Qatari organizers are shifting gears just days before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

In September, organizers finalized a policy to serve alcoholic beer to fans at stadiums and in fan zones — despite Qatar’s strict alcohol laws. 

Now, organizers are reportedly scrambling to move the stations to obscure locations ahead of this Sunday’s opening ceremony, following demands from the country’s royal family — who are concerned alcohol stations would unsettle the local population, per the New York Times.

Budweiser, the World Cup’s exclusive beer and longtime sponsor, was only told about the changes on Saturday.

• The company reportedly pays roughly $75 million for a World Cup presence every four years.
• There is reported tension with FIFA on sales points and how to get supplies into Qatar.
• A Budweiser spokeswoman said its “focus is on delivering the best possible consumer experience,” but wouldn’t say if its contract rights are being fulfilled. 

“Pouring times and the number of pouring destinations” are the same, an organizing committee representative said.

An official told the New York Times that FIFA agreed to move the tents amid concerns of full tent shutdowns if they didn’t. 

World’s Worries

As organizers worry about the logistics, teams and fans worry about the organizers — Qatar has a record of alleged human rights abuses.

The U.S. Men’s National Team redesigned its crest to incorporate the rainbow flag to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. Fans across Germany are calling for a boycott of the tournament.

German games are likely to fill up more of the NFL’s calendar — and following Sunday’s boisterous capacity crowd of 69,811 at Munich’s Allianz Arena, it’s easy to see why.

Ahead of the first NFL game in Germany this weekend, commissioner Roger Goodell said the league will play “at least” four games in the country through 2025, adding that he “wouldn’t be surprised if it expanded beyond that at some point soon.”

The NFL’s current agreement, which included the Bucs’ 21-16 win over the Seahawks on Sunday, includes annual games over the next three seasons.

• The deal includes two games in Munich and two in Frankfurt. 
• Germany is the fourth country outside the U.S. to host an NFL game after Mexico, Canada, and the U.K.

Germany surpassed Britain as the NFL’s largest market in Europe, including more Game Pass subscribers and more consumer product sales. Both have 3.3 million “avid fans,” according to Brett Gosper, NFL head of the U.K. and Europe, but Germany has more “casual fans” at 17 million.

International Agenda

The NFL aims to grow its international business to $1 billion annually.

Ahead of the Green Bay Packers-New York Giants matchup in London last month, Goodell also hinted at a new division. 

“We’re trying to see, could you have multiple locations in Europe where you could have an NFL franchise, because it would be easier as a division,” he said.

One of the most high-profile sports venue naming rights deals in recent memory lasted less than two years.

The Miami Heat and Miami-Dade County are ending their deal with crypto exchange FTX, which announced it filed for bankruptcy on Friday.

• Miami-Dade, which owns the Heat’s arena, agreed to a 19-year, $135 million naming rights deal with FTX in March 2021.
• Miami-Dade mayor Daniella Levine Cava said that FTX paid the county $20 million to date, and that its contract with FTX included a provision that the deal may be terminated if FTX entered bankruptcy.
• The contract also requires FTX to pay the county three years in fees — $16.5 million — if it faces an “insolvency event.”

FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried resigned and was replaced by John J. Ray III, a corporate turnaround specialist who helped manage Enron after its dramatic collapse in 2001.

Other Deals Doomed?

The FTX Arena pact was only one of numerous sports deals struck by the crypto company. 

In August 2021, FTX agreed to a reported 10-year, $17.5 million pact with Cal to name its football field FTX Field at Memorial Stadium. 

The UC Berkeley’s athletic department told Front Office Sports it was “monitoring the evolving business situation with FTX and will determine any next steps.”

That same year, FTX became MLB’s official cryptocurrency exchange and secured the league’s first umpire uniform patch in a five-year deal.

FTX also had deals with Tom Brady, Steph Curry, and Shohei Ohtani, among others.