#BecauseMiami: FIFA FAFO

Summary

Summary of "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" Episode #BecauseMiami: FIFA FAFO

Release Date: August 1, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz," hosts Dan Le Batard and Roy Bellamy delve deep into the multifaceted challenges facing Miami, particularly focusing on the controversial allocation of funds to FIFA amidst a significant budget deficit in Miami-Dade County. The discussion intertwines personal stories, political commentary, and expert insights to paint a comprehensive picture of the current socio-political landscape in South Florida.

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1. Personal Story: Sonia Bichara and Rafael Collado ([12:00] - [26:54])

The episode opens with a poignant interview featuring Sonia Bichara, whose fiancé, Rafael Collado, has been detained in what is ominously referred to as "Alligator Alcatraz." The conversation highlights the emotional and bureaucratic turmoil faced by immigrant families under the current administration.

• Sonia Bichara's Experience:

  • Dan Le Batard (14:23): "I was very scared, very paranoid. I couldn't sleep."
  • Sonia describes how Rafael was handcuffed and detained without clear communication or due process, leaving the family in distress and uncertainty.

• Immigration System Flaws:

  • Roy Bellamy (18:31): "He could be held there indefinitely."
  • Dan elaborates that Rafael has a deportation order but is caught in a jurisdictional limbo, with potential deportation to countries like Mexico or El Salvador, though these nations are unwilling to accept him.

• Community Impact:

  • Dan Le Batard (23:11): "If you don't talk, it's like you're not free."
  • Discussion centers on the fear within the Cuban-American community, many of whom voted for the current administration, now facing potential deportation despite being law-abiding residents.

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2. Miami-Dade County Budget Deficit and FIFA Funding ([27:02] - [37:16])

Dan and Roy shift focus to the pressing financial issues in Miami-Dade County, emphasizing the paradox of allocating $46 million to FIFA amidst a $402 million budget deficit.

• Budget Breakdown:

  • Dan Le Batard (28:00): "Dade County has a $402 million budget deficit this year. They are cutting senior services, meals for underprivileged children, all arts grants, and funding."

• Funding FIFA:

  • Roy Bellamy (29:02): "Sports welfare here. There's always eight-nine figures available for the millionaire and billionaire oligarchs that own our sports teams."
  • Billy Corben (31:27): "None of this $46 million is going towards public transportation."

• Community Services Cuts:

  • Dan emphasizes the severe cuts to essential services like parks, arts, and senior care, juxtaposed with the lavish investment in sports events that benefit a select few.

• Public Reaction and Political Implications:

  • Roy Bellamy (36:46): "If you put garbage in, you're going to get garbage out."
  • Critique of the city's priorities and the administration's handling of public funds, leading to growing frustration among residents.

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3. Theft of Miami Heat Memorabilia from FTX Arena ([04:46] - [06:17])

A lighter yet telling segment recounts the alleged theft of Miami Heat memorabilia from the FTX Arena, highlighting issues of security and corruption.

• Roy Bellamy's Anecdote:

  • Roy Bellamy (04:53): "We are shipping immigrants to Africa. We're shipping immigrants."
  • Discussion suggests an inside job, with possible involvement of law enforcement and the FBI.

• Community Sentiment:

  • Roy (06:17): "It's so butting, it's so embarrassing to represent."
  • Reflection on how such incidents tarnish Miami's reputation and undermine trust in local authorities.

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4. Guest Segment with Billy Corben: FIFA's Impact on Miami ([37:16] - [46:17])

The episode features Billy Corben, known as Danny Navarro on his platform "Travel Football Fan," who provides expert analysis on how FIFA's World Cup plans are exacerbating Miami's existing problems.

• FIFA and Economic Mismanagement:

  • Billy Corben (31:27): "Miami pursued a World Cup if we were going to have a $400 million deficit like that. Absolutely makes no sense to me."
  • Roy Bellamy (32:19): "They are still getting $46 million from Miami Dade taxpayers even while they're cutting $402 million from the budget."

• Operational Challenges:

  • Billy Corben (33:46): "Fans have no idea how to get to Hard Rock Stadium except by Uber or by car."
  • Issues with transportation logistics for international fans, lack of public transportation investment, and inadequate planning leading to chaotic experiences during events.

• Political and Social Commentary:

  • Billy Corben (38:12): "The way that we're treating them is like a gara susia... trying to disappear them in this Alligator Alcatraz concentration camp."
  • Comparison of current immigration policies to historical injustices, emphasizing the detrimental impact on international tourism and local communities.

• Future Implications:

  • Roy Bellamy (43:41): "If people have a Hispanic last name or speak Spanish in public, they're in danger."
  • Discussion on the potential long-term effects on Miami's cultural diversity and economic vitality if current trends continue.

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5. Conclusion and Final Thoughts ([46:17] - End)

The episode wraps up with reflections on the intertwining of sports, politics, and community well-being in Miami.

• Roy Bellamy (45:13): "Everything is politics, but particularly everything is politics in sports and international sports."

• Billy Corben (45:36): "Infantino opened up the New York FIFA office at Trump Tower... that's the evidence. Exhibit A."

• Final Remarks:

  • Roy (46:11): "Congratulations. Yes, it's a rite of passage."
  • Billy Corben agrees to return, emphasizing the ongoing relevance of these issues within the Miami community.

