By Jenna Zucker, Ethan and Plotkin
NEW YORK, July 15 (Reuters) – World Cup fanatics Kevin Akoto and Austin Franklin have lived the dream of any diehard football fan this year: watching every match from the tournament from start to finish – and getting paid for it.
The “Chief World Cup Watchers” for U.S. broadcaster Fox One will add a unique item to their resumes when the final whistle sounds in Sunday’s final between Spain and Argentina, having watched all 104 matches from the quadrennial showpiece.
“My dad cleans up oil spills for a living,” said Franklin, an influencer living in Los Angeles. “I sit here with my friend Kevin and watch all of these matches and get to go outside and interact with fans.”
The pair sit inside a glass-walled viewing cube in Times Square on matchdays, living life in a sort of fish bowl, as passers-by often stop to peek in and even pull up chairs to watch the televisions inside.
Each of the two watchers is paid $50,000 for the tournament.
Throughout the tournament, Akoto and Franklin have posted content across their social media platforms, commentating on games or interacting with followers.
“If we’ve seen anything throughout this World Cup, it’s that people are consuming sports more through social media,” said Akoto, who quit his job as a line cook in Florida to take the role.
“The more behind-the-scenes stuff is how people are consuming sports content.”
Akoto and Franklin said they would both do the job again – even if the World Cup expands to 64 teams from 48, a move which FIFA will discuss after the tournament.
“I don’t think we’re sick of watching soccer yet,” said Franklin. “However many more they want to give us, we’ll watch them.”
(Reporting by Ethan Plotkin and Jenna Zucker; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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