Niall Quinn to host World Cup bid business breakfast

Mar 11 2010 by Adam Jupp, The Journal

FOOTBALL boss Niall Quinn is inviting businesses to breakfast to help them learn how to become World Cup winners.

Sunderland has been confirmed as one of 12 cities to be included in England’s bid to host the 2018 tournament.

FIFA will announce in December which nation has secured the honour, with countries such as Australia and Qatar also in the running.

In the meantime, firms across the region are being offered an insight into the commercial opportunities that the festival of football would present.

Black Cats chairman and former striker Quinn is hosting the event at the Stadium of Light later this month. The Lighting-up Lives business breakfast will also feature keynote speakers.

Paul Taylor, head of major procurement specialists Compete North East will explain how the region’s companies can prepare for and make the most of the business opportunities presented by the World Cup and other international sporting tournaments.

And the session will also highlight what the Sunderland bid offers the whole region in terms of community and business development, along with the key dates in England's schedule before FIFA’s final decision is announced.

Quinn said: “The Lighting up Lives breakfast event on Monday, March 22, will be a great opportunity for the region's businesses to engage with the England 2018/2022 campaign and find out how they can get involved and capitalise on the opportunities it presents.

“Should England win the honour of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022, Sunderland’s role as a host city could bring huge benefits to the North East. Comprehensive, sustained legacy programmes will offer a great boost to grass roots football in the region.

“In addition, the impact that the event could have on the economy is very significant, through increased visitor numbers and numerous contract opportunities for businesses.”

Coun Watson said: “Winning candidate host city status is just the start for Sunderland. As a city, we now need to do as much as we possibly can to support the national campaign.

“It is important that people and businesses throughout North East England understand the real potential and significance of this ongoing campaign and that’s why we are inviting businesses from across the region to come along, have breakfast with us and find out what we can all do to support the FA’s final bid to FIFA.”

Paul Taylor, head of Compete North East, said: “Compete North East is a new Business Link service, which is helping companies in the region tender for and win major emerging national and international contracts, such as those that will surround the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.

One of Compete North East’s key focuses is major international sporting events, and much of the work the service is currently delivering relates to contracts associated to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which are already bringing millions of pounds into the region’s economy.

“There is a real opportunity for North East businesses to benefit from the major contracts that will be put out to tender linked to the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, and Compete North East is doing everything possible to ensure that the region’s companies are best placed to do just that.”

Places at the Lighting-up Lives breakfast event are limited and will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. To register an interest send an email to 2018@pressahead.info or call 0191 516 6235.

Newcastle Gateshead has also been chosen as one of the cities included in the FA’s bid.