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Key Takeaways

• Priority Misalignment: Miami-Dade County's significant budget deficit is being addressed with substantial funds allocated to FIFA's World Cup, leading to cuts in essential public services.

• Immigration Crisis: Personal stories like Sonia Bichara's highlight systemic flaws and the human cost of stringent immigration policies.

• Community Distrust: Incidents like the theft of Miami Heat memorabilia and the mishandling of immigration cases foster distrust in local authorities.

• Impact on Tourism and Economy: The intersection of political policies and major sports events threatens Miami's reputation as a global city, potentially deterring international tourism and investment.

• Call for Accountability: Hosts and guests advocate for better prioritization of public funds, transparent governance, and humane immigration practices to safeguard Miami's diverse and vibrant community.

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Notable Quotes

• Dan Le Batard ([22:16]): "If there's not a war, he's going to create one outside in the streets."

• Roy Bellamy ([36:04]): "I hope you're right about the security perimeters... it's a total mess."

• Billy Corben ([34:58]): "Fans do not know how to get to Hard Rock Stadium except by Uber or by car."

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Conclusion

This episode of "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" offers a critical examination of Miami's current socio-political challenges, especially concerning financial mismanagement and immigration policies. Through personal narratives and expert insights, the hosts underscore the urgent need for reassessing priorities to ensure the well-being and sustainability of the Miami community.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

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[Billy Corben]

The McDonald's snack wrap is back.

[Roy Bellamy]

You brought it back. Ranch snack wrap. Spicy snack wrap. You broke the Internet for a snack? Snack wrap is back.

[Dan Le Batard]

On WhatsApp, no one can see or hear your personal messages. Whether it's a voice call message or sending a password to WhatsApp, it's all just this. So whether you're sharing the streaming password in the family chat or trading those late night voice messages that could basically become a podcast, your personal messages stay between you, your friends and your family. No one else, not even us. WhatsApp message privately with everyone. The Trump administration has deported eight migrants.

[Mike Ryan]

Men hailing from places like Cuba to.

[Dan Le Batard]

South Sudan without any due process.

[Roy Bellamy]

We hear your cries echo through the night as we continue, continue implementing our mass deportations. We love to violate human rights. Hoping to find some fun new recipes for degradation. Old Donnie's got a lot to say. Trying to distract us from both Epstein and his kango. You still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? If you aren't white, you cannot stay. Sorry, boys. This plane is here for you. We're gonna rip your family away from you. There's nothing that our best men won't stoop too oh to do. We're shipping immigrants to Africa. We're shipping immigrants to Africa. We're shipping immigrants.

[Dan Le Batard]

And we should note, South Sudan is not exactly a safe place to be right now.

[Roy Bellamy]

To quote one of my favorite sports movies of all time, I feel Shame. That is from Slap Shot Hockey. That's a hockey reference. Good job, Roy. Bull Tinder. Absolutely. I feel shame. Go to penalty box. I don't know how the food is in South Sudan, Roy, and I don't know how your TO would feel about it, but I do know the weather is kind of similar, at least to Miami. Actually gets a little cooler at night. It's the rainy season like it is here. It can get up to like 90 degrees, but at night it cools down like into the 70s. No humidity, just sort of, which is sort of lovely. I'm just trying to look at my service. My surveys are half full over here. Coming up on the show, we have a woman whose fiance Disappeared for a while inside alligator Alcatraz, which is kind of scary. We also talk with a soccer Campbell. I'm gonna say this with a soccer influencer. A what? A soccer, football, real football influencer. About the FIFA fiasco that is playing out right here in South Florida, whether it's immigration related or it's sports welfare related. Because Dade county is suffering from a $400 million budget deficit. They're slashing programs left and right. But giving $46 million to FIFA for World Cup. Oh, that's great. Yes. Our priorities are in order to. I can never get those carts, man. You need to be on that page, man. Sports. Sorry. Sorry, dude. But first, Roy would like to apologize. I'm sorry. To everyone for stealing that Miami Heat memorabilia from the FTX arena across the street from the studio. Free. How much did you make off that shit? Right?

[Billy Corben]

About.

[Roy Bellamy]

About $0. I love that story. It is such a hashtag.

[Dan Le Batard]

Because Miami.

[Roy Bellamy]

Miami story. And I love that it broke right here from this room. Is it going to this very room? It's so amazing. And the fact that they're. You know, obviously, it's got to be an inside job. And there might be some law enforcement involved in this alleged conspiracy. And of course, the FBI is investigating it and probably by now, since they jacked that shit right from the storage room at. What's it called now? FTX Arena. What is it? Cassia Center? Sure. And. Sure what? Whatever. I don't know what that is. What is pro player? I don't know. Sports manufacturing. Like, sports jackets and whatnot. Okay, and what was the other. There was another weird company that it was. Right. Sun Life. Yeah. What the hell is Sun Life? It's a bank. It's a bank. Canadian bank, actually. It was. You know. Well, we got deported, I'm guessing.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Roy Bellamy]

So they must know everything about this. Whatever happened over there. They must know everything. They know exactly who it was, you know, exactly who was involved. And I love that. It was just, like, so bumbling, too. That was just like. You know what? We're gonna get caught because we're just gonna sell all of that. We're gonna steal it right out of the door and then, like, turn around and sell it immediately. It's so good. EBay. It's so embarrassing. And it's so Miami. We could use some laughs right now. There's a joke. I don't wanna spoil it. There's a joke towards the end of the new Naked Gun movie. That's one of my favorite jokes in.

