Mega-Event Secrets: FIFA World Cup & Sail250 Unpacked!

stage with these two gentlemen who have so much to tell you. So, I'm not going to take a minute more of your time, your time and their time. But I did want to say that we were having a conversation um in the back room and it was about events of this magnitude, citywide, huge, unbelievable events that transcend everything difficult that we can be going through whether it's politics or you know things that are happening in the world. we want to focus, you know, for the for that period on sports or on celebration and and I think that's what makes them so, you know, so magical. So, welcome to both of you. I think a picture tells a thousand words. I think that's how you say it. So, we'll start with a video and give you a taste of FIFA World Cup. It gives me chills as a former New Yorker, you know can just picture it. Can you share a little bit about I know we could do in a whole session on on the scope of the event and um but share a little bit of what you're planning.

>> It's a big deal >> exactly. >> Um if you don't know that by now, I don't know where you've been. It's just the beginning. >> Um you know, I I often get corrected. I said it's uh the biggest sporting event we'll ever see in this region. It's the biggest event. Um, and it's not because it's just FIFA and soccer. It's 40 days. Uh, we we have a little game called the finals at uh Metife Stadium on July 19th. The biggest match, biggest game, and the biggest stage. Uh, and we all should be very excited to be a part of it. But it it is a big deal. >> Well put. We have another small event coming up in 2026. Sale forth. Why don't we take a look at the ships gracefully and dignified sailing proudly down a harbor. A spectacle which perhaps will not be duplicated for another 100 years. Heat. Heat. [Music] But >> one thing is certain, America certainly knows how to throw itself a birthday party. >> Wow. >> Woo. I like that. I like >> good, isn't it? So, tell us what you've

been doing. I have I have one correction for Bruce. Sale fourth is going to be >> I knew you were going to say that. >> Yeah, you teed that one. Uh yeah, the the international fleets really coming to New York uh in a gesture of goodwill uh for America's 250th. Uh these these events are timehonored traditions. They only happen basically once in a generation. Uh so the the gathering of these fleets is is a big deal. Uh the ships are official representatives of their nations when they come and so we're uh we're honored to be able to welcome them here. It's going to be it's going to be tremendous and we'll talk a little bit more about it. But uh it's uh it I like to call this is you know kind of the grandest international goodwill event uh that uh that you'll see in your lifetime. >> Fabulous. And I I I know everybody here has a career interest in the planning of these as well as a personal interest because you're probably going to go to one or both if you're from the area. But

why don't we start with the planning of these? How do you even, you know, where are you in the process and where did you start? Where are you and what are we looking at? >> Uh in in football terms, we're in the second half. um probably have about 20 minutes left to play. Uh Chris and I were talking backstage. We actually met in uh June of 2020. um right in the heart of uh co and I remember uh we were talking on the we had I think we had a zoom call and you know no surprise in 2020 and the summer it was tough here in New York City and thinking about what you were going to be able to do six years from then uh it seemed like a long ways away. Fast forward uh we have less than 270 days left. Um, the beauty of doing big events, if you're all in that business in New York City, is this is a muscle that we know. We know how to put on big events in New York and New Jersey. Um, so what you do is you tap into those who have the expertise. Yes. Everything we're doing around the World Cup is different um, in the sense that's for 39 days. It's five burrows. We're in New Jersey. Um, we have a great partnership with the state of New Jersey. but you lean into those who have

done it before and you marry with what you need with respect to the event. Um, but we have four pillars that we really lean into. It's security, it's transportation, it's legacy and fan engagement. And we're trying to keep everything local. So everything we do is is taking everything we've done and marrying against those four pillars and also always keeping it local. Uh, but it it takes a village. Um it took six it will take six years to plan this. >> Six years. >> What about you? >> Yeah. Well, same. Yeah. That meeting that we had >> same time frame >> followed our initial meeting with the foreign naval attaches over over Zoom. And we as we were talking about this it was it was you know it was surreal but it was actually it was kind of a quiet time and it enabled us to really get the attention of the foreign countries because that's really for us where it started was recruiting these nations to come to know do we have an event? Do we have uh enough participation? And un unlike the the World Cup or other big events that recur on normal schedules and cycles, we really we recreate these events every time they happen uh

