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Pookie
05-04-2010, 05:42 AM
Do you believe in friendlies? Would you pay to see AC Milan? How about the fact that tickets for the match are included for STHs and Pack holders? A few items worthy of debate in this little tidbit:

CHICAGO FIRE CHALLENGE A.C. MILAN IN INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY AT TOYOTA PARK

The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced that it will play an international friendly against seven-time European Champions A.C. Milan at TOYOTA PARK on Sunday, May 30 at 7:30 PM CT. The two sides previously met in 2005 when the Rossoneri (Red-Blacks) edged the Fire 3-1 in a tightly contested match at Soldier Field.

Tickets for this match are included in the Season Ticket and Ten Game packages as Bonus Game 1. Groups of 15 or more are available for all price sections and include a savings off the regular price. To reserve your seats today please call 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473), head to www.Ticketmaster.com or visit the club's official website www.Chicago-Fire.com.

A.C. Milan will bring a number of high-profile players for its friendly against the Fire. Scheduled to represent the Milan side will be legendary midfielders Ronaldinho of Brazil and Holland's Clarence Seedorf. Ronaldinho, the former FIFA World Player of the Year (2004, 2005), is recognized worldwide for leading FC Barcelona to two Spanish La Liga titles, two Spanish Super Cups and the Catalan club's second UEFA Champions League victory in 2006. Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato is set to make his first trip to TOYOTA PARK. The 20-year-old forward has tallied 36 goals in 74 appearances since joining the San Siro outfit in 2007. Current World Cup champion Filippo Inzaghi, who has appeared in 184 matches for the Rossoneri and A.C. Milan captain Massimo Ambrosini will also participate in the match against the Fire. A.C. Milan is committed to fielding all of its star players at TOYOTA PARK who are not obligated to World Cup duties

CoachGT
05-04-2010, 07:13 AM
Paging Stouffville RPB

koryo
05-04-2010, 07:43 AM
I'm not a fan of friendlies during the regular season. If there's nothing at stake, then what's the point?

jabbronies
05-04-2010, 07:48 AM
yet another team including this game in their STH packages. Unlike our situation...

ensco
05-04-2010, 07:49 AM
I'm not a fan of friendlies during the regular season. If there's nothing at stake, then what's the point?

Seeing some good football players?

Joe Kool
05-04-2010, 07:52 AM
I'm not a fan of friendlies during the regular season. If there's nothing at stake, then what's the point?

For the MLS teams it's all about marketing....and for the visiting team, an offseason practice and a way to popularize their brand in another market. In the end...MARKETING. IMO.

Joe Kool
05-04-2010, 07:59 AM
yet another team including this game in their STH packages. Unlike our situation...

Yeah always nice to see a FO appreciate the STH's by not adding the game as extra. I know the Real Madrid game got us our grass/expansion money when added to the Edu money and we had to sit through a River Plate reserve game instead but I am hoping they will not be going the same route this year. Time to appreciate your current base of STH's and include a decent friendly if we are going to have one.

jaahuuu
05-04-2010, 08:10 AM
yet another team including this game in their STH packages. Unlike our situation...
Toyota Park seats 20,000. The most recent number I could find (2008) said the Fire had under 2800 STHs. That still leaves over 17,000 tickets to be sold to non-STHs at a rediculous price to cover ACM's appearance fee. Unlike our situation...

menefreghista
05-04-2010, 09:09 AM
Toyota Park seats 20,000. The most recent number I could find (2008) said the Fire had under 2800 STHs. That still leaves over 17,000 tickets to be sold to non-STHs at a rediculous price to cover ACM's appearance fee. Unlike our situation...

Ticket's are $30-95, which sounds fairly reasonable. TFC regular season MLS games cost more than that.

http://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/0400449376BA28EB?artistid=805916&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=11

But than again, Milan might be giving a players away at World Cup discount?

Eastend
05-04-2010, 09:11 AM
Toyota Park seats 20,000. The most recent number I could find (2008) said the Fire had under 2800 STHs. That still leaves over 17,000 tickets to be sold to non-STHs at a rediculous price to cover ACM's appearance fee. Unlike our situation...


I have to agree here. Yes, if we are going to have a friendly mid-season I would love to have it included in my Seasons, especially against high profile quality sides...however, since we have 16k SSH and we are sold out every game I see why they are not. This comparing against other clubs in this league really needs to stop as there is no comparison when it comes to attendance in 20k+ SSS. There is so much whining on here it gets old really quick.

Limani_Ole
05-06-2010, 03:24 PM
you see why they are not?

its passive attitude like that which gets old quick.. every other MLS teams gets some good friendlies to watch.. but you obviously dont think you deserve it.. or the 16 thousand supporters who show incredible support to a team which rarelly seems to deserve it.. in return.. watch TFC play a 3rd string River Plate team..

Thanks

Eastend
05-06-2010, 03:46 PM
Re-read my post. If we have these high priced teams included as friendlies with our Seasons, that leaves 4-5k to sell to make the $$ up to help pay for the visiting team. EVERY other MLS team in the league (except the Sounders) have no more then maybe 5-6k SSH and therefore have 15k+ seats to sell to pay for it. I didn't say we don't deserve it or that it's right, I just understnad why it is the way it is.

