It was 13 months ago — which means it was one month after BINJE launched.
Legendary players of FC Porto, one of the top teams in the Portuguese house league,
were at a fan festival in the Ironbound, an effort to stir up interest in the Club World Cup
— a new event by FIFA that wasn’t finding an audience.
I was among a few dozen folks who showed up on what felt like a 100-degree day. I
was the only media member.
I talked to fans. I talked to local business owners. I saw the spirit and passion for the
game. Even at the club level.
But I also saw how converting that passion to profits was not going to be easy.
I filed what would be the first of what would become more than 200 (and counting)
stories about soccer and the coming impact it would have on business in New Jersey.
I was trying to grow BINJE, one story at a time. I didn’t realize I was improving my
chances at getting the most highly sought media pass of the year.
***
I covered the hell out of the Club World Cup. Not the matches. The business stories
around them. The biggest revelation: American Dream was the big business winner. It
was the ideal gathering place for fans — even those not attending the games.
I wrote about transportation to the stadium — both the bad and the good. I later wrote
about the controversy — with a controversial take.
I wrote about the Onyx Equities becoming the first local firm to support the NYNJ Host
Committee — and the struggle to get others to follow. I wrote about how one was using
their sponsorship to their business advantage.
I wrote extensively about three chamber leaders working tirelessly to ensure that small
business got a tiny piece out of what was supposed to be a billion-dollar economic
boost for the state: Luis De La Hoz, Gus Penaranda and Jim Kirkos. And the small
businesses that did it right.
I wrote about FIFA’s effort to be more inclusive and fight against discrimination.
And at the start of the tournament, BINJE produced a 44-page preview.
***
To be clear, I’m not a full-time soccer reporter. Far from it. But I must say the incredible
work of Managing Editor Linda Lindner enabled me to break away from our basic
business coverage more than I probably should have.
I went to every World Cup event I could — often serving as a moderator for panels and
fireside chats. The effort paid off in a big way. In February, thanks to the contacts I had
made at all those events, BINJE broke the news that the governor was pulling the plug
on the Jersey City Fan Fest.
There are benefits to being the only media member at events. Apparently, I wasn’t the
only one who was counting.
The media credential process is an interesting game. It used to be the big outlets got a
lot and the smaller ones get the scraps. I didn’t appreciate that when I was at The Star-
Ledger and Yahoo.
Now, I do. The media world has changed dramatically. But more outlets doesn’t mean
more recognition. I never thought for a second that FIFA could know about BINJE. But
they do.
I was given a pass to the World Cup this summer based entirely on my work leading up
to it. I know that because media members of similar outlets were turned down with their
lack of soccer coverage listed as the reason.
***
Getting a credential for the Group Stage of the World Cup — even the knockout rounds
— is one thing. Getting a credential for the final is another.
For weeks, I explained to those who asked how many thousands of soccer reporters
there are around the world, so many of which have been spread out across the
continent. They are all here now.
Earlier this week, FIFA sent out a notice explaining how few media seats there are in
MetLife Stadium. And how those put in spillover spots in parking lot tents would not
have access to stadium due to increased security concerns.
I figured I was doomed. And if I was edged out by an international journalist who has
spent the past four years covering FIFA, I was good with that. It was only fair.
But I know the effort I’ve made in the past year in the tri-state area. I know how many
times I’ve been the only media member at an event. That’s why, after getting the pre-
emptive letter from FIFA, I sent a pre-emptive plea back to a few key FIFA officials,
pointing out the depth of my coverage.
On Friday night, I learned I had a seat for the game. I’m beyond grateful for those who made my case. I hope it started with the fact that I was the only media member at a street festival in Newark so many months ago. And the 200 or so stories that came after it.
