Gers invited to play LA Galaxy

[Ibroxblue 122]

Gers invite to play Becks’ Galaxy

by Darrell King

RANGERS are weighing up an offer to play cash-rich American side LA Galaxy in a lucrative end-of-season friendly.

SportTimes can reveal that Walter Smith's side have been invited to the US to play the team who have signed David Beckham for next season in the biggest pay-deal in football history.

Smith has canvassed his squad and the players are keen on playing the MLS side in a fixture that would earn the club a significant pay-day.

The friendly is being pencilled in for the week after Rangers complete their SPL season on Sunday, May 20.

With no Scottish Cup Final particpation, several of the Ibrox squad would like to keep ticking over before they meet up for international duty with their respective countries for the Euro 2008 double headers on June 2 and June 6.

Scotland will travel to Austria for a friendly on May 30. But a trip to LA would give the likes of Barry Ferguson, Kris Boyd and Davie Weir a game before they meet up with Alex McLeish's squad ahead of that trip, and the qualifier in the Faroe Islands.

Rangers today confirmed Galaxy's approach and a spokesman said: "The club is considering a number of options, but nothing is confirmed."

It is also believed that a number of lucrative offers for pre-season tours were discussed at a Rangers board meeting this week. The Ibrox club has been criticised for not cashing in like Celtic have on friendly matches abroad.

But they now appear to be making their own in-roads into what is a lucrative market.

Celtic have earned big money by travelling to the US and Japan. They will also provide the opposition in Beckham's first game when they face an MLS All-Stars select on July 19 in Colorado.

Rangers, meantime, have sold the rights to both legs of their Uefa Cup last 16 tie against Osasuna to Spanish TV company Canal Plus.

For just the second time ever, they paid Osasuna up front to obtain control of all TV coverage.

Canal Plus will screen both legs live in Spain, with the BBC in talks over showing both matches in this country.

With a 50,000 sell-out crowd and add ons from clever TV dealings, Rangers could bank around £2m, with progression to the quarter-finals worth another £3m.

Uefa have a new centralised TV contract for the 13 matches from the quarter-finals through to the final itself at Hampden on May 16. Teams who make the last eight will be paid £1.2m from that pot, and will also receive a £215,000 bonus from Uefa.

With another sell-out home gate, reaching the last eight would then bring a further £3m into the coffers.

Smith, meantime, hinted today that Stefan Klos could line up against Hibs on Sunday.

The German veteran will have to play against Osasuna next week in place of the suspended Allan McGregor.

"It would be unsettling to lose Allan as we've had a bit of stability in the back four and the goalkeeping position," Smith said.

"But we have a really experienced keeper in Stefan. Whether he plays at Hibs is something we'll decide on over the next 24 hours.

"Stefan is ready to come in if necessary."

Publication date 02/03/07

http://eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.1231533.0.0.php

[Stuart_RFC 41]

do it !!! we need more of these money-making ventures, and with David Beckham playing for them it will make it even more lucrative!

We have to get involved in the american market somehow

[machine! 15]

Its about time we showed some clever commercial accumen!

[gleem 14]

do it !!! we need more of these money-making ventures, and with David Beckham playing for them it will make it even more lucrative!

We have to get involved in the american market somehow

[Canadaready 9,437]

Do it and I will be there!!!!

[Canadaready 9,437]

Do it and I will be there!!!!

unless i am somewhere else

[Blue Stars Bearette 1]

Gers invite to play Becks’ Galaxy

by Darrell King

RANGERS are weighing up an offer to play cash-rich American side LA Galaxy in a lucrative end-of-season friendly.

SportTimes can reveal that Walter Smith's side have been invited to the US to play the team who have signed David Beckham for next season in the biggest pay-deal in football history.

Smith has canvassed his squad and the players are keen on playing the MLS side in a fixture that would earn the club a significant pay-day.

The friendly is being pencilled in for the week after Rangers complete their SPL season on Sunday, May 20.

advertisementWith no Scottish Cup Final particpation, several of the Ibrox squad would like to keep ticking over before they meet up for international duty with their respective countries for the Euro 2008 double headers on June 2 and June 6.

Scotland will travel to Austria for a friendly on May 30. But a trip to LA would give the likes of Barry Ferguson, Kris Boyd and Davie Weir a game before they meet up with Alex McLeish's squad ahead of that trip, and the qualifier in the Faroe Islands.

Rangers today confirmed Galaxy's approach and a spokesman said: "The club is considering a number of options, but nothing is confirmed."

It is also believed that a number of lucrative offers for pre-season tours were discussed at a Rangers board meeting this week. The Ibrox club has been criticised for not cashing in like Celtic have on friendly matches abroad.

But they now appear to be making their own in-roads into what is a lucrative market.

Celtic have earned big money by travelling to the US and Japan. They will also provide the opposition in Beckham's first game when they face an MLS All-Stars select on July 19 in Colorado.

Rangers, meantime, have sold the rights to both legs of their Uefa Cup last 16 tie against Osasuna to Spanish TV company Canal Plus.

For just the second time ever, they paid Osasuna up front to obtain control of all TV coverage.

Canal Plus will screen both legs live in Spain, with the BBC in talks over showing both matches in this country.

With a 50,000 sell-out crowd and add ons from clever TV dealings, Rangers could bank around £2m, with progression to the quarter-finals worth another £3m.

Uefa have a new centralised TV contract for the 13 matches from the quarter-finals through to the final itself at Hampden on May 16. Teams who make the last eight will be paid £1.2m from that pot, and will also receive a £215,000 bonus from Uefa.

With another sell-