Juventus vs Palermo in Canada? (12 Viewers)
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http://www.canada.com/Sports/Kowalchuk+dedication+beautiful+game+undying/1681338/story.html
Mel Kowalchuk will rarely take "no" for an answer, and he isn't particularly fond of "nein," "nyet," "naw," "nah" or "non" either.
So the freakishly devoted soccer fan and local businessman stubbornly pursued about 15 club teams from around the world until two of them actually said "yes" to his offer of a significant appearance fee and agreed to play a friendly in Edmonton on Saturday, July 25.
Everton of the English Premier League has already been announced as the headliner. River Plate of Argentina will be unveiled as the opponent during a news conference today at Commonwealth Stadium, which is also the match venue.
The game will not rival the Canada/ Brazil national team friendly of 1994 which drew over 50,000 fans. It is highly unlikely to lure as many as the 37,000 who showed up for the Los Angeles Galaxy/Vancouver Whitecaps match last year, so many of whom were there to see English star David Beckham on the pitch. However, Kowalchuk is happy with the matchup.
"We think it will be successful," he said.
While officials of the Alberta Soccer Association will be front and centre during today's announcement at Commonwealth Stadium, since the game stands as the centrepiece of that organization's 100th anniversary celebrations, there would be nothing to trumpet were it not for Kowalchuk's dogged efforts.
"I think he has to get the lion's share of the credit, if not all," said ASA executive director Salvi Cammarata.
"He's been working on it since November, trying to get a game. He has put a lot of time into getting this together."
And here's the kicker, in the end Kowalchuk wasn't even working on behalf of the ASA. That is indeed how the odyssey started in the dead of winter, with Kowalchuk trying to secure a game worthy of a centenary. When all of his efforts kept going south and the clock kept ticking, the ASA figured Kowalchuk had no shot of getting a deal done in time and the two sides officially parted company in mid-March.
The ASA had wanted Inter Milan as the star attraction, but the Italian side proved impossible to pin down, despite the fact Kowalchuk at one point had a signed letter of intent. It was a frustrating process for all involved, but at least Kowalchuk kept at it. More than a month ago, when Inter Milan was officially out of the mix, the ASA basically threw in the towel. Cammarata said it was likely way too late in the season to sign any European teams.
Kowalchuk, on the other hand, had already invested too much of his time and effort to simply give up. He had assembled a small group of financial backers, cast a net far and wide for booking agents with contacts all over the soccer sphere, and kept working the phones, twisting arms and calling in favours.
Efforts by a Toronto promoter to secure two games in Toronto and Montreal between Juventus and River Plate in August complicated the proceedings, but Kowalchuk persevered. Kowalchuk said Juventus dropped out of the picture entirely on Tuesday and apparently won't be coming to Canada at all this summer.
Dealing with Everton was a piece of cake by comparison.
"Everton came to town three or four weeks ago. We showed them Commonwealth Stadium and I even took them to West Edmonton Mall," said Kowalchuk. "Before he left, (the team representative) said he would be recommending Edmonton. He said we would have our answer in 10 days. It took a little longer, about 14. It was another week or a week and a half to get the deal signed and done."
At one point during the spring Kowalchuk had what he thought were productive talks with Chelsea. Boca Jrs. were in the mix. Club America too. And so many others.
He is happy with the end result and said the ASA, who are an integral part of the sanctioning process, will benefit financially.
"We pay what I call a CONCACAF fee to the Canadian Soccer Association and they dispense percentages (to various soccer bodies). So the (ASA) get a part of the ticket revenue."
According to CSA rules, the promoters will give up eight per cent of the gross gate receipts to the CSA, which in turn will dispense 2.5 per cent to the ASA and two per cent to CONCACAF.
Kowalchuk said ticket prices probably won't be announced until next week. Everton is also playing against the Major League Soccer All-Stars in Salt Lake City on July 29. Ticket prices for that game range from $35 US to $200 US. Before Everton arrives in Edmonton, the team will have played a friendly against an African team in Ghana on July 12.
And, lest you think Kowalchuk has had enough of the beautiful game after such a torturous process, think again.
