ADIDAS LAUNCH A BALL AS WE GEAR UP FOR THE 2010 WORLD CUP

South Africa will host the Fifa World Cup in 2010. It will be glamorous and exciting! There will be parties and shows, the famous and the powerful. We tasted all this when the world arrived on our shores for the launch of the official match ball and the draw for the World Cup.

The whole world turned their attention to Cape Town, the Mother City, to see which teams will face each other come next years’ competition. One of the people used to help with the draw was David Beckham. But it was the occasion earlier on in the day he attended that I want to focus on; the launch of the official match ball: Jabulani.

The CTICC (Cape Town International Convention Centre) hosted the draw but 3 hours earlier just a short trip down the road all the action was taking place at the Waterfront Studios. Driving down Dock road towards Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, you are greeted with a line-up of giant soccer balls. Adidas have been providing Fifa with official World Cup balls since 1970 and you can see each one up close as you drive along the island.

Jabulani at the time was still covered in a black cloth as the unveiling had not yet happened but it now stands uncovered for everyone to see. And it truly is a beautiful looking ball.

It is funny to be a media person and attend this kind of launch. There is an invisible line between the ‘in front of camera’ people and the ‘behind camera’ people. ‘In front of camera’ everyone is in suits and ties, or at least a shirt. ‘Behind camera’ you see shorts and t-shirts, almost game ranger-ish or Sunday gardening like. On the stage is a woman talking about the new ball, dressed like she is about to visit the Oscars – well-spoken, clear and precise, groomed and practiced. In front, there are lights, lasers and smoke, big screens and a giant ball. Behind are rough words, pushing and shoving and sweaty bodies. Cables lie everywhere, cameras click away, flashes temporarily blind.

Franz Beckenbauer, David Beckham, Sepp Blatter and Danny Jordaan have all been on stage, Jabulani has appeared from behind a curtain, people have cheered, cameras have clicked, words have been said…. and it’s done. The Launch is over.

It may seem strange, almost a waste to have such a big event. Why? Just to launch a ball..? But despite it going by so quickly, despite it getting hot, and crowded and despite being behind the line… it’s a piece of magic to be part of. To be one of the first people to see Jabulani (legally…), as an African, to witness another step in the journey towards a goal, the goal of hosting a successful World Cup on African soil, to be there when Sepp Blatter hands that ball over to Danny Jordaan, to hear David Beckham speak about playing for England, here!, to walk past mannequins wearing all the official jerseys for the World Cup…

It is not a waste. Africa plays host to the World Cup next year and with the draw done, with the ball launched, with most of the kits released, with stadiums reaching completion, with all of this, the World Cup is short of just one thing; players.

I want the World Cup to start tomorrow! I want to seeJabulani getting the stuffing kicked out of it (not literally).

Adidas released the ball which saw Sepp Blatter say ‘Jabulani, Jabulani, I love you Jablani’. He cracked a joke about not being allowed to ‘hand’ the ball over to Danny because you are not allowed to use your hands in soccer… Sorry Ireland.
He said; ‘the ball will always be the centre of the game’.

Well Adidas have made a great ‘centre’. That ball is so soft I could use it as a pillow. I hate headers! It always feels like ‘ball -1, Luke – 0’ but with this ball I could header all day!

In Germany we saw many great goals being scored. I think Jabulani is going to get us all celebrating.

Watching the World Cup at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town

Check out Cape Town Creatives to see how football fever hit Cape Town.