Exhibition Matches do any good??

[Crew Chuck35]

As I sit and watch DC and Toronto get destroyed by Real Madrid and the Galaxy and Sounders struggle against Barca I have to wonder why are they putting themselves through this mess? It has to absolutely destroy the players confidence and ends up bruising the league's image. Is this really worth the pay day that comes with it in the end?
Thank God we arent going subjecting ourselves to it this year.

[fidlerre]

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[CrewDust]

I like money

[pettyfog]

As I sit and watch DC and Toronto get destroyed by Real Madrid and the Galaxy and Sounders struggle against Barca I have to wonder why are they putting themselves through this mess? It has to absolutely destroy the players confidence and ends up bruising the league's image. Is this really worth the pay day that comes with it in the end?
Thank God we arent going subjecting ourselves to it this year.

I highlighted your point, correct?

False assumption. Suppose RM and Barca were playing Cokes League teams with same result?

[CrewPens]

to wear out our competition.

[ZipSix]

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I clicked on the thread title with the intent to post this.

[Crew Chuck35]

I know its a huge money making move, however is all that money worth the embarassment?

[CrewDust]

I know its a huge money making move, however is all that money worth the embarassment?

Yes

[OU9601]

I know its a huge money making move, however is all that money worth the embarassment?


Embarassment to whom? I don't think anybody thought DC was an equal of Madrid. Would a 2-1 scoreline have been nice (which, by the way, was the score of the LA-Barca game the Galaxy struggled through)? Sure. Didn't happen. Is there a pretty good chance Madrid could open league play with a 3-0 or 4-0 win? Just as much.

Here's the deal - they're really good. Like top 5 in the world good. Just like Barca. So our mid-table MLS sides can't beat a world top 5. Not the end of the world.

If you want to be embarrassed, talk to NYRB about Champions League play.

[Pauncho]

The only way I'd be embarassed by this is if I somehow believed that an MLS team ought to be, or was, roughly the equal of one of the elite top-division European teams. They aren't, yet. I hope they are in a generation, or two. MLS has to crawl before they walk and walk before they run. It's no embarassment.

In the meantime, I'm glad that fans of those top European teams get to see them put on an occasional exhibition on this side of the ocean, and that MLS rakes in some cash.

[Crewster]

Remember, MLS is single-entity. Alll teams share equally in all the profits. So the Crew is making money on these exhibitions.

[WTAMUCrew]

If it wasn't in the middle of the season I would be a much bigger proponent of the Crew playing one or two high profile friendlies per year. As that isn't the case I am perfectly happy watching other teams run out and get beat up, because like the guy above me said everybody wins under a single entity.

Although I do imagine that the teams that play get to keep a portion of the revenue. That extra money could come in handy for all sorts of reasons.

[Naastrodamus]

I'm perfectly happy that we didn't play any friendlies this year and it has nothing to do that the Crew would probabably be embarassed playing Barca or Real Madrid.

With the Champions Leage coming up, the Crew don't need to play anymore games than they have to. They can earn some respect by winning a 2nd straight MLS Cup and making it far in the Champions League.

[pettyfog]

As I sit and watch DC and Toronto get destroyed by Real Madrid and the Galaxy and Sounders struggle against Barca I have to wonder why are they putting themselves through this mess? It has to absolutely destroy the players confidence and ends up bruising the league's image. Is this really worth the pay day that comes with it in the end?
Thank God we arent going subjecting ourselves to it this year.

To put a point on what OU said, who is embarrassed?!!!

Dont you watch the MLS player interviews? They dont get embarrassed. Seems to me they LIKE playing against the top talent in the world?

And do you actually WATCH games with an eye to winning, and that's it? How about individual quality of play?
Which do you think embarrassed TFC more.. the PRI game or the one with the big boy?

On that note... recall in the last couple years, Villa and West Ham came in to play us. And they came to PLAY, unlike previous teams.
Both clubs schooled our starters. Well and good. But guess what happened when both teams brought in their 2nd strings. Not so much!

That tells me something.

[kgilbert78]

The only way I'd be embarassed by this is if I somehow believed that an MLS team ought to be, or was, roughly the equal of one of the elite top-division European teams. They aren't, yet. I hope they are in a generation, or two. MLS has to crawl before they walk and walk before they run. It's no embarassment.

In the meantime, I'm glad that fans of those top European teams get to see them put on an occasional exhibition on this side of the ocean, and that MLS rakes in some cash.

And I would rather have them playing MLS sides than each other or, worse, a Mexican team if they are going to come to the US. That way the money stays with MLS.

[Eggy]

The point is that when we go for our World Cup bid we can say

"Hey you greedy FIFA f**ckers. We draw 90k+ for these friendly matches with big name players. Let us host the World Cup in 2018 and we'll make you rich."

And then the greedy FIFA f**ckers decide it's worth a go and they do it.

[CrewBeat]

The point is that when we go for our World Cup bid we can say

"Hey you greedy FIFA f**ckers. We draw 90k+ for these friendly matches with big name players. Let us host the World Cup in 2018 and we'll make you rich."

And then the greedy FIFA f**ckers decide it's worth a go and they do it.
That's really what all these friendlies were about this summer when get down to it. Look at all these giant stadiums we have and oh yeah, we can fill them too.

[kmmc]

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I'm sure I'm missing something but how did TFC make a bunch of money off it's match with Real Madrid? All the other big exhibitions were held in large stadiums while BMO had a reported attendance somewhere around 27000. I also read they paid $250,000 for the temporary grass and $1,000,000 to Real Madrid for an appearance fee. Did TFC get big bucks for the TV rights?

[BG13]

I'm sure I'm missing something but how did TFC make a bunch of money off it's match with Real Madrid? All the other big exhibitions were held in large stadiums while BMO had a reported attendance somewhere around 27000. I also read they paid $250,000 for the temporary grass and $1,000,000 to Real Madrid for an appearance fee. Did TFC get big bucks for the TV rights?

Good point, Ming Mev. I know they (TFC) also charged something like $15 Loonies for people to come in watch the Real Madrid practice session.

[kgilbert78]

I'm sure I'm missing something but how did TFC make a bunch of money off it's match with Real Madrid? All the other big exhibitions were held in large stadiums while BMO had a reported attendance somewhere around 27000. I also read they paid $250,000 for the temporary grass and $1,000,000 to Real Madrid for an appearance fee. Did TFC get big bucks for the TV rights?


Or MLS covered the losses :rolleyes: (it IS single-entity, right?)

Actually I am not sure if MLS shares in the pot from the exhibitions. For example, they didn't get any of the cash from the use of Crew Stadium for the Rascal Flatts concert.