basically from scratch. The last time the ships were here at in this scope and scale was the Millennium Celebration here in the city uh for 2000. And that actually that event actually touched a number of ports like this one. Uh the ships are going to be going to New Orleans, Norfol, Baltimore here for the main event and then to Boston, >> right? >> But you know the the planning for this is a it's a very long timeline uh scheduling with the foreign countries. These ships are traveling the world constantly, you know, on their international goodwill mission and their training mission. And so, uh, it's bringing them together, but then bringing, uh, the municipality together, the city, NYC tourism was an early supporter, uh, of ours. And so that really kind of gave us a lot of the momentum we needed, you know, the governor's office, the US Navy, the federal government, uh, and then all of the foreign nations, and then all the, you know, the thousands of other players. And we'll talk more about that, the safety security side and all that. Yeah, why don't we talk about safety and security because I'm sure um the world is changing every week. So, um can you share what um what's behind it at this present moment um for you and and how it might change again because we were talking about that too.

>> Yeah, it's um no surprise security is probably the pillar in the four that we have. Um, again, you know, we have a great relationship with uh state of New Jersey. Um, and we're working with local, regional, federal, uh, law enforcement, uh, at all levels, really well, at all levels. Um, and you know, we look at our security is really defined in two different ways. It's the stadium. The stadium will likely be the most secure venue in the world when our matches happen, but we have a lot of what they call soft spots. Um, when whenever you do an event that's open, we have fan engagement on both sides of the river. Um, that's where we're putting a lot of our attention. Um, and I will tell you that the the meetings that we've had over the last really two and a half, three years, uh, between New York, NYPD, State of New Jersey, uh, Secret Service, FBI, Homeland Security. Um, I feel very good that we're not leaving anything to the imagination in the sense that that's when you become vulnerable when you don't have a sense of what could be the whatifs. And these are some of the best of the best. Not some, they are the best of the best in New York, New Jersey. Uh, but you have to have you have to have everybody who participates, spectators, players, anybody who comes here feel like, okay, wherever we go, we're going to be safe. And that's a process that while we've done it a lot in this region, we started probably our first real pillar of a task force was around security. >> Security. And you're talking about the waterways. >> Yeah. Well, it's a whole other >> right. And it's so in the post 911 era, uh, the what the military calls the force protection status has changed

quite a bit. And so for this event, we're we're going to be having a lot of Greyhold Navy ships in the harbor, probably 50. Uh your typical fleet week these these days has maybe six or seven. Uh I used to run fleet week a long time ago and back then we had 25 or and so it's just shrunken. But but that that framework of the players uh with PD uh coast guard homeland security the all the same all the same entities actually there's the crossover uh Bruce could be having one of the World Cup meetings and then the same guys will come on the sale forth meeting from all of the the agencies uh law enforcement throughout the region and so the the crossovers are very close and and it really I think for safety and security wise it's being looked at as one event kind of and it's going to integrate more so but we do have that additional >> piece of this where on the water uh there is going to be you know as I was saying the force protection part that is going to be a little bit different and uh and for us it's going to be a huge um information campaign challenge to make sure everyone that gets out there on the water because we're expecting upwards of 30,000 private voters >> to be out on the water. They all have to know what the rules of engagement are >> and where they're not supposed to go. And so that's going to be a big security challenge for us. But you know, the that that work though has been ongoing just like with World Cup now for over two years, >> right? >> right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Every possible agency, security agency working together. Well, and we're we're we're also going to be hosting uh some tabletop exercises and just as Bruce was saying, we have to think of everything and we we have to plan for you know this any kind of scenario and we have to think outside the box and so uh we'll have a number of tabletop exercises on top of just the general planning where we'll run through scenarios. >> Okay. And you do have so many

