSe-Hospitality of Switzerland, expects to serve 300,000 bottles of wine, 50,000
bottles of Champagne and gourmet meals on 5.5 million pieces of china.
"In 30 years of sports worldwide, there's been nothing even close to what's
being done here," Mr. Taylor said.
The World Cup's organizers set aside 10 percent of the tickets — about
340,000 — for this form of gold-plated hospitality.
Mr. Taylor said more than 6,000 companies, many in financial services, have
paid for the packages, which include a ticket, food and drink, and parking at
the stadium.
The prices range from 900 euros (U.S.$1,161) for a first-round game between
Mexico and Iran to 3,000 euros (U.S.$3,870) for the opening match between
Germany and Costa Rica in Munich on Friday. A skybox for 10 to 20 people at the
final in Berlin goes for 156,000 euros (U.S.$201,000).
Critics complain that too many tickets were set aside for the V.I.P.
contingent. But Mr. Taylor said soccer's governing body, FIFA, transferred most
of its U.S.$228 million hospitality contract back to the German organizers,
allowing them to limit the price of regular tickets.
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