It ain't. I found myself with a spare day in London last season and Spurs happened to be playing. No tickets available. Went to White Hart Lane and thought to myself...how hard could it be to get a ticket from a scalper. Answer: Expensive enough that I found myself in the pub across the road and watched the game there.
I’m not saying go without tickets, but I’ve gone plenty of times and its far far cheaper than these u21 squads these clubs are putting out in these tours. Thats my point.
We went to the Spurs/Roma game last night in San Diego. Bought the cheaper seats behind the goal, and watched better soccer than I can normally see around here (which is none really, unless the National Team comes). Going to Barca/Spurs Saturday in Pasadena. Really upset Messi couldn't be bothered to come this year. He and Suarez came last year...
Bothered to come? It’s a pre-season tour! And he played 51 matches last year. He needs a little rest. It’s a money grab.
This always happens every WC year. Not just in the US either. Still boggles my mind people actually complain about it. They aren't machines. Hell some clubs even let some WC players miss the first few games of the season depending on how far in to the tournament they made it.
I've seen Barca v. Man U during this ICC. I think Bc it's a WC year it's tough for the big names to come out. But it's pretty cool seeing the youth squads and those guys work up into the club or transfer. When I saw them it wasn't a WC year. They all played their 45-60 mins. Also, the total trip cost me around $225 that was ticket, train ride, and food & beverages! I think that would still be maybe half my plane ticket to London to see my team play.
A friend called this morning to ask if I could take his spot on a adult mens league game tonight because he pulled a muscle in his back. So I got my first real taste of a MBB game as AR2 on a 3rd division Bosnians vs Irishmen match with a center who preferred to let a lot go. Other than likely making my next JV boys match seem like a walk in the park, I see no reason why sane people voluntarily referee in leagues like this. Best of luck to you guys.
It's a game where the different styles of play and managing different teams is a challenge! How do I get these 22 players to walk away (sometimes less) without pure anarchy? Plus it's better than doing those U14 matches where you pass go and collect your 200 and you check your watch and it only says 2:35 seconds into the 2nd half. As a usual side benefit of doing men's amateur, unless it's a big match or playoff games the sidelines for my amateur league matches hardly ever have spectators. In all fairness tho. I don't prefer MBB leagues. I like doing the 1st division games where the teams that have 9 players beat the 11 player teams. And the teams actually wanna play soccer and not kick the s**+ out of each other for 90 mins.
Amen, frankieboylampard. I've done games with a number of Bosnian teams. You learn how they want to play and how they respond to things you and the other team do. Yeah, the first time they see you, it's not pleasant. But, over time, they have you again every now and then and they come to understand you. IMHE, they will, very emotionally, tell you that wasn't a foul and I just let it go like water off a duck's back. Your complaint has been duly noted. This is a very serious contest for them, no smiling, as one player told me, "Is man's game." I'm not saying that's right or that's wrong. That's just their attitude about how to play men's amateur soccer. So I understand their attitude and we try to mold the game to their expectations as much as possible, but no further.
My biggest MBB challenge has been Bosnian vs Mexican teams. The playing styles of these teams are vastly different between expected / acceptable levels of contact, protection of skill players, playing thru fouls, etc. Trying to be the bridge that makes the match work leaves me exhausted after 90 mins. If I got away with fewer than 4 yellows and no reds, then that's a success in my book, and, I think, the teams.
Looked it up: 1 hr 30 min flight to Toronto- $255 American round trip. 3 nights in hotel- $125 Canadian/night Tickets- $125 Canadian apiece in the fifth row, near midfield, close enough to hear the players and benches talk. So, $500-$600 American. Without digging into whether times work or anything, the cheapest roundtrip to London is $721, on a Thursday night->Friday morning redeye, then returning Sunday night. Hotels look like $180ish American/night for two nights. And tickets are... well. Tough to say. The only game available now is against Fulham at Wembley, and the nosebleeds are 45 pounds/a pop. About $60 each, binoculars not included. Who knows what the cost will be at the new stadium. So, for a three day weekend I can drop $500-$600 on flights, hotel and soccer, and get to spend a few days in a new, fun city (also caught a Blue Jays game). Or I can spend $1500-$2000 on a weekend jaunt to London to spend more time in the air than on the ground, not including the exchange rate kills you for food and stuff and it doesn't in Canada. I realize that no one flies across the Atlantic for a long weekend, but the majority my vacation time and dollars are going to family things, not me seeing a soccer game. And Spurs had (per my recollection) Eriksen, Lamela, Lennon, Davies, Townsend, Friedel, etc. Not a first team, but a smattering of starters. So, again, I stand by my choices.
I didn't want to start a new thread, but in case you didn't get the email from USSF, here's the updated list of cautionable and send off offenses. It answered a few questions that I've had in the past year like "what do you caution the GK for when they offend on a PK?" https://ussoccer.app.box.com/s/ruqcsf0671k1bcf6dzwf/file/263795691858
Kind of a stupid statement. If you don't like it or don't have the disposable income, don't go. Obviously plenty do as they get massive attendance. That's like saying I hate Ferrari and Lamborghini because I can't afford one. Last I checked, all professional sports leagues are money grabs. Who starts or buys a pro team planning on losing money?
Hmmmm.....they’re exhibition games priced ridiculously high. The attendences have been declining for the last few years. Outside of the game at Michigan, the turnout has been WAY off. Bayern v. City drew 29,000. English champ v. German champ. Good try on your expensive car analogy. A better one would be a Lamborghini with a VW engine.
You do know VW Group owns Lamborghini? It's a WC year so many players on vacation. Happens every 4 years.
It happens EVERY year. Please stop making it sound like bringing over barnstorming teams with basically u-23 squads is a great thing.
I think it's time for fall seasons to start so we all have better stories. This, to me, is evident in the obsession about whether or not it makes good sense to see or not see professional soccer clubs that are on tour or in their homes.
I took the state course this weekend with presenters Eddie Robinson, Jair Marrufo, and surprise guest, the whole crew for Houston vs SKC.
Sounds awesome. Hope there were lots of good stories. What state course are you taking? In CT, once we have our USSF grade 8, no more course are needed. And for HS, there is no course - if you can walk fast and show up at 3:00 on Tuesday, you are in!
I believe that course was for referees who wanted to move to Grade 6. Physical Testing was done in the morning and an in-person class was held in the afternoon.
The course was the State 5/6 Maintenance/Upgrade course. All Maintenance/Upgrade are hybrid courses, part online and part in person. Additionally the grade of 7+ doesn't exist and the State 5 requirements now align with US Soccer instead of having a game count requirement of 50 Adult Division 1 and above, it is 50 games 80 minutes or longer.