WORLD CUP 2014: The Low Notes

(Baonghen) -Besides the inconvenient time slot, the 2014 World Cup was also affected by the economic crisis, resulting in a rather lackluster atmosphere for the people of Thanh Vinh regarding the event. Cafés were empty, and the scene of entire neighborhoods gathering to watch football at community centers was gone. The 2014 World Cup was confined to individual families, so there were very few behind-the-scenes stories...

Pawn shops during the World Cup season.

Four years ago, when the World Cup was held in South Africa, Vinh City was one of the most vibrant areas. Besides cafes displaying banners and offering various services, many cultural centers and community spaces were equipped with high-quality screens and other facilities to serve the public. The football atmosphere thus permeated every corner.

This World Cup is different; not many people in Vinh City are genuinely interested in football. Partly because the match times aren't convenient for Vietnam, and partly because of the worries of daily life, people mostly choose to watch at home and relax. For young football enthusiasts, this is also the time when they are on summer break or studying for exams, so the World Cup atmosphere near universities and colleges is rather dull. A few businesses have large screens, but the number of customers is very limited. Around Vinh University, the atmosphere of the 2014 World Cup is not much different from normal days, and is even less crowded than on evenings with English Premier League matches.

At Pho Do Cafe on Nguyen Van Cu Street, a familiar gathering place for football fans in Vinh City, the number of customers was very modest. A staff member at the cafe said that they initially planned to open for all matches that night, but after 1-2 days, the number of customers was too low, so they only opened for matches at 11 PM. They did not serve customers for later matches. Similarly, some small cafes, despite hoping for a lucrative World Cup season, were ultimately disappointed. With such a small number of customers, many bought projectors but left them unused, failing to significantly boost their business.

Several players from Nghe An province, such as Tien Hoai, Dinh The, and Duc Cuong, opened coffee shops to capitalize on the World Cup, but the results were not very successful. The reason is that the matches took place late at night, and because the shops were newly opened, not many people knew about them. So, despite being called "World Cup coffee shops," when the matches in Brazil (at 11 PM) started, the shops were... closed for the night.

The World Cup in Thanh Vinh has therefore had many low points, less exciting but sadly, gambling remains rampant. Because football betting is becoming increasingly sophisticated, it is very easy for anyone who wants to gamble. Of course, where there is supply, there is demand, so pawn shops are springing up like mushrooms. Around 11 PM, walking along Dinh Cong Trang, Le Hong Phong, Nguyen Van Cu streets, etc., you can still see pawn shops operating with their lights on.

Vinh Liem