[Billy Corben]

I saw it already.

[Roy Bellamy]

I Saw it on Monday.

[Billy Corben]

Lucky bastard.

[Roy Bellamy]

It was like, it's like they fed all the Police Squad scripts and all the Naked Gun scripts into chat GPT and said, give us a reboot. In that way it's kind of perfect. Like, it's not like a great movie, but it's hilarious. And I can't remember the last time I sat in a movie theater and watched a comedy like that. They're going to make a sequel. I hope so, because Liam Neeson is so. I mean, Liam Neeson doing the Leslie Nielsen deadpan, like you saw him on like Life is Short. Yeah. And in Ted too, like Liam Neeson doing deadpan comedy. I could watch that for him. Saying that I have AIDS is funny. I'd like to Warwick Davis. I'd like to work on my improvisational comedy. I would. I have a particular set of skills. I'm always making lists. It's why Steven Spielberg cast me in Schindler. I mean, so good. Cast me in Schindler's List. In Oscar Schindler, there's a sports arena in the third act of Naked Gun. This doesn't spoil anything. And the name of the arena still has me giggling like so it's not crypto days later. It's very much inspired by that and FTX Arena. So it is kind of a tip of the yarmulke to Miami. Before we have our first guest in studio, I want to update you on a story from last week. You'll remember Roy Emilio Gonzalez was on the program. Yeah. The former city manager of Miami turned mayoral candidate who got booted off the ballot along with everybody else running for mayor and city commissioner in November because the city of Miami Commission unilaterally, 3 to 2, the mayor, Francis Suarez signed off on it. They were going to cancel the friggin election. Only in the banana republic, baby. Only in Miami. Well, you recall last week Emilio Gonzalez told us that lower court found that to be unconstitutional. And then the city of Miami was wasting everybody's time and money and enfranchisement to appeal that ruling. And six days later, just yesterday, that appeals court decided. The third District Court of Appeal in South Florida said, we affirm the lower court decision. Big time win. And indeed, what the city commission tried to pull by canceling this election without bringing it to a referendum, without allowing the voters to decide whether or not to move elections from odd years to even years, that was unconstitutional. And so as Emilio Gonzalez promised, there will be an election so far. Now the city has to decide whether or not they will appeal to The Florida Supreme Court. Oh boy. So this is gonna go way past midterms, isn't it? I don't think so. It's gotta. If it's gonna be heard, it's gonna be heard on an expedited basis. Cuz right now elections. Yeah, yeah. I mean, cuz it's either gonna happen or it's not gonna happen in November. So the courts have gotta make a decision. And I think it's clear which way the wind is blowing on this case. I mean, the city is 0 and 2 so far on this, by the way the city is. They're worse than 0 and 2. That's just on this case. Only city attorneys, only lawyers working for the city of Miami. What would you compare them to? Meteorologists? Like the jobs. You can be that consistently wrong and still get paid and have a job. I mean, they're the worst over there. They're independent counsel. When they get outside counsel, they're the worst because they're just there playing with the house's money and churning the file and ringing up attorney's fees on the taxpayer dime. And there was one case against the city where the judge was like, none of the city of Miami's arguments make any sense. Like it's literally in the court order. But they don't care. They gleefully at the city of Miami, violate the oath of office, violate the state constitution, the charter of the city of Miami, which is effectively the city constitution and the constitution of the United States all the time. Intentionally and gleefully using the COVID of their mob lawyer. City attorney. Used to be tricky Vicky Mendez, now it's George Weissong. Their attitude about it is you sue me. And of course most people don't have the wherewithal or the means or the finances to fight City hall. And so they almost always win. But now that more people have been challenging the city, we've been discovering the emperor has no clothes. And that is really the story of Miami. The emperor has no clothes. And as the appeals court said in this Emilio Gonzalez versus the city of Miami case, this defies logic. That to me is an evergreen comment that you can make about the city of Miami. It simply defies logic.

[Mike Ryan]

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[Roy Bellamy]

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[Dan Le Batard]

It was. He never called me again. That was on Wednesday, on Tuesday, when we had the press conference. And I never heard from him again until Friday evening. He told me that they had taken him to a room. He thought it was like, maybe a couple hours, but it must have been days because they don't have a way to finding out what time is it or what day or nothing like that. And he told me that they had him handcuffed, his legs and his hands. Then they got him out of there, and that's when he called me on Friday evening.

[Roy Bellamy]

Had you heard from him daily up until then?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes, I did. I would hear from him three times a day, so I knew he was okay.

[Roy Bellamy]

Were you scared?

[Dan Le Batard]

I was very scared, very paranoid. I couldn't sleep. I just. He's a big man, and I pictured him like, fighting now with one or two men. With a couple of them, three or four would jump on him because he's a big man. He is.

[Roy Bellamy]

What happened that he is in there? I understand he did some time a while back. How long has he been out of prison?

[Dan Le Batard]

10 years. He got in some trouble, which I don't want to get into it, but he did get some trouble. He spent some time in prison, but he did his time. He came out for good behavior. And it's been nine, 10 years, he hasn't gotten to. He doesn't even have a ticket, a driving ticket. And he was working. He was doing everything by the book.

