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CNN Live At Daybreak
Interview with Jim Smith
Aired June 21, 2002 - 06:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM And MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You know a little earlier we checked out U.S. Soccer fans in our nation's capital. Now we turn to another hot bed of American soccer, Columbus, Ohio.
Tino Ramos of CNN affiliate WBNS joins us live.
Tino...
TINO RAMOS, WBNS-TV REPORTER: I'll tell you what.
COSTELLO: Wow! Columbus, Ohio, huh?
RAMOS: Yes, you know what's amazing about this too, Carol, is that they're considering this largest gathering of Americans in one location to watch this game here today, and I'll tell you what, some of these people I want to slap them around a little bit. They've been out here since 1:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon looking to get in here to watch the game, to get it ready for you.
Just the crowd that's inside, they have sofas here, they have television sets set up and they also has TV sets set up pretty much in every part of this tent not to mention what they're going to see inside Crew Stadium.
Now, I want to show you some video from earlier this morning. This is about 5:00 in the morning, people were out in the parking lots. They were playing soccer out there, just kind of doing the tailgating thing. They're expecting I believe 5,000, 6,000 people that are going to be here just to watch this event here today.
Now I want to show you some live pictures again outside here the stadium. People are just kind of out in the lobby or out in the lobby, just out in the courtyard here just kind of waiting to -- for the game to start. People just kind of enjoying the day.
Now I got a special person here. Jim Smith, the president of the Columbus Crew joins me right now. And I tell you what, Jim, this has just been kind of an amazing event because obviously they never expected Team U.S.A. to go this far. It's got to be a great impact for the city of Columbus as well as the rest of the nation.
JIM SMITH, PRESIDENT, COLUMBUS CREW: Yes, it's just great to spotlight the sport of soccer and give all the fans an opportunity to come out one place and cheer on the national team. And that's what we've done very successfully. Overwhelming support. We had to bring in a big screen, a 13-by-17-foot screen. We've put it on in our stadium. We're going to get 5,000 to 6,000 people here. It's been truly incredible.
RAMOS: I guess part of the attraction coming to Columbus, Ohio, Brian McBride has done a wonderful job making an impact in the world -- in the world of -- the realm of the whole thing. I mean that's got to be just something that's been major for here.
SMITH: Well Crew fans from Columbus have seen Brian for the past six years and I think we all knew he could do it. And once he got on the world's stage, he's performed probably better than anybody else. Also Brad Friedel, a former Crew player, stellar in goals so far. So it's been incredible for the Columbus Crew and Columbus community to have two all stars representing the country both from Columbus.
RAMOS: Yes, Jim, thank you so much. You're not surprised about this are you?
SMITH: Not at all. We are America's soccer capital so why should we expect anything different?
RAMOS: We're catching on, right, Jim? All right, Jim, thank you.
That's Jim Smith, president of the Columbus Crew.
I'll tell you what, like I said, it's not quite the sport that some people think that's really catching on in America. But here in Columbus, Ohio, we're definitely defying that. And I think a lot of people are coming in from out of state too.
We're told that a couple of people from Florida actually even drove up here to Columbus, Ohio to watch the game on TV. I guess, Carol, assume the logic on that. I guess that is definite soccer mania, right?
COSTELLO: Oh you've got that right. Well it looks a lot of fun out there in Columbus, Ohio.
RAMOS: Thank you very much. You know all about it, Carol.
COSTELLO: I sure do having lived there for quite some time. Thank you.
RAMOS: You bet.
COSTELLO: Tino Ramos reporting live for us from Columbus this morning.
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