New York (AFP) – It might just be the greatest job in the world. But for the two American men being paid $50,000 to watch every one of the 104 games of the World Cup over 39 days, it is a labor of love. Austin Franklin, 29, and Kevin Akoto, 26, perform their dream task in a temporary fishbowl studio with glass walls on three sides in the heart of Manhattan’s Times Square. Enthusiastic fans crowd around the cube to watch the games on two 85-inch TVs as Franklin and Akoto lounge on sofas inside.
Akoto quit his job and broke up with his partner to take up the “chief World Cup watcher” role, meant to generate excitement around the once-every-four-years event being hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. “The employer took it well, the individual not so well, but that’s okay,” Akoto said on Tuesday. “There’s obviously some games that are duds — that’s gonna happen, obviously, but you have your exciting games as well,” said Akoto, who hails from Florida.
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The pair are paid by Fox, one of the tournament’s broadcasters, which selected them from a field of thousands of fans who submitted video applications. The rectangular studio also has a foosball table, a small table and stools, an astroturf rug, and walls adorned with the colorful scarves of national teams. The high-profile gig has thrown up memorable moments for the pair, including a crowd of hundreds of Brazil fans crowding the plaza in front of their box. One woman threw a shoe at their enclosure. “The Brazil fans were just incredible, happy, good vibes — a good time,” Franklin said. “That’s just a memory I’ll have with me for the rest of my life.”
Akoto, who sported a Portugal cap for the side’s clash against Uzbekistan on Tuesday, had built a “CR7” Cristiano Ronaldo Lego set. “Finally on the board — what a strike!” he exclaimed as the Portuguese forward scored the first of two goals in a 5-0 win. Despite their grueling viewing schedule, the pair insist they are not tired of spending time together. “I’m a pretty negative person,” Akoto said. “It’s nice to have someone positive, someone who’s like a little bit different from you, who can bring that energy,” said Akoto of his new colleague.
Should the hydration breaks, video reviews, or half-time shows lag, the cube has been equipped with distractions including an Ultimate Football Quiz and a deck of Uno cards. Franklin, from Massachusetts, said he was “really excited to have two games on at once,” at the end of the group stage when two matches happen simultaneously. “There is a certain energy around having a World Cup in your country,” he said. “And who knows, we’ll see what the United States can do here.”
© 2024 AFP