[Roy Bellamy]

And does he have to check in with Immigration? How does that work?

[Dan Le Batard]

He would have to check in every year. I used to go with him all the time. So it just happened to be that on Monday the 7th, July 7th, I went with him. We went in at 7 in the morning, and about 12:30, we were in the Miramar place. And I went in there and I asked him, I said, you know, my fiance went in there for. It's been like three, four hours. And they told me to get back into my car. I got a little nippy, and I told him, well, can you please tell me, you know, what happened to my family member? And they said, he'll call you. But then I turned around because there was a glass window. And I saw him when they were handcuffing him and picking up his shirt and checking his body.

[Roy Bellamy]

And that was the last time you saw him in person?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes.

[Roy Bellamy]

So have you not been able to visit him inside Alligator Alcatraz?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, they don't let anybody go in there. You can't visit them. You can't go into. As a matter of fact, you can only go into the main street and that's it.

[Roy Bellamy]

Right outside.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, the outside. You are not allowed to. To go in there for nothing.

[Roy Bellamy]

Well, it sounds like they deliberately tried.

[Billy Corben]

To hide the fact that they were.

[Roy Bellamy]

Trying to detain him from you. Is that true?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes, I believe so. And I believe that they knew what was going on. And at the time, they didn't. Didn't want to tell me anything. As a matter of fact, they were like, really rough and nasty. They told me not in such a nice way to go to my car. I was going to get arrested.

[Roy Bellamy]

You were gonna get arrested?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes.

[Roy Bellamy]

For what?

[Dan Le Batard]

For getting out of my car and going and ask them, because I wasn't allowed to get out of the car.

[Roy Bellamy]

For asking them where your fiance was, who you take every year for this meeting. And usually he, I imagine. How long does it usually take? He gets. Comes back.

[Dan Le Batard]

Usually he will go in there, give him his paper, and they would tell him, okay, come back in a couple of hours. But that day didn't let him out anymore.

[Roy Bellamy]

Let me ask you. There seems to be some confusion in terms of jurisdiction. Alligator Alcatraz feels like a bit of a purgatory. It's like a no man's land. No one's sure. There was just a finding that the chrome immigration court has no jurisdiction. Lawyers aren't even sure who to petition or where to file or where to appeal or what the hell's going on. What is Rafael's status? Like he's been there, but are they trying to deport him? Is he just. What is happening?

[Dan Le Batard]

Really? Nothing? Because no immigration officer has been in there and said anything to them until a couple of days ago, I think Friday. When he called me, he couldn't tell me what really they said because he wasn't there. You know, he was in the holding cell. And what he told me was that they said that they would only hold the Cubans for 90 days and then they would let them out. But you would have to start counting from another facility, not from this facility. Like the three months, the 90 days, it wouldn't be count from this facility.

[Roy Bellamy]

So it is a purgatory. It is like. Just like. It's like it doesn't count.

[Dan Le Batard]

It doesn't count.

[Roy Bellamy]

But he could be held there indefinitely.

[Dan Le Batard]

Or he can be held in there as long as they want to.

[Roy Bellamy]

And effectively he has no Status. It's not like he's waiting to go before a judge or he's waiting to go to another. You just don't know?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, we don't know. I don't know nothing. He doesn't know anything. Nobody can tell him if he's going to get deported because his paper says revise. Other people's papers say that they're going to be deported.

[Roy Bellamy]

His papers say what?

[Dan Le Batard]

His paper? The paper, the immigration revised. Like they were going to revise his status, but they haven't done anything.

[Roy Bellamy]

So at the moment there is no. That you're aware of deportation order for him?

[Dan Le Batard]

He does have a deportation order, but not right now.

[Roy Bellamy]

Okay, and so where would they want to send him? Or try to send him to Cuba?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, because when he got out of prison, they send the paperwork over to Cuba and Cuba doesn't want him. So Cuba denied him. So that's why they had to let him out. And they either wanted to send him to Mexico or Salvador, but nothing ever came of that.

[Roy Bellamy]

Or are they going to try to now?

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, the sabad Mexican president said that she didn't want anybody over there except her people.

[Roy Bellamy]

Mexicans.

[Dan Le Batard]

Mexicans and Salvador. He says he's not going to sign there because they're not going to let him out. They're going to put him in the prison. It's going to be worse.

[Roy Bellamy]

So there's a lot of people in the Cuban community in South Florida, a community that voted for this president and this administration by nearly 80% majority. And there's a lot of people that I understand it and you can tell me, I'm on the outside looking in. You're on the inside that are very, very scared. You know, I made documentaries about a lot of criminals in my life. People who came to this country, young immigrants, they made some bad decisions, made some mistakes, particularly in Miami. In a certain time, in a certain era, young immigrants and a lot of other Americans too, got involved in the drug trade, got involved in things that seemed like the American dream or a great opportunity to make money. They got in trouble. They did their time. The criminal justice system may be flawed, but we said this is what you gotta do. This is the punishment. You go away for this long. And then they came out. They became law abiding members of society and taxpayers. And if this is the standard now, a lot of our friends and neighbors in Miami are in danger.

