View Full Version : DCU and Bayer Leverkusen Team Up
GrillMaster
24 Jan 2003, 06:09 PM
D.C. United And Bayer Leverkusen Team Up
MLS, Bundesliga Clubs Establish First European-American Partnership
January 24, 2003
http://www.dcunited.com/index.cfm?section=main&cont_id=159953
Interesting development. I guess over the next few months we'll see whether this will be an exclusive arrangement. Hopefully it will bear some fruit.
GM
tmas
24 Jan 2003, 06:13 PM
what do they exactly mean by giving each other devolpmental players?
Th4119
24 Jan 2003, 06:26 PM
Hejduk?
skippy
24 Jan 2003, 06:33 PM
Um, unless I'm mistaken, Hedjuk is no longer under contract to Leverkeusen, he went to a Swiss (?) club on a free transfer and isn't performing all that well there either.
Th4119
24 Jan 2003, 06:37 PM
Originally posted by skippy
Um, unless I'm mistaken, Hedjuk is no longer under contract to Leverkeusen, he went to a Swiss (?) club on a free transfer and isn't performing all that well there either.
That's what I thought, but I thought I read on the boards a little while ago that he was loaned out to the Swiss team.
Could be my mistake, though.
skippy
24 Jan 2003, 06:44 PM
Check out this link:
http://uk.soccerage.com/en/13/g8142.html
Not the most reputable source, but I just did a quick search.
GrillMaster
24 Jan 2003, 06:44 PM
Rumor is that Heydude will sign with MLS today and will find his way onto Columbus' roster. There is still some doubt about whether FIFA will permit him to play since he's already had the most transfers allowed in a year.
Looks like the affiliation will produce some friendlies and off-season training for players. I'm not sure what is meant by the on-line expertise of BL, but the stadium knowledge they have sounds very interesting. Maybe we'll have the best beer in the MLS someday when we're in DC United's SSS?
GM
Jose L. Couso
24 Jan 2003, 06:59 PM
It sounds good to me.
Originally posted by GrillMaster
Maybe we'll have the best beer in the MLS someday when we're in DC United's SSS?
GM
:)
EdTheRed
24 Jan 2003, 07:52 PM
"Bayer is extremely pleased with this cooperation. AEG is considered the most visionary company in sports entertainment and realizes the global dimension of soccer as a first class marketing tool," said Reiner Calmund, CEO of Bayer Soccer. "Bayer is looking forward to this very unique opportunity which will serve both interests, those of D.C. United and Bayer."
Nice to know our owner/operator "realizes the global dimension of soccer as a first class marketing too."
Reminds me of the time the president of the University of Chicago referred to students as "tuition-paying units."
Other than that, I'm pretty excited about the deal. Either it amounts to nothing (seeYankees-ManU), but we at least get a little prestige by association from the occasional press release, or it actually works, and helps out DCU in tangible ways.
DigitalTron
24 Jan 2003, 08:22 PM
Well when they came here for a friendly I do know that they were quite surprised at our skill level. Also, they were impressed with both Santino and Albright who teamed up very well against them. Leverkusen realizes that MLS has talent, and I'll bet that the Klinsman link for AEG helped along this deal quite a bit. Frankly, I'd rather it have been Tottenham, Manchester United or even Leeds United, but I guess this is positive too. After Donovan's experience, I have my reservations about Leverkusen, but hopefully both sides have grown since then.
-Tron
Benedict XVI
24 Jan 2003, 08:43 PM
Bring on the War Profiteers.
revelation
24 Jan 2003, 10:44 PM
Originally posted by DigitalTron
(snip)Frankly, I'd rather it have been Tottenham, Manchester United or even Leeds United, but I guess this is positive too. After Donovan's experience, I have my reservations about Leverkusen, but hopefully both sides have grown since then.
-Tron
Why didn't you just add Lucifer and all of hell's angels with him to that mix?
The only thing more evil than DC United forming a partnership with Sp*rs, Man Utd, and Leeds would be for the four horsemen of the apocalypse to show up at my door saying "you've had your fun, now come with us..."
No, I'm not kidding!
Sachin
25 Jan 2003, 01:18 AM
I hate to point this out, but don't the Scum have some sort of arrangement with a club in Frankfurt?
Sachin
Lowecifer
25 Jan 2003, 02:08 AM
Originally posted by Sachin
I hate to point this out, but don't the Scum have some sort of arrangement with a club in Frankfurt?
Sachin
Please, no.
Not in the place of my birth.
ursula
25 Jan 2003, 10:13 AM
You know the article says that there's a partnership between the Asprins and united but then we read that the Asprins might train in LA.
I didn't know that United trained in the Home Depot center...
Oh Wait! They say "United" in this article but if you take the word "United" out of the article than it makes more sense that they mean AEG and all of Uncle Phil's teams.
Funkfoot
25 Jan 2003, 10:24 AM
Yes that definitely makes more sense. Why would they keep coming over for friendlies against the same team?
lasoccervegas2002
25 Jan 2003, 10:24 AM
Originally posted by GrillMaster
Rumor is that Heydude will sign with MLS today and will find his way onto Columbus' roster. There is still some doubt about whether FIFA will permit him to play since he's already had the most transfers allowed in a year.
Looks like the affiliation will produce some friendlies and off-season training for players. I'm not sure what is meant by the on-line expertise of BL, but the stadium knowledge they have sounds very interesting. Maybe we'll have the best beer in the MLS someday when we're in DC United's SSS?
GM
will he re-grow back his hair ? so, his career will come into full circle.
Winoman
25 Jan 2003, 10:37 AM
Originally posted by ursula
You know the article says that there's a partnership between the Asprins and united but then we read that the Asprins might train in LA.
I didn't know that United trained in the Home Depot center...
Oh Wait! They say "United" in this article but if you take the word "United" out of the article than it makes more sense that they mean AEG and all of Uncle Phil's teams.
I'm with you on this, Skip. I'm surprised that this deal wasn't more closely linked with San Jose, now that they are an AEG team, what with the Landon Donovan connection and all.
I, personally, would have preferred a partnership with Stuttgart, but just as long as it's not an un-holy trinity with Man-U & Bayern Munich, I guess I can live with it! ;)
Winoman
Mattbro
25 Jan 2003, 10:43 AM
Originally posted by GrillMaster
I'm not sure what is meant by the on-line expertise of BL, but the stadium knowledge they have sounds very interesting. Maybe we'll have the best beer in the MLS someday when we're in DC United's SSS?
As a former Bayer Leverkusen season ticketholder, I can assure you the beer in the BayArena is awful: "Bitburger Drive" non-alcoholic beer. Although it was better than the hot water with brown grit in it which they referred to as "Kaffee".
owendylan
25 Jan 2003, 10:10 PM
Originally posted by revelation
Why didn't you just add Lucifer and all of hell's angels with him to that mix?
The only thing more evil than DC United forming a partnership with Sp*rs, Man Utd, and Leeds would be for the four horsemen of the apocalypse to show up at my door saying "you've had your fun, now come with us..."
No, I'm not kidding!
No, Arsenal, Liverpool or god forbid Chelsea, would have been more evil.