stakeholders and there's such a political fabric, you know, behind both of these events that you I I don't know how you even keep keep it straight, but um I would you were talking quite a bit about that um behind the scenes. Do you want to share? >> Well, it's for for us. >> How do you even start? It has actually it's been it it's been interesting but also very encouraging. So as I was saying we we've been working with the foreign uh ates there's a group of about we're expecting 25 nations to send their ships or more. >> Okay. >> And the uh the work with the international uh ates groups has always been very encouraging. Everyone is incredibly positive. Everybody everybody really sees this for what it is. This is America. We're celebrating America's 250th. >> Absolutely. >> And there is a lot there's a lot to reflect on, but there's a lot to be thankful for and a lot to celebrate there. And and all the allied nations really support that. And so for us, you know, if we're talking about international politics, that is that has been very encouraging. Uh and I think with both of these events really, these are goodwill events. It's only good. It's positive. And so it's hard to take away something uh or or find something to be really highly critical about it when it's really about these events are about bringing people together. And so that's our goal. >> Right. You've gone all the way to the White House to to get support for this. Can you share a little bit about that? And then we'll move over to Bruce on. Well, yeah. The obviously uh the uh President Trump's uh task force is is interested in what we're doing. Uh the uh the administration has made it clear that there's a lot of uh support and there's a a lot of energy going into 250 events across the nation. So, we're uh we're, you know, we're we're part of uh America's 250th. And so that's, you know, that's what we're going to do. >> So Bruce, we love to hear your side of the story. >> Um, >> Um, it's been a little bit different than than Saleorth 250. I wish it was a little bit less profound. >> Um, well, listen, here's the reality. My

wife reminds me of this all the time. She said, "Did you think you were going to be involved in the world's biggest event and it wasn't going to get political?" Right? I mean, that's the reality. Um, I can't, um, I can only control, we can only control what we can control. And what we mean by that is if you want to come to New York, New Jersey, we promise you we will do our best to keep you safe to get you to where you want to go to have, if you want to go to a fan engagement event, it will be spectacular and that you all will do what you normally do when the world comes to New York, New Jersey. Um but yes, it's highly political uh at all levels as we all know and you have to work within the uh the framework that the world's biggest event is going to draw attention and you just have to control what you can control and if you decide you we hope you do decide to come to New York, New Jersey, we promise you a spectacular safe experience. That's that's our motto at the host committee.

>> Yeah. And you have a team like a a >> You do have a team. Um what does that look like? >> It's it's and Chris knows this. I was the first employee. Um and now we have a team of about 27 people. Uh we will probably flex up to uh between full and and contract about 200 people between now and next June. Um we'll probably have now probably our volunteers. We're expecting about 13,000 volunteers over those five weeks. Um, and you know, it's it it does take a village. A big village. >> Yeah. What does your team look like? >> We're we're about the same now. Uh, we're we're in process of ramping up. So, when when we kind of reach that point where we've got our key um key players in place, probably about 25 plus all of you know, we're relying on consultants and other other support coming outside of that. So, probably up to about 150. And then volunteers, we're still going through calculations now, but we're estimating about 2,000 volunteers. Um, and then of course you got to manage volunteers. And so, >> I'm curious to get in for free if you volunteer. >> Yes. Well, well, one of the things about

this event is it's free and open to the public. So, this your this event is free and open to the public. There there will be special, you know, special access and special um activations for sponsors and other supporters, but uh the events are free and open to the public. >> Okay. Do you don't get in for free? No, I didn't. Just that D. They always say just >> I have to pay. >> You have to pay. Okay. >> The captains are asking me tickets. Is that part of our appearance? Do we get tickets to go to the games? >> I get a lot of requests. So, I don't have to be the only one asking questions. If you have any, please put them in the app because we might, it looks like we're running on schedule, so we might have a couple of minutes left. We were talking about challenges, like how do you sum up um that your biggest challenge in such a huge mega event, but we did come up with some some ideas and they were quite similar. Bruce, you want to share what we were? >> Yeah. Listen, um, as I said, I've learned over