[Dan Le Batard]

They are, they are. I think everybody here is in danger with this president, not just the killings, everybody, because he's going to turn people against Each other, of which he has already turn people against each other. If there's not a war, he's going to create one outside in the streets. And that's what happened to Rafael. He came here when he was 18, in the 1980s. So he made a mistake. I mean, he definitely made a mistake, and I'm not trying to hide that from anybody, but he paid for that mistake. He really paid for the mistake half of his life. So why should he be paying for it again right now? Because to me, it seems like he's paying again for what he did years ago. And since he came out, he was a good citizen, working never, like I'm telling you, never got a speeding ticket.

[Roy Bellamy]

Our people in this community, in the Cuban American community, in particular in the exile community in Miami, afraid because not a lot of people are talking about it, because a lot of people supported this policy. I mean, effectively voting to deport themselves. So what is the sentiment like? Are people quietly talking to each other about their fear?

[Dan Le Batard]

I think people are just talking among each other and saying that they're going to do this and they're going to do that, and they don't do nothing. I'm not scared. If I'm going to die, I'm going to die. If I'm gonna live, I'm gonna live. But I want to give. You know, that's why my parents brought me here to the United States, so I can have freedom of speech and I could be free. And if you don't talk, it's like you're not free. You know, you're. Your hands are tied. You have something over your mouth or nothing like that. And I'm not going to keep my mouth shut. I'm gonna talk and say whatever I need to say.

[Roy Bellamy]

How long have you been here?

[Dan Le Batard]

62 years.

[Roy Bellamy]

You've been here for 62 years? You're an American?

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't know nothing about Cuba. I've never been to Cuba. I grew up in Hialeah. Then I moved to Savannah, Georgia, in the little hick town, and that's it. I don't know nothing. I don't know. I hear things from Cuba. I don't have any families over there. All my family's here. And I hear things from Cuba. From what I hear on the. The news or, or, or the TV or.

[Roy Bellamy]

Are you an American citizen? Do you. Do you vote? Do you mind if I ask who you voted for for president last November?

[Dan Le Batard]

Trump.

[Roy Bellamy]

How do you feel about that now?

[Dan Le Batard]

I feel that he promised us a lot of things that he didn't come through with it, which I'm all great for who. If you made a mistake and you know, you're, you're a child molester or whatever, you know, you pay, you know, you gotta go, you know, if you don't have papers, you gotta go. But this is a country for second chances. And as long as you prove to the world and to yourself that you're doing good, why should you? You know how much honestly, I'm ashamed.

[Roy Bellamy]

Of him, but did you not see this coming? He was, he. If there was something he was honest about and forthcoming about.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, right.

[Roy Bellamy]

Did you not think Raphael would be in danger?

[Dan Le Batard]

Not really. Because he really started talking about illegals that were committing crimes. So in my eyes, you know, he wasn't illegal because he was. He had, he had. I mean, he came to the United States in a good way. So to me, in my mind, in my heart, he wasn't my mistake.

[Roy Bellamy]

Well, at least you admit it, you know, that it was a mistake. Cuz clearly this is what you voted for. Cuz this is what he said he would do. And this is what is, is happening. And that makes me no less sorry that it's happening to you or to anybody else that it's happening to, regardless of who they voted for. But how do other people in the community feel? Other people in the Cuban American community who voted for this, are they. Do they say what you say? Do they say I made a mistake? Because that takes a lot to say that.

[Dan Le Batard]

There's some of them, they do. I live in a 56 and over apartment building and there's a lot of people there. And they all voted for Trump because they did. Some of them are still with Trump, some of them are not, but only a few. And they keep coming up to me and telling me, okay, yeah, you know, I made a mistake. I never thought he would do this and this and that, but it's too late already, you know, and plus, they're scared because they're old, they're older than me. They're in their 70s, 60s, you know, 80s, they're older. They're scared that they might be deported even though that they're citizens.

[Roy Bellamy]

How do you think? You said your parents brought you here for the freedom of the United States. How does this compare to what you understand of Cuba and what your parents fled in Cuba? And what do some of your, your friends and, you know, in the building say? Is this reminiscent? Does this remind them of Cuba?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes, it does. It does remind them of Cuba. And they said that this is going to turn out to be a Cuban that he's like a Fidel costume. Trump is like a Fidel costume.

[Roy Bellamy]

Sonia Bichata, good luck to you and good luck to your fiance, Rafael.

[Dan Le Batard]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate you. Every one of you. This budget year brings extraordinary challenges.

[Roy Bellamy]

Miami Dade County's mayor is looking for hundreds of millions of dollars in savings as her team crafts the budget for next fiscal year. Daniela Levine Cava unveiled her proposed budget today. The general fund. The cost of OPER operating The county is $3.4 billion. There's an approximate 400 million dollar deficit. The county funds things like the sheriff's office, the county fire department, transportation, parks and other core services while dealing with the deficit. Commissioners voted in favor of giving FIFA millions of dollars to bring World cup matches to Hard Rock Stadium. For clarity. The county of Dade has a $402 million budget deficit this year. They are cutting senior services meals for underprivileged children. They are cutting all arts grants and funding, which incidentally generate billions of dollars into the economy of this community in this state every year. They are talking about charging to go to public parks like Tropical park, so reducing services for those in our community who need the most and increasing fees and prices. Of course everybody's taxes will go up. They keep saying, like, oh, but the millage rate is staying the same. It doesn't matter when property values go up. Even if the percentage stays the same, you're still paying, you're paying more because that same percentage is now a higher dollar amount. It's amazing how math just eludes people, Roy. They could just pull the wool over everybody's eyes by saying, but no, we're not raising taxes. Yes, your taxes will be higher and you will pay more, but we're not raising your taxes. So reelect us. Semantics. You know that in this town, we don't recycle our trash. We reelect it. If you put garbage in, you're going.

