WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : SPOTLIGHT : BRAZIL-USA: HOW HOT IS IT?

This is what has happened in this country. A soccer game is a hotter ticket than a Grateful Dead concert in San Francisco.

That’s what they’re saying about Monday’s second-round game between the United State and Brazil at Stanford Stadium.

“It’s really off the wall. We’re being flooded with phone calls for tickets,” said Jim Brzowski, vice president of Mr. Ticket, which advertises itself as San Francisco’s largest ticket broker.

“We’re so busy that we’re putting other things like tickets to see the Grateful Dead to one side and aren’t concerned about any losses on that,” he said.

David Green of the Best Seat ticket agency in nearby Lafayette went even further.

“It’s the biggest sporting event we’ve ever seen. Bigger than the Super Bowl, bigger than the World Series,” he said.