In case you care about the tournament, the Pan-Pacific Championship will be broadcast on ESPN Classic. It's not exactly a prime channel, but it's something.
Incidentally, I heard an explanation last week about the participating teams. Supposedly it was to be the US champs (Houston), the Japanese champs (Gamba Osaka), an Australian team (Sydney FC) and the SuperLiga champs (Pachuca). But since Pachuca supposedly declined to participate, the SuperLiga runners-up were chosen to go, and thus we have the LA Galaxy.
Sydney FC, by the way, aren't the Aussie champs but they are a finalist for the A-League championship.
As far as the Galaxy's participation, how convenient...
18 comments:
Wasn't Gamba Osaka the champs of the Nabisco Cup? I believe that is different from the regular season champions.
Based on the timing of this, I can definitely see Pachuca declining.
I hope something will be done with the timing to allow A-League champions to participate in future.
dont tell me you believe the story that pachuca declined (making the superliga runner-up galaxy the fill-in team).
you have to remember rules are bent for the galaxy. pachuca was probably never even informed of the tournament.
It makes sense. UNAM has apparently declined the SuperLiga for next year. If it's not an "official" tournament, which it's not, then clubs can be invited and choose to turn down the invitation.
Are you goats really that upset over a pre-season tournament?
the Australian team is the loser of the minor semi-final (or something like that). Ends up being the 4th place team in the league. This was announced previously, although originally it was supposed to be the 3rd place team. Either way, it wasn't just chosen arbitrarily.
Luis, you've got to get over whining about the Galaxy participating in this nothing "tournament" So what if it's called a championship? It's a marketing thing, it's a couple of friendlies, it probably wouldn't be taking place at all if the Galaxy weren't participating. Would you be happier if every game outside of the MLS regular season was played by either Houston or DC? C'mon, I can see someone like Simers or someone similarly ignorant complaining about this, but you don't have that ignorance excuse.
anon, this is completely marketing, you are right. I guess what bugs me is that it's being passed off as some sort of meaningful tournament and it's being promoted heavily.
I understand, it's great for Hawaii and if I lived in Hawaii and was starved for soccer, I'd be anticipating these games a great deal. But to try and pass this off as a tournament where you have to qualify for, come on.
I think for the Galaxy I'd be a bit concerned about the timing of this, right smack at the start of training camp. The Galaxy is going to spend quite a few weeks in Hawaii and Asia while others will prepare for the season with much less travel. They just better hope their team is able to come together despite their travel itinerary.
I think the likes of DCU, Houston, and New England are glade they don't have to travel to Hawaii for this thing. With the likes of Champions Cup, Champions League, USOC, and Superliga not to mention league games I don't think they were looking forward to trip out into the middle of the Pacific.
The Galaxy should be worried that Becks doesn't pick up an injury on the turf at the stadium I believe this is being held at. Then the Gals are traveling to Asia, which is likely going to have tire some players before the preseason. I'm sure Becks is crossing his fingers that he is not hurt before being called into a friendly for England.
If it weren't for the Galaxy, this tournament wouldn't even exist.
Luis, I understand your disappointment over the Galaxy's inclusion, but I think you are being short sighted. This 'tournament' has the potential of being more important as it provides an avenue for second/third tier leagues to gauge themselves better against each other and receive cross-pacific exposure. Let's just focus on getting the tournament popular (i.e. increase ad $'s) then try to legitimize it. Pachuca is ridiculous for turning this down, but not as ridiculous as those who believe that Garber is out there pushing hard for the Galaxy to be included. The Gals can make their own crowds and aren't starving for exhibition matches. Everyone benefits by their inclusion the first year, so get over the sour grapes.
I would say the Gals are starved for exhibitations. They need those games to generate the sales of Galaxy gear and products inorder for them to make a profit on the Beckham contract. This Pan-Pacific exposure maintains people's awareness of Beckham and who he plays for. This was AEG's plan all along. This exposure however is done in the economic interest of MLS who despite AEG's operating rights is still the owner of LA Galaxy. Remember MLS owns LAG and AEG owns the rights to operate LAG. So MLS has a vested interest in making sure the Galaxy is in this tournament until the Beckham interest is milked dry.
It should be said though that it takes time for every tournament to gain respect and this one if continued over time will gain respect once the sneaky ways to get money generating teams is ended.
The Galaxy only cares about being the first club to generate $10 billion in revenue. They don't care about anything else, really.
To East River:
"They need those games to generate the sales of Galaxy gear and products inorder for them to make a profit on the Beckham contract."
HA! You really believe AEG hasn't already recovered their investment in the Beckham contract?
I'm surprised that people are taking this tournament seriously though... it's a pre-season deal. Much like Pachuca has one at Estadio Hidalgo every season. 4 teams, big shiny cup, not really THAT important.
Real Madrid also has the Teresa Herrera thing where the cup is shaped like the Santiago Bernabeu.
Finally, allow me to disagree on one thing: The timing for this is perfect. The team gets back to LA with a month or so to prepare for pre-season. The travel's not a huge deal. If I remember correctly, some Mexican teams did their pre-season in Argentina, I believe some MLS teams have as well.
If anything, it'll help the youngsters shake off the "Beckhamania"
Oh I believe they may have recouped all of their investment. But they are simply trying to milk it for all its worth. If you can make the money then you better do it while the product is still hot.
However said Houston is probably glad they don't have to travel to Hawaii.....um, Houston is in this tournament.
Should be interesting to watch - and do we really have any idea who will win this thing? Big teams in the EPL and Spain travel far distances in the preseason all the time and they do alright. Becks wants his quarter-billion anyways too - and let's help his Asian fans get a look. No need to take this super seriously, LB, just tune in. The Becks thing is huge - don't buy a Porsche and then complain when you get speeding tickets.
I think the problem here is that the goats are upset that the neighbor got a Porsche. It may be an old Porsche that's kept in the garage for a while, and they get to rule the streets for a couple of days more but at the end of the day, it's still a Porsche.
And even if it's an old Porsche, the hot milfs in the neighborhood are still gonna drool over it and the neighbor, and not them.
Then again, when your name is Chivas USA, it doesn't matter what you buy, nobody's drooling over you.
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