FIFA - non profit making?

[Merlin5]

On the news just now, they did an article on how businessmen in SA are cashing in on the world cup, in particular, a man who created a 2010 keyring. FIFA have stopped him and are filling lawsuits on thousands of similar cases. Considering FIFA have a billion (dollars or sterling, not sure) in reserve, it seems like a case of goliath stepping on the small man. This is a way a country like South Africa had a good opportunity to make some money, yet they're being crushed. A spokesman for FIFA said it's not for profit, not for the sake of money, but so that FIFA have enough money to spend on other football tournaments, or something to that effect.

FIFA a non profit making organisation? Maybe once, but right now, I don't buy it.
Football is all about making profit these days.

 

[Merlin5]

It goes without saying really. The WC is like the Champion's League or Euros, a massive cash cow for them and unsurprisingly they'll protect their investors.

Remember the last Euros, a Dutch beer company made shorts with their logo on them which were sold to fans just prior to a match. Loads were bought, and eventually at the gates they were compulsorily removed because they weren't from the 'official beer' company. People were attending the game in their pants.

Footballers are prohibited from taking their shirts off after celebrating because the kit sponsors get less tv time. Sod the official reasons of it not being a good example.

This is what is wrong with football today, too much focus on money. Not that I'm a particularly avid football fan, though I'll be watching the world cup. But one gets the impression that money is far, far more important in football than the football itself, making organisations like FIFA look pretty shallow.