NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk's Waterside District has become the place to watch the World Cup, drawing massive crowds as Team USA advances through the bracket.
The venue — with its big screens, speakers and near-thousand-person capacity — has hosted ever-growing watch parties since the every-four-year tournament returned a few weeks ago.
Nick Taylor, the venue's "party ambassador," said his team is ready for the challenge.
"People were asking us, are you gonna be able to handle this? Our answer was we were built for this," Taylor said.
Taylor's job is to make sure fans have the best possible viewing experience, and he offered a peek behind the DJ booth to show how the team pulls it off.
"Let's say Spain scores a goal and we're gonna hit this Spain button. You're gonna see Spain's colors…and then we'll play this," Taylor said, cueing goal music.
The excitement started with international visitors in town for Sail 250 and has only grown since. Fans from a wide range of nations have packed the venue, with Taylor noting crowds for matches involving Sweden, Colombia and Morocco, among others.
Sunday's crowd for England's win over Mexico was also massive.
The biggest crowds, however, have come to watch the Americans. Team USA has marched to the top 16 in the world and is set for a Monday night match with Belgium.
"This team is different and the fans are starting to realize that," Taylor said.
The surge in interest has been good for business — not only for the Waterside District, but across all Live-branded properties nationwide, including Kansas City's Power and Light District, which is frequently shown during games. The company says 3 million people have collectively watched World Cup matches at its locations so far.
Taylor said the summer has been a standout moment for the venue.
"I've worked here for a long time. I've seen how excellent this staff is and I've seen how great this facility is when it's used properly. This summer has been a great opportunity for us," Taylor said.
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