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ChampionsWorld: Timing and Other issues


beachesl

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I moved this from the National Teams forum:

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Elias

Steeltown

Canada

218 Posts

Posted - 06/04/2005 : 11:40:49

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It's like 6-weeks before the games are supposed to take place. Is it happening this year?

And does anybody else think these European teams are overdoing it and saturating the market? It seems like it was once upon a time when their were games over here all the time, then for like 20 years nothing. Now it seems as if there's 2-3 European teams over here all the time.

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It looks like "ChampionsWorld" per se is dead. SanMarco is the successor organization running the SerbiaMontenegro/Italy match, and they say they may get other matches involving Euro clubs. However, it looks like this match and the Italy/Ecuador match for June 11 at Giants Stadium in New York is the only one the new organization has firmly scheduled so far. This is the latest I've been able to find so far that deals with the issues:

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SOCCER: EXHIBITION GAMESerbia-Montenegro to take on Italians'Two teams won't be out there playing a game of tiddlywinks,' promoter saysBy PETER MALLETT

Saturday, May 21, 2005 Page S7

TORONTO -- The exhibition soccer match between Italy and Serbia-Montenegro in Toronto in June will be an "international friendly" in name only, promoters say.

Giorgio Chinaglia of San Marco Sports Entertainment said the June 8 game at Rogers Centre will be an intense clash featuring elite players.

"I'm sure the large number of Italians in Toronto know that the two teams won't be out there playing a game of tiddlywinks," Chinaglia said.

"None of the players will take this game lightly. Nobody playing soccer for their country ever wants to lose, especially playing in a great city like Toronto."

Chinaglia, a member of Italy's 1974 World Cup squad and the defunct North American Soccer League's career leader in goals, fielded questions at a downtown media conference yesterday. The often controversial New York Cosmos striker, who once played alongside the legendary Pele, is now an ambassador for the Italian-based sports promotion company San Marco.

He dispelled reports that Italian coach Marcello Lippi will bring an experimental, second-tier roster with him for the June 8 game.

He also noted that since the match falls on a day FIFA sets aside for international play, both World Cup coaches should have most of their star players available to them.

Some players, such as AS Roma star Francesco Totti, may not be available because of Italian Cup duties with their clubs, but any openings would pave the way for Juventus striker Allesandro Del Piero and others to get a shot at Lippi's roster as they build toward next summer's 2006 World Cup in Germany.

San Marco purchased the financially troubled New Jersey-based ChampionsWorld LLC on Monday, ensuring exhibition soccer returned to Toronto. ChampionsWorld brought Scotland's Glasgow Celtic, English Premiership side Liverpool, AS Roma of Italy and 2004 European Champions FC Porto of Portugal to SkyDome for near sell-out games last summer.

But it applied for bankruptcy protection in January and still owes the Canadian Soccer Association $250,000 in licensing fees from gate receipts for last year's games. However, since San Marco has only acquired ChampionsWorld's assets, CSA officials confirmed San Marco is not responsible for last year's debt.

Chinaglia said he hoped that the CSA would eventually soften its tough stand on collecting 8 per cent of the gross gate receipts from future games. He said that licensing fees to the CSA and United States Soccer Federation for ChampionsWorld games in North America were close to $3-million last year, equivalent to the amount the company lost.

"They [the CSA] will make a lot of money from this without doing anything, that's how it is but I'm sure it will change in the near future," said Chinaglia, a former vice-president of ChampionsWorld.

"This is my own personal opinion and not the opinion of my new company but I believe that is one of the serious problems facing promoters of international soccer games in North America."

Recently elected CSA financial director Vincent Ursini said the governing body will ensure that San Marco doesn't repeat ChampionsWorld's failure.

"We will avoid last year's problem and will be collecting directly from the gate to make sure a situation like that doesn't happen again," Ursini said. "We don't want to be left holding the bag so we now have a plan in place to make sure licensing fees are recovered."

San Marco officials hinted that further international dates involving some of Europe's top clubs may soon be announced for Toronto and Montreal.

Meanwhile, Rogers Centre officials confirmed that San Marco will install natural turf in the stadium that has a retractable roof. Ticket prices will range from $50 and $135

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Probably NOT what your looking for;), but slightly interesting none the less...

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http://www.soccer.on.ca/OSN.nsf/8ebd6760568c7a4f85256f550018408a/a7f0798cbf72011885256ffe00713414?OpenDocument

Irish League Manager Of The Year Bringing Team To Canada

BELFAST, May 10, 2005 – Joe McAree was named Manager of the Year of the Irish League at an Awards Night in Belfast yesterday evening. Joe guided the Dungannon Swifts to a fourth place finish in the League, just 2 years after being promoted from the First Division.

McAree finished ahead of Glentoran Manager Roy Coyle and was presented the Award by legendary Goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel (Manchester United & Denmark).

Shaking with emotion after the announcement, McAree said, "I want to pay tribute to my Assistant Manager, Terry McCrory, and our Coach, Harry Fay." The next challenge for these three men will be in July when they bring the Swifts to Canada.

After Exhibition Matches against St. Catherines Roma Wolves, Toronto Lynx and Toronto Celtic, the Swifts will take on the Celtic, Ulster Thistle and the Oakville Blue Devils in the International Challenge Cup to be held at the Nottawasaga Inn Resort in Alliston from July 15th to 17th.

They will join fellow countryman and Guest of Honour, Pat Jennings, at the Tournament which should prove to be the “Event of the Summer”. More details can be obtained at www.cosamsports.com.

Everyone involved in the Dungannon Swifts Tour on this side of the pond would like to extend hearty Congratulations to Joe McAree on winning this prestigious Award!!!

For current News and Information, visit The Ontario Soccer Association website at: www.soccer.on.ca and The Canadian Soccer Association website at: www.canadasoccer.com.

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quote:Originally posted by beachesl

Probably NOT what your looking for;), but slightly interesting none the less...

Not exactly. Although at least the Irish are almost as messed up as Greeks. :D

Seriously, I think lower-level teams coming over here and playing the Lynx and CPSL sides is better for Canadian soccer than the big-names who really offer nothing (you can watch on tv), especially since the CSA doesn't seem to be collecting any money (which is the only potential benefit).

As for ChampionsWorld, I thought somebody posted somewhere here that Soccer United Marketing purchased them. I believe SUM runs the Gold Cup among other things, and it's part of the MLS or MLS owns part of it or something or that one guy who owns half the teams owns this as well.

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