the last couple years that the interference or the not the noise comes from the places that you didn't expect, but you should not be surprised that they come in. And um, really make sure, for us at least, that those things that you can't control, that you kick ass on, that you do the best job you can. and um understand you know the mission statement for us has always been to uh to take this big event and share it with everybody so that you know the rising tide raises all boats and that's very important to us. Control what you can control. Um, often times the outside noise they can't there's so much outside noise often times it cancels itself out and at the end of the day if you worry about it you're back to where you started but you spend all that nervous energy trying to accommodate all that noise. Um, I think we've all gotten better as to what we need to pay attention to versus everything we paid attention to early on. So manage what you can manage as well as you can. understand the noise is going to come in. Uh, and and just exhale. Exhale >> and sleep. You You said you weren't sleeping well. >> I can only imagine the night before. >> It's only 10 months. >> Yeah. For for us, it's the same. And but it's you know but the these events are so huge that they get so much momentum and that you can we can use the metaphor of the large ship at speed and it takes a long time to turn a ship that's moving quickly and uh so that's that's really I think Bruce just nailed it. It's, you know, making sure you have those systems in place so you're anticipating and you're just managing you're managing the issues as they come. >> And at some point the ship takes off and you can't do much >> the ships are coming, you know, and it's interesting because I think about it, it's like all that groundwork that's done, that machine is moving the big part of it and so now it's just these other things on the side.

So we have a room full of people who are obviously concerned about visa issues for their own events. How are you navigating this is a anonymous question. How are you navigating international visitors and visa issues? I know that's a challenge. >> Well, I mean the uh we not we uh Washington set up a task force for the World Cup designed largely around two areas uh accelerating visas and security matters. Um all we're doing as the host cities is is every time we go down to Washington is to make sure that the timelines are shorter uh uh on those on countries that can come in. Um but we're we're constantly pushing that. But Bruce Revan does not control how fast visa process works. But >> you can't do that. >> But 11 Bruce Revans around the host with all the host cities have more of influence. So we're constantly focusing on that. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. for us too, you know, because we have the international navies, so customs, border patrol, they're part of our our internal planning uh work groups. And so it it's interesting because some of the ships will have sailors that will need to fly out and other sailors fly in. But if your passport is stamped your first touch of the American soil, it creates a little bit of a problem because wait a minute, when that per when that person goes to leave, well, you never came into the country because you didn't have your passport stamped the right way or you know as part of this process. And so it's it's an interesting unique problem with with this whole thing. But uh we're finding and we're getting these requests all the time that uh the ships they're going to bring family members. they're they want their family members to fly in from around the world and and be there and see them in this, you know, this grand event. And so, you know, but I think as Bruce said, it's it's going to be, you know, the standard processes uh are in place that will work. We we'll be able to grease the skids a little bit for the navies involved, but uh for the most part, it's it's uh the systems at work. No, we have a minute and a half, so I'm going to be able to ask my career question for the people in the audience. How do you get a job like this?

>> No, you me, >> you come from the >> Well, listen, you know, I am of age where, you know, I always say uh success is when you're ready for it and the opportunity arises. I was at NYC tourism as well. Uh I was one of the managing directors in events and sports and when we were bidding on this uh city hall looked to NYC tourism and then NYC tourism looked to me right >> and we won the bid we well when I got on to the the bid process we were still uh three years away from winning as a host city and then when we won the bid uh one of the requirements that FIFA has if you don't have a host committee established you have to create one and city hall asked me to stay on uh and take get uh through 2026. So, right place, right time. But, you know, I don't think it's luck as much as I've been around a long time. >> The the muscle. You had the muscle. And you were an event planner in the military. Correct. >> I was the party planner for Coast Guard here. >> There you go. >> I was the admiral's aid, so I got to plan all the big events and change of commands. But, >> you know, for this was like somebody had to do it, right? And that's and that's what it was. And so, >> you know, me and a and a group of of colleagues who do these things came together and here we are. >> Here we are. And here we are with ne we stopped at 0.01. Thank you so much for for being here today. What a pleasure.