Chelsea signs 4 year deal with Disney

[RalphieN]

Over the 3 decades I've been following soccer lovers keep claiming it will take off in the U.S., but at the professional level it never does.

I know what you are saying but I think the difference now is the availability that today's kids growing up have to follow teams and players and to watch games. ESPN shows games on occasion and FOX Soccer Channel is dedicated to showing games. David Beckham coming to America will help promote the world game here and other stars will likely follow. When Pele was here, those lucky enough to get to see him play were blessed but the games weren't shown on TV regularly to spark the interest of many and the league died.

Maybe I'm overly optimistic but I just see this time as being different.

 

[spartyinmd]

Seimens is the sponsor of Real Madrid, another big team, maybe that was their confusion? I know Chelsea has been wanting to branch out to the US more, they haven't been shy about stating that. I assume this was more Chelsea coming after Disney then Disney going after Chelsea.

They WERE their sponsor until the Taiwanese firm BenQ (who bought Siemens' Mobile business) went under...now they are sponsored by BWin.

 

[dumboflyer]

They don't have a big enough soccer field.

I could see something like soccer camps and things like that, but games, no.

They also don't have a press area big enough for the combined egos...

Getting back on topic, it will be interesting to see what ends up happening with this deal. Most of the reports I've read (including the link at the bottom) focus more on WWoS. Chelsea will sponsor events at WWoS and send youth teams to participate in events, and winners of some WWoS tournaments will get to train at Chelsea's training facilities.

I'm betting, however, that this will extend into merchandising as well. I've noticed more and more soccer-related merchandise popping up around the various World Showcase shops lately--I know that the England pavillion sells Liverpool and Newcastle shirts, and that Germany had been selling some Bayern Munich items. I would guess that Chelsea shirts are soon to follow?

See a story here:
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=240386

And for the record, I'm a Gooner. RVP for the Golden Boot!

 

[Timmay]

LOL..I'll post the same thing I did over in the Disney Co. News section...
_______________________________________________________________
It's a shame Disney couldn't see fit to have such an agreement with a MLS team...perhaps bringing a much needed MLS team to the Florida area.

If soccer is to grow in America, perhaps the teams that are already here should be invested in...or is it only about the money?!?:brick:

As a result, Chelsea will be associated with the top youth soccer event destination, Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, and the No. 1 youth event in the United States, Disney's Soccer Showcase.

Mmmm, must not have heard about this place...nor the youth events and tournaments held there.
http://www.dickssportinggoodspark.com/
_______________________________________________________________

Anyway...you will not see ManU have much more to do with the US or US soccer as long as SAF is there. He has said he would rather take the club to Asia and have partnerships there. Which is a shame, because they are my team across the pond.

BTW, going to the All Star game tomorrow night...should be fun, although I would have rather seen some other team besides Celtic.

I know that the England pavillion sells Liverpool and Newcastle shirts, and that Germany had been selling some Bayern Munich items. I would guess that Chelsea shirts are soon to follow?

Those have been selling there for at least the last 4 years or so, at least the Newcastle and BM kits have been...Liverpool is new.

 

[mkt]

Yeah I might too.

Are you really an Arsenal fan? I root for Tottenham. Uh-Oh.

I do root for Arsenal as far as the premiership though. I'm an FC Barcelona supporter though... for my entire life. That's my football team

 

[Timmay]

I do root for Arsenal as far as the premiership though. I'm an FC Barcelona supporter though... for my entire life. That's my football team

Happy about that guy Henry coming over, are ya??

 

[ltp74]

Although I'm a Tottenham fan, the deal will be good for Disney and soccer here but to comment on the original poster's assessment that soccer is "less than popular" in the US, I guess it depends on who you ask.

Did you know that in the US (according to the latest compiled data at CNN.com looking at youth sports for ages 9-14) 260,000 kids play american football, 2.2 milion play little league baseball, 2.8 million play organized league basketball, and 17.5 million play organized league soccer. That is a lot of fans for the future.

But the only soccer they play is organized soccer, you rarely see kid's playing pick-up games with a group of friends like you see them do with basketball, football and baseball(softball and whiffle ball included).

Also most of the kids who play organized soccer stop playing once they hit high school mainly because they were forced(not in a bad way) to play by parents who wanted them to get some exercise, learn about team work and so on.

 

[hooters dude]

I'm a Manchester United fan (hence my picture, the last minute winner against Liverpool :lol: ) and am quite surprised they diidn't choose the English Champions more so though because of the American ownership. Malcolm Glazer is despised by United fans for the debt he heaped on the club when buying it, the club pay the interest on his loans not him .

That aside he's a Florida resident and I would of thought the ideal candidate to throw money at for what probably amounts to doing very little in return?

Also the owner of Chelsea Mr Abromovich is allegedly a cough, cough 'made man' in his homeland, one of the reasons he's forbidden from returning there! A strange choice for Disney, although I'm sure his billions were made legitimately and these are just rumours :lookaroun

Anyway I've never visited Wide World of Sports and probably never will due to my perception of there not being much to do there for the casual visitor?

