The $30 million World Cup winers receive in prize money pales in comparison to the renown and legacy that accompanies soccer’s most prestigious team honor, but that doesn’t mean others can’t get creative with how they incentivize their teams at Brazil 2014.
Take Dutch company Ruimtevaartbedrijf SXC. If you haven’t heard of them, there are a couple of reasons. Not only is there that name, but the company’s in the still nascent commercial space flight industry, with their service’s first flight not scheduled to lift off until next year.
That hasn’t stopped SXC from soliciting its first passengers: The Dutch national soccer team. If the Oranje bring home the nation’s first world title, SXC is prepared to send all 23 players and head coach Louis van Gaal into space.
From company co-founder Michiel Mol, via reporting by The Independent:“As a company of Dutch origin, we are mega proud of the achievements of Oranje in Brazil. An unearthly performance deserves an unearthly reward!
“We are going to try to take the players literally to a higher level – 103 km!
“[We’ll take] the whole selection of 23 players and of course, Louis van Gaal.”
Van Gaal in a space suit? Yes, please, though given the current state of commercial space travel, best not send all 23 played up at once. Or at all.
Give SXC credit, though. This is a tried-and-true way to get your name out there: Offer something free and slightly outlandish to the winners.
Even if Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie never reach near-Earth orbit, we know what SXC is, now.