What's passive about understand how things work?

habstfc
05-06-2010, 10:24 PM
EASTEND is absolutely right. We are an exception in every way along with seattle.

jaahuuu
05-07-2010, 08:25 AM
Re-read my post. If we have these high priced teams included as friendlies with our Seasons, that leaves 4-5k to sell to make the $$ up to help pay for the visiting team. EVERY other MLS team in the league (except the Sounders) have no more then maybe 5-6k SSH and therefore have 15k+ seats to sell to pay for it. I didn't say we don't deserve it or that it's right, I just understnad why it is the way it is.

What's passive about understand how things work?
Capacity isn't an issue for Seattle either. While the MLS capacity of Qwest Field is 35,000 it can be opened up to 67,000.

Eastend
05-07-2010, 12:30 PM
Exactly.

Pookie
05-07-2010, 12:31 PM
I did a thread last year that compared the cost to a STH in Seattle vs a TFC STH. It included the fact that the TFC fan had to extra for Real Madrid and buy an MLS Cup ticket and the Seattle Fan wasn't getting the NCC games in their package...

http://www.redpatchboys.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=14303 (http://www.redpatchboys.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=14303)

In the end, the difference worked out to about $52 more that we paid.

Pachuco
05-07-2010, 01:54 PM
Re-read my post. If we have these high priced teams included as friendlies with our Seasons, that leaves 4-5k to sell to make the $$ up to help pay for the visiting team. EVERY other MLS team in the league (except the Sounders) have no more then maybe 5-6k SSH and therefore have 15k+ seats to sell to pay for it. I didn't say we don't deserve it or that it's right, I just understnad why it is the way it is.

What's passive about understand how things work?

No, that doesn't really make sense. We've paid for these tickets in our season ticket package, it's not like this is a free game to all season ticket holders. They've made money from each Season ticket holder for this game. So now that they have our money, they take teams that want to come over for dirt cheap and squeeze out even more money out of this. It's bullshit, because we dont' get a choice. They are selling you a product ahead of time without even telling you what that product is. It would have been nice to see them make a little less money this year considering everything going on with this team.

RPB_RED_NATION_RPB
05-07-2010, 01:58 PM
thats ok..

KC get MAN UNITED
PHILLY get MAN UNITED
SEATTLE get CELTIC
CHICAGO get ACMILAN
LA get BOCA JUNIORS..
NY get JUVE

we get Fulham!!

jaahuuu
05-07-2010, 03:41 PM
No, that doesn't really make sense. We've paid for these tickets in our season ticket package, it's not like this is a free game to all season ticket holders. They've made money from each Season ticket holder for this game. So now that they have our money, they take teams that want to come over for dirt cheap and squeeze out even more money out of this. It's bullshit, because we dont' get a choice. They are selling you a product ahead of time without even telling you what that product is. It would have been nice to see them make a little less money this year considering everything going on with this team.
Did you forget who owns this team?

thats ok..

KC get MAN UNITED
PHILLY get MAN UNITED
SEATTLE get CELTIC
CHICAGO get ACMILAN
LA get BOCA JUNIORS..
NY get JUVE

we get Fulham!!
I don't know what the face value is, but when you average out the cost of all the games included in my season ticket package its just over $20 per ticket. Honestly for 20 bucks I wasn't expecting a world class opponant for the friendly. If you want to see a world class friendly there's one in a couple months just down the road from BMO. Tickets start at $90.50.

Eastend
05-08-2010, 08:34 AM
I guess the bottom line is that at $20 a game, I don't think I'm getting ripped off for what I get. Yes, I think MLSE is in it to make money, who wouldn't be, it's a business. Do I wish we got United over Everton, of course, BUT, for what I pay I'm not complaining and I don't feel I'm getting ripped off. There's a sense of entitlement around here that I don't understand. The team owes us nothing and as soon as people get that then maybe the complaining and comparing to others will stop.

Maybe I'm off base but this is my "opinion" and it is what it is.

menefreghista
05-08-2010, 09:32 AM
I guess the bottom line is that at $20 a game, I don't think I'm getting ripped off for what I get. Yes, I think MLSE is in it to make money, who wouldn't be, it's a business. Do I wish we got United over Everton, of course, BUT, for what I pay I'm not complaining and I don't feel I'm getting ripped off. There's a sense of entitlement around here that I don't understand. The team owes us nothing and as soon as people get that then maybe the complaining and comparing to others will stop.

Maybe I'm off base but this is my "opinion" and it is what it is.

Generally I agree. But when a team like River Plate plays their B-team and youth team, than I do feel ripped off.

At least teams like Benfica or Aston Villa played some of their starters.

v00d00daddy
05-08-2010, 09:52 AM
TFC could give us a world class team for our friendly. This much is obvious based on how many other teams in MLS are doing so.

They just choose not to.

Ask yourself why.

Is it because they want to maximzie profits? Probably

Is it because our fan base eats up the prospect of seeing mid/bottom level teams from the UK......?

Absolutely.

Expect medocrity and that's just what you'll get.

If we were forced to watch bottom feeder teams 2 out of every 3 friendly matches from any part of the world other than the UK there would be an outrage. I'm sure of it.

The FO panders to the supporters...and the supporters eat it up.

The one time they got us a real team to watch in a friendly it cost us 150 bucks +....and I paid it because 150 bucks for an exhibition match to see Real is more value to me than a semi competitive (for no reason) match against Aston Villa or West Ham or Fulham or Bolton or whoever.

We get what we ask for.