:wave:

 

[hooters dude]

Last time I was in Disney World...I was the person running around in a FULL Chelsea kit. Shirt AND shorts.

...and all I found were a bunch of Man Utd fans. Can't seem to escape them - including on this board, lol. But that's alright...its all in good fun *cough* :lookaroun

and you never will, CHAMPIONS

:wave:

 

[hooters dude]

A British team will never win the WC. Nor will AN Italian, Brazilian, or German team. The country plays and wins as a whole.

A British team Manchester United did win it in 1999 WDW Monorail, I was at the game :king:

see link

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={EE4D6083-FCB8-4FAB-A765-75E2B0F4B4E0}

It's called the Intercontinental Cup also know as the World Club Championship

:wave:

 

[RalphieN]

But the only soccer they play is organized soccer, you rarely see kid's playing pick-up games with a group of friends like you see them do with basketball, football and baseball(softball and whiffle ball included).

I find it very rare to find groups of kids playing pick-up football or baseball(softball or whiffle ball included) these days. I still see basketball when a basket is available but nothing near as frequent as when I was a kid. Usually when the kids play during recess, the kids who want to play a game but really don't want to run much will play touch football or kickball and the athletic kids play soccer. That's what I see at the school where I teach at least.

 

[dumboflyer]

I'm a Manchester United fan (hence my picture, the last minute winner against Liverpool :lol: ) and am quite surprised they diidn't choose the English Champions more so though because of the American ownership. Malcolm Glazer is despised by United fans for the debt he heaped on the club when buying it, the club pay the interest on his loans not him .

That aside he's a Florida resident and I would of thought the ideal candidate to throw money at for what probably amounts to doing very little in return?

Also the owner of Chelsea Mr Abromovich is allegedly a cough, cough 'made man' in his homeland, one of the reasons he's forbidden from returning there! A strange choice for Disney, although I'm sure his billions were made legitimately and these are just rumours :lookaroun

Anyway I've never visited Wide World of Sports and probably never will due to my perception of there not being much to do there for the casual visitor?

:wave:

I'd guess that it was less Disney's choice in picking the club and more Clelsea actively approaching Disney. See, for example, Chelsea's current swing through the US (and their exhibition against LA last night).

 

[WDW Monorail]

A British team Manchester United did win it in 1999 WDW Monorail, I was at the game :king:

see link

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={EE4D6083-FCB8-4FAB-A765-75E2B0F4B4E0}

It's called the Intercontinental Cup also know as the World Club Championship

:wave:

Maybe you didn't understand my post.

No club team will ever win the World Cup as it is a competition among whole nations.:wave: :wave:

 

[hooters dude]

I lived in Brazil for 2 years including their last WC win (2002) and it has been a long long time since a british team won the world club title. It was barcelona and Ac Milan (I believe) and internationale (italy I think also)recently that have beent the powerhouses. Though chelsea does have a very very big payroll. If you don't have a good brazilian you can't win. British soccer is good just not the best. Real Madrid has players on the bench that start on their national team, if anyone is the yanks it is Real Madrid (though figo sucks!!)

A British team will never win the WC. Nor will AN Italian, Brazilian, or German team. The country plays and wins as a whole.

I am a Serie A fan and believe that the quality of the game and plaayers has diminshed from about 10 years ago. They are becoming like American football an basketball players, too controversial.

Maybe you didn't understand my post.

No club team will ever win the World Cup as it is a competition among whole nations.:wave: :wave:

Nobody said they would win the world cup. he was referring to the World Club Title. I think that was the post you were replying to?

Sorry to be a pain in the ______, but we take our game seriously

:wave:

 

[ltp74]

I find it very rare to find groups of kids playing pick-up football or baseball(softball or whiffle ball included) these days. I still see basketball when a basket is available but nothing near as frequent as when I was a kid. Usually when the kids play during recess, the kids who want to play a game but really don't want to run much will play touch football or kickball and the athletic kids play soccer. That's what I see at the school where I teach at least.

I guess it all depends where you live, on my street most of the kids play basketball, football or whiffle ball for fun hardly any of them play on organized teams for those sports but play organized soccer.

 

[Dayma]

Chelsea fans "think" they are the Yankees of soccer. So does Liverpool amongst others, but Man U is. Sorry for the let down.

I would agree with that totally......


Good thing to see the Premership getting more into the US. It's a great league.

 

[AndyP]

Such a shame it is Chelsea that has got this deal with their bought success rather than Liverpool, the most successful club in English history... Yes I am a devoted Liverpool fan if you couldn't tell Plus Liverpool now has 2 American owners who already own baseball and hockey teams! Hopefully in 4 years they will switch teams

 

[tim gover]

Perhaps dear ol' Uncle Walt and the gang can fabricate some semblance of history for for this lacklustre bunch!!!
It's only been recently that they've won anything thats been televised in color!!!
An ideal place to show their previous 'highlights' would be on the table top sets @ Prime Time Diner !!!
Come on you Gooners:sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy:

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Well at least they dont play in Green and Grey hoops.

Perhaps Roman wants to use one of his 4 yaghts on longer trips.