"We have already started discussions with three teams for next year," he said.
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© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service
Mel Kowalchuk will rarely take "no" for an answer, and he isn't particularly fond of "nein," "nyet," "naw," "nah" or "non" either.
So the freakishly devoted soccer fan and local businessman stubbornly pursued about 15 club teams from around the world until two of them actually said "yes" to his offer of a significant appearance fee and agreed to play a friendly in Edmonton on Saturday, July 25.
Everton of the English Premier League has already been announced as the headliner. River Plate of Argentina will be unveiled as the opponent during a news conference today at Commonwealth Stadium, which is also the match venue.
The game will not rival the Canada/ Brazil national team friendly of 1994 which drew over 50,000 fans. It is highly unlikely to lure as many as the 37,000 who showed up for the Los Angeles Galaxy/Vancouver Whitecaps match last year, so many of whom were there to see English star David Beckham on the pitch. However, Kowalchuk is happy with the matchup.
"We think it will be successful," he said.
While officials of the Alberta Soccer Association will be front and centre during today's announcement at Commonwealth Stadium, since the game stands as the centrepiece of that organization's 100th anniversary celebrations, there would be nothing to trumpet were it not for Kowalchuk's dogged efforts.
"I think he has to get the lion's share of the credit, if not all," said ASA executive director Salvi Cammarata.
"He's been working on it since November, trying to get a game. He has put a lot of time into getting this together."
And here's the kicker, in the end Kowalchuk wasn't even working on behalf of the ASA. That is indeed how the odyssey started in the dead of winter, with Kowalchuk trying to secure a game worthy of a centenary. When all of his efforts kept going south and the clock kept ticking, the ASA figured Kowalchuk had no shot of getting a deal done in time and the two sides officially parted company in mid-March.
The ASA had wanted Inter Milan as the star attraction, but the Italian side proved impossible to pin down, despite the fact Kowalchuk at one point had a signed letter of intent. It was a frustrating process for all involved, but at least Kowalchuk kept at it. More than a month ago, when Inter Milan was officially out of the mix, the ASA basically threw in the towel. Cammarata said it was likely way too late in the season to sign any European teams.
Kowalchuk, on the other hand, had already invested too much of his time and effort to simply give up. He had assembled a small group of financial backers, cast a net far and wide for booking agents with contacts all over the soccer sphere, and kept working the phones, twisting arms and calling in favours.
Efforts by a Toronto promoter to secure two games in Toronto and Montreal between Juventus and River Plate in August complicated the proceedings, but Kowalchuk persevered. Kowalchuk said Juventus dropped out of the picture entirely on Tuesday and apparently won't be coming to Canada at all this summer.
Dealing with Everton was a piece of cake by comparison.
"Everton came to town three or four weeks ago. We showed them Commonwealth Stadium and I even took them to West Edmonton Mall," said Kowalchuk. "Before he left, (the team representative) said he would be recommending Edmonton. He said we would have our answer in 10 days. It took a little longer, about 14. It was another week or a week and a half to get the deal signed and done."
At one point during the spring Kowalchuk had what he thought were productive talks with Chelsea. Boca Jrs. were in the mix. Club America too. And so many others.
He is happy with the end result and said the ASA, who are an integral part of the sanctioning process, will benefit financially.
"We pay what I call a CONCACAF fee to the Canadian Soccer Association and they dispense percentages (to various soccer bodies). So the (ASA) get a part of the ticket revenue."
According to CSA rules, the promoters will give up eight per cent of the gross gate receipts to the CSA, which in turn will dispense 2.5 per cent to the ASA and two per cent to CONCACAF.
Kowalchuk said ticket prices probably won't be announced until next week. Everton is also playing against the Major League Soccer All-Stars in Salt Lake City on July 29. Ticket prices for that game range from $35 US to $200 US. Before Everton arrives in Edmonton, the team will have played a friendly against an African team in Ghana on July 12.
And, lest you think Kowalchuk has had enough of the beautiful game after such a torturous process, think again.
"We have already started discussions with three teams for next year," he said.
[email protected]
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service
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