[Billy Corben]

To get garbage out.

[Roy Bellamy]

Let's start with the sports welfare aspect of this because it gets so much worse here. FIFA is still getting $46 million from Miami Dade taxpayers even while they're cutting $402 million from the budget, raising taxes, cutting services, and giving FIFA $46 million. Now, mind you, this wasn't an incentive for FIFA to come here. They had already announced that the World cup was going to be held here. So it wasn't much of a quid pro broke. It was like FIFA already announced. And then they're like, yo, we want money. And Dade County's like, absolutely. Because they never say no to sports welfare here. Whenever they tell us, there's no money for this, there's no money for that, there's no money for parks, there's no money for arts, there's no money for seniors, there's no money for kids, there's no money for schools. There's always eight nine figures available for the millionaire and billionaire oligarchs that own our sports teams and overdevelop our community. Danny Navarro at Travel, football fan on the socials, a Miami native, is that right?

[Billy Corben]

That is correct. I was. I was raised in Miami, lived in West Kendall, graduated from Felix Barrella. So if anyone recognizes me or went to that school, Dolly.

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, that's definitely Miami. Well, West Kendall, as. Or as a rod, calls it the ghetto.

[Billy Corben]

And, well, further right, further, closer to the swamp than to the beach, as I told my wife.

[Roy Bellamy]

Speaking of which, you've. And you've been. But you've been deported self. Deported from Miami.

[Billy Corben]

Yes, basically. All right, I live. I live now in Northern Virginia now. I've been here for over 10 years now.

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, good to get out.

[Billy Corben]

But basically.

[Roy Bellamy]

But you cover all things football, correct?

[Billy Corben]

Specifically with the World Cup, I've been, you know, tracking the event for the last, what now? Three years. Really trying to help fans save money and find ways to travel this continental World Cup. You know, we went from Qatar, being in terms of geography at Disney World World cup, you know, fans can go to three, four games all in one day to this ginormous thing where we have three countries, 16 cities, 48 teams, 104 games. Gluttony perhaps, but that's where we're at right now.

[Roy Bellamy]

A man that does not have a problem with math. So let's do this math here. $46 million for FIFA. Now, originally you had your hot take was that's not a lot of money compared to what other governments have invested in these.

[Billy Corben]

Correct. I mean, if you look at what other cities are dealing with right now in terms of their budgets, they're dealing with like, like 400, 500 millions of dollars to improve their stadiums, improve their transportation systems, try to get hotel rooms up because, like, places like Vancouver, they don't have enough hotels. Funny enough, one of their plans is to bring cruise ships to alleviate the room discrepancy. So for all the complaining that we did towards Qatar on those fronts. Right. Not the human rights part, that's totally legitimate arguments to make. But like on things like the cruise ships. Oh, my God, you know, how funny that they're doing that, that we're going to have to end up doing the same. And so when we look at Miami, why did Miami pursue a World cup if we were going to have a $400 million deficit like that? Absolutely makes no sense to me. And the other further point to that is none of this $46 million is going towards public transportation.

[Roy Bellamy]

Right. It really doesn't affect the fan experience in any way. A lot of it's going to pay off duty police officers and at least half of it, I think is, yes, is going towards 25 million. Right. Overtime pay. And by, by the way, here's the thing about this. If you've been going to Joe Robbie Stadium for as long as I've been going to Joe Robbie Stadium, which is probably from the very first event or game that was ever held there, 30 some odd year, 35 years ago. How long, how long has it been? 87. If it been like 19 names ago of the stadium, I would.

[Billy Corben]

It will have the 20th name, by the way, Billy, it will be Stadium Miami because of FIFA's branding.

[Roy Bellamy]

Regular stadium Miami.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, Miami or Miami Stadium.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah, sure, why not?

[Billy Corben]

20Th name.

[Roy Bellamy]

Where's FTX when you need them?

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, right, exactly.

[Roy Bellamy]

But I will tell you this. They have off duties from like virtually every police department in Dade and Broward county that gets paid to be there. None of them know what the hell they're doing. They're all giving you contradictory. There's no traffic pattern or plan. One group of cops on one corner will point one way, the next guys will point another. It's a total free for all and it's a total mess. And I will tell you, a buddy of mine just said that he came into town, he was just here for the F1, I guess they have like a practice day. And he stayed in qualifying in south beach and it took him, he said, almost two hours to get from his hotel in south beach to the stadium and then over four hours to get back from the stadium to south beach. And that wasn't even for the race.

