There was another FIFA event here in Vancouver today: Canada versus Switzerland. It was supposed to be a tough battle, as Switzerland has apparently been playing very well. While it would have been great for our team to win, you can’t win them all, I suppose. Sure enough, we weren’t able to pull it off. Switzerland won two to one. Still, it was all in good fun, and that’s what got me thinking. A lot of people had clearly prepared to throw a party in case Team Canada won.
You’d think that after a loss, everyone would be in a bad mood, but people kept saying they’re used to it — especially with our hockey teams. The celebration carried on anyway. The restaurants stayed packed, the streets still had a party atmosphere, and it seemed like people had decided that whether the team won or lost, they were going to keep having fun. I found that interesting because many of these businesses have to make purchases and preparations well in advance. If your team loses, it can kill the mood — but apparently not enough to stop the party.
I guess when it comes to sports and entertainment, it’s not the same as something more serious like a wedding getting cancelled. You wouldn’t keep that celebration going. But with a game, it makes sense to continue. At the end of the day, it’s just food and drinks — why let it go to waste?
You can still celebrate in other ways. It’s a smart mentality, because the opposite would be even worse. Imagine not preparing at all, then Canada actually wins — you’d be completely caught off guard. So in these situations, it seems safer to invest in the party and have a Plan B in case your team loses. Being underprepared could actually hurt your reputation more than losing the game itself.