football

The World Series is over and most of the Bowl games are barely on the horizon, but one thing that is just as important as who is playing is where you are going to be when you watch the game. Forbes Traveler has picked out the best skyboxes in North America. Their slideshow even gives you a sneak peek inside each and every location. Here is the list of the top spots, the price (per season unless otherwise indicated) and their home teams and, if you end up having to change team allegiances to get in to the top boxes, remember that your friends will forgive you as long as you invite them up, too.

• Luxury boxes at The Rogers Centre, Toronto Blue Jays ($32,000 a game)
• The Pool Zone at Chase Field, Arizona Diamondbacks ($5,900 per game, pictured)
• Suites at FedEx Field, Washington Redskins ($75,000 to $200,000)
• Platinum executive suites at Air Canada Centre, Toronto Maple Leafs ($287,000 to $465,000 )
• The Lofts at Cardinals Stadium, Arizona Cardinals ($65,000 to $125,000)
• President's box at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, host of the U.S. Open ($12,000 to $25,000 per session)
• Luxury boxes at Gillette Stadium, New England Patriots ($325,000)
• Suites at Bank of America Stadium, Carolina Panthers ($59,000 to $100,000+)
• Luxury box suites at Busch Stadium, Saint Louis Cardinals ($105,000 to $185,000)

German designers Markus Gogolin and Hedwig Rotter were counting on the German football team to make it to the World Cup finals this year. Unfortunately for them, the team lost to the Italians. There is one final match for the German team tomorrow against Portugal, playing for third place. Considering that the team could still score a trophy, the finale! vases are still rather appropriate. Made from porcelain, they measure 39x25x9-cm and are modeled on a real footballer's lower leg and foot. There are no distinctive German-team markings on the shoe, so any fan could enjoy them and still support his or her favorite team. The foot is not included - and that's probably just as well. Price: €155.

[via Design Spotter]

Nike must be jealous that Adidas got the official sponsorship for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, not to mention that they got to design the official game ball($130), because Nike has released a limited edition soccer ball "to celebrate the spirit of the World Cup." The white leather Futsal balls are decorated with an array of symbols that represent "diversity, behavior and skills shown by players," though Nike does not mention which symbol represents which player or skill. Any guess as to what the gnarled tree represents? Or the unicorn?

Only 64 of these balls will be produced and they will only be sold until the final game on July 9th, assuming that they don't sell out before then. Price: $225.

[Thanks, Dave]

BusinessWeek has compiled a list of the world's richest soccer players, all of whom are playing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup this year. This also helps us see that, though the US may not pay its players as much as the players of other professional sports, soccer is indeed one of the most popular - and best rewarded - sports in the world. Here are the top five highest paid players and their annual incomes:

• Ronaldinho, Brazil - $29.2 million (pictured)
• David Beckham, England - $22.9 million
• Ronaldo, Brazil - $22.1 million
• Wayne Rooney, England - $20.4 million
• Zinédine Zadine, France - $19.1 million

We already saw designer soccer balls from Takashi Murakami and a whistle chair/sculpture for armchair referees, but Paul Smith has a whole line of products that he developed in celebration of the World Cup. First up is his take on a football, made of fake crocodile skin colored with bright hues. Unfortunately, unlike the Murakami balls, it is not intended to be used as more than a novelty and should not even be taken outdoors. This isn't a problem if you want to toss the ball around while watching the game on TV, though. The ball is £169.

If I had to guess, I would say that this soccer ball is aimed at art fans or collectors more than soccer fans. Soccer fans seem to be drawn towards balls that they can play with, or balls that have been signed by their favorite team, rather than a limited edition ball that seems intended for display. That said, despite the bold, floral pattern designed by Takashi Murakami, this ball could be used to play a game in the yard during a World Cup half-time. It is manufactured by one of the leading soccer ball companies, Molten USA, with FIFA approved materials and construction. What really mark it as a work of art, though, are the clear plastic display bag and the $400 price tag.

Football fans that can't make it to Germany for the 2006 FiFA World Cup are going to be spending a lot of time in front of the television in the next few weeks. Since you'll probably be trying to make calls from your living room anyway, why not check out this Whistle Chair from Mixko, which can fulfill your need for a seat as well as your desire to play referee. Built on a 1:18 scale of a real referee's whistle and made of stainless steel, the piece is set on its end as a chair, creating a seat with the body of the whistle, but it can also be turned on its side to act as a sculpture, so you can enjoy it even when the games are over.

[via Sensory Impact]

After having his armored BMW X5 stolen while eating lunch with his sons, David Beckham was offered a free Audi Q7 by Audi, which is the official sponsor of Beckham’s football team, Real Madrid. The car is his for the next year with only one caveat: Beckham has to drive it to training every day.

The Q7 is loaded with every extra that the company offers, making it worth around £70,000. It is a 4.2FSI in phantom black with pearl-effect paintwork and matching black leather interior. It is equipped with a car phone, flat screen television, Bose stereo, satellite navigation and a keyless entry and starting system. The first thing Beckham did with his new car was take it to the track – a challenging, professionally built track near the Real Madrid training grounds, where he tested its maneuverability and 154mph speed under the eyes of professional drivers.

With the 2006 World Cup coming up, teams are making their travel arrangements to stay in Germany for the duration of the 64-game tournament. The German team does not have far to go, but will be staying at the Schlosshotel im Grunewald, a 5-star luxury hotel in Berlin. It is situated in what was formerly the seat of the von Pannwitz family in 1914, essentially a palace that was known for its elegance and extravagance. The hotel offers 42 rooms and 12 suites, all with full amenities that include a wide array of personal technologies, from the standard minimum of three telephones and two lines per guest room to high speed wireless internet access.

The largest room is the Kaiser suite, which is fit for a king at 5-rooms and nearly 2,000 square feet. It is furnished in historic, antique elegance with silk sofas and marble bathrooms. The suite runs about $3,600 per night.