The World Cup of more: There's never been a tourna...
Key takeaways
- In many ways, this summer's competition isn't full of new things.
- "It's hard to find a precedent for this one," said Tim Sisk, whose job as a historian, author and professor at the University of Denver makes him among the best at finding precedents when it comes to global sports.
- What does the movie trailer voiceover guy always say?
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
In many ways, this summer's competition isn't full of new things. Yes, sure, there are elements that are wholly original: It's the first time we've had three countries hosting, for starters, and it's the first World Cup with 48 teams. But as we've inched closer to the tournament beginning, the storylines that have swirled around this event have to do with magnitude -- everything connected to this tournament is just ... more.
"It's hard to find a precedent for this one," said Tim Sisk, whose job as a historian, author and professor at the University of Denver makes him among the best at finding precedents when it comes to global sports. Sisk shook his head. "This one's got an extra sort of layer of complexity, let's say."
That phrasing might be kind. The narrative running up to this World Cup is quintessentially American: The U.S. has sucked up nearly all the oxygen (bonus points if you remembered that Canada and Mexico are also welcoming the world) while simultaneously taking something and making it bigger and louder than one could imagine. What does the movie trailer voiceover guy always say? You've NEVER seen it quite like this?