[Billy Corben]

And so that's what I tell my followers, exactly that information because they can trust it because I'm from Miami, like they should be listening to me. And the other thing that I wanted to mention, Billy, is that during the Club World Cup I had scores of. Of my followers send me video and messages complaining how they had to walk almost 45 minutes to an hour from one end of the same. They were probably like on the, on the east facing end of the stadium towards the Florida Turnpike, walk around to Lot 40, which was this, basically a grass field next to a canal. No signage, no, no one helping to help people with limited mobility, young kids to get to that place where they had to go get the Ubers. And so they were basically paying the. The folks going around in the golf carts hundred dollars. Yeah, all you know, those folks to get them over to that lot. And there's no signage, you know, like in good. Thankfully there was no alligator there on the canal either, you know, to try to mess with people around. So. So it's just all this money that is being given again, 25 million towards government services. Right. The cops and stuff. The other 21 million is labeled as cash support. So we don't know exactly what no support is.

[Roy Bellamy]

They just go to FIFA office and Coral Gables with suitcases of cash, pillowcases full of cash. That's it.

[Billy Corben]

I mean, just as eloquently demonstrated in what is it in Scarface and one and countless other videos and movies of Miami. But the point is, is that none of this money is going towards public transportation. Fans do not know how to get to Hard Rock Stadium except by Uber or by car. And if FIFA implements these perimeters of security, which is really necessary considering unfortunately how things went down during the 2024 Copa Medical Final, then where are fans gonna park and how are fans gonna get there? It is going to be a nightmare. Cities like Kansas City have already said they actually they've already bought like I believe 200, 300 buses to transfer fans from downtown KC to Arrowhead. Miami has not announced any of those plans. And if anything, you know, I mean, of course they're not going to announce anything. They're at $400 million shortfall and 46 is going towards non public transportation services for fans.

[Roy Bellamy]

And no one knows who lives here knows how to get to or from that venue efficiently.

[Billy Corben]

I'm trying to tell people how. But yes, like you said, it's almost impossible.

[Roy Bellamy]

And I hope you're right about the security perimeters. I mean they don't them hockey riots. I mean in hockey all the fighting is on the. On the. We keep it on the ice guys for the most part. But like they call them soccer riots for a reason. And as you said, Copa America, man did we that one up. And you've been covering a lot of really interesting shit. Obviously there's now one county commissioner who voted for the FIFA subsidies who's now saying, oh, it's a moral imperative that we revoke them and funnel that money towards our people in need in Dade county that yachts is the same guy who voted for it, knowing or should have known that there was a clue. Cliff, coming up with this budget, these guys.

[Billy Corben]

There's a reason why there's cities like Phoenix, like Vegas, like Chicago that did not want to go through this bidding process with FIFA to host these games. A lot of people from Chicago always comes in the comments telling me, like, hey, man, how come my city, they make it? I kind of point to Miami and can't afford it.

[Roy Bellamy]

You can't afford it.

[Billy Corben]

I hate to do that because I'm from Miami. I want Miami to be a showcase for soccer for, you know, a global city. I'm very proud of where I come from, but it's, it's things like this. It really makes it embarrassing to represent.

[Roy Bellamy]

The three or five FIFA fafo, bro.

[Billy Corben]

Let me.

[Roy Bellamy]

Let's take a look at some of these other stories you've been covering, because this is Florida problems, man. So first and foremost, we've got. I mean, the headline around the world is Trump policies could wreck World cup and Olympics. So we're inviting people from all over the world to participate, both as spectators and as athletes. And. And you've got the Mexican consul in Orlando warning people to take extreme precautions or not come to Florida because they will detain you for anything down here. Alligator Alcatraz, not good for international tourism here in Florida. You've got the story you covered, which is Trump may ban visas for Brazilians for the 2026 World Cup. Wasn't there, like, a. A group of school kids that couldn't.

[Billy Corben]

Get visas, The Venezuelan Little League baseball team couldn't get visas in. And so I guess we're trying to rig it for the US to win not only the Little League World Series, but this is clearly the way that we're going to have USA in the World Cup Final. I mean, this is a, you know, I know a lot of folks want to, you know, compare the times that we're in in the United States right now to, you know, 1930s Germany, and rightfully so. There's many comparisons, but I have offered another one to a lot of my followers. 1978, Argentina. You know, like, they also had the World cup in 78, and they were launching the Gerasucci against their own people. And in many ways, the way that we are treating immigrants and international tourists to the United States is like a gara susia in the way that we're trying to disappear them in this Alligator Alcatraz concentration camp. And the way that we're treating them Just as they're coming in, right? Countless stories, right? It was a Welsh person that tried to come to the Pacific Northwest, got detained for two weeks, another Canadian resident, Germans. Everybody is getting this draconian treatment from this administration. And so I did want to like highlight how even though we're still having these shortfalls in the budget, even though we're having all these issues, these same politicians are saying that we're going to have a $1.5 billion economic impact on the positive side because of these games. And what I'm beginning to tell my followers is maybe, maybe the fans do come, maybe we brave it. And I'll talk specifically more about Mexico in a second because it actually is very important. But there's this almost kind of like football determinism, right? That just because it's a World cup, the people will come, the money will be spent, like we will have this. All I'm saying is, are we sure? Because all of these policies are already having effects to American tourism. American tourism is down bad. The U.S. travel association is already saying these measures like the visa integrity fee, $250 for anyone that wants to come to the US you have to pay this visa integrity fee, which is just coded in racist and anti immigrant nonsense. You know, like of course fans are not going to want to pay all these fees upfront and then maybe a, not even get their visa approved. But then two, you're already starting a trip with this assumption that you are a bad person who wants to come to a place like that.

[Roy Bellamy]

I should ask you that you inter interact with football fans, football fans from all over the world every single day. I mean, do they want to come to Miami for the Potter Susia get us here that we're going to be having down here? I mean, what is the sentiment?

[Billy Corben]

It. Yeah, yeah. So the thing is this, fans still want to follow their teams, right? Jose Colombiano. If Colombia is playing in Miami, my ass will be down there in two seconds, right? It's, it's, it's without it because I want to cheer for Colombia. This is not me supporting the US World Cup. It's me cheering for Colombia. And I think a lot of fans have that similar sentiment for the Mexico. The, the consulate gentleman that said, you know this warning about don't even travel to Florida. It's almost impossible in the sense that if Mexico has a great run in the World cup, if they finish first in their group, they win their two games in the knockout stage in Azteca, their quarterfinal match will be in Miami. So we are going to have Mexicanos both that live in the US and from Mexico flying to Miami because that is one of the best travel traveled supporters groups in World Cups. The Mexicans come through, their team could be trash, but they will come through and bring the party pedal.

[Roy Bellamy]

Danny, two things. First of all, this is next year it's going to get a lot worse here before it gets better. Yeah, we've had a Mexican DACA recipient, a dreamer that got thrown into alligator Alcatraz. So this idea that it's for the worst of the worst and it's only people with deportation orders, that is an outright lie. You hear the stories, the horror stories from journalists and just tourists who are coming to the United States. You could argue being tortured by border agents at international airports. They're being pulled out for secondary security. They have to give up their electronic devices and allow them to sort through them, give them passwords, let them download their data and shit. And some of them are getting put directly from. You could have flown in first class, wind up in customs, wind up in secondary screening, wind up in jail, okay, for days and then turned around and sent back home just for making the mistake of coming to vacation in Florida. I mean, like, are people going to really risk that?

[Billy Corben]

So far a lot of people will. And that, and that's, you know, again, a bit of that football determinism from the fan side, football delusion. I mean, look, I'll be honest, it is. And sometimes when I do talk to people and it does get into this sorts of arguments of like, you know, look, I, all I'm trying to do is if you're going to come to the US Portion of the World cup, and I think this is a very good reminder, there's Mexico, there's Canada, go support those efforts in those two countries then. Right. For one. But then if you're going to come to the United States, I'm going to tell you the real damn truth. You know, if you might be mad because you support Trump or because you support right wing governments in Latin America, that's not really my concern. And oh well, so sad. I'm telling you the truth of what is happening and understand all of the precautions that you're going to have to take as fans coming to the United States and visiting the United States. And even for us within the United States, we also have to take the same very damn precautions.

[Roy Bellamy]

Of course.

[Billy Corben]

Right.

[Roy Bellamy]

Especially if you're, if you have a Hispanic last name or if you're going to speak Spanish in public like you're, you're in Danger.

[Billy Corben]

And I think a lot of people don't, don't, don't really understand the politics within Miami. And maybe they do now, or maybe because I'm in this, in this position to be able to speak about politics, because I've worked in politics. That's been my career, working in democracy issues here in the United States. Being from the community itself, I can speak with a level of respect and knowledge that not a lot of people in the soccer content, creating space can. And so the fact is, I'm just trying to tell people, hey, this is what's happening. You might think it's fake news or you might not think it might not happen to you, but if it does happen to you, I will still try to advocate for you to a point.

[Roy Bellamy]

Like I told you, or at least you could say, I told you so. And it proves two sort of adages of mine, you know, one of which is, of course, fan is not synonymous with logic and reason. It is short for fanatic. And so I understand the passion and I appreciate it. I just say when. I swear. The other thing I want to say is, I've heard you say this is that, you know, people say, billy, why are you so political? I'm like, I've always been political. My documentaries have always been political because in many ways, everything is politics. But what is particularly everything is politics is sports and international sports in particular, because everything's coming into play. And I, I think you said it best on one of your posts at Travel Football Fan. You said, I'm not the one bringing politics into this. When you see news stories about, you know, certain countries being banned, it's like, it's not me who's politicizing this. I'm just talking about and reacting to what's happening.

[Billy Corben]

Exactly. Infantino opened up the New York FIFA office at Trump Tower. Like, don't, don't come to me, tell me I'm the one minute he literally moved in to Trump Tower. So. Well, it's just that is. That is the, the evidence. Exhibit A. And if you still refuse to accept that that is the reality of the world of sports today. I mean, that's. That's on you. That's no longer on me.

[Roy Bellamy]

Danny Navarro at Travel Football Fan on everything on IG on the TikTok Machine. Thank you so much for being here. I know this wasn't the show you were hoping to be invited on when Meadowlark came a calling, but, I mean.

[Billy Corben]

Look, I'll take it. You know, I'm from Miami, you know, as, As a native leader listening to this show for decades now. I mean, I feel like I achieved a lot a life moment here. I was on the Dan Levitar show. But yeah, maybe because Miami might have been, I guess we're talking about politics and soccer still.

[Roy Bellamy]

Congratulations. Yes, it's a rite of passage. It's like a quinceanera or a bar mitzvah. Danny Navarro, thanks so much for being here. Please come back.

[Billy Corben]

Thank you. I will. Absolutely.

[Roy Bellamy]

Cocaine's.

[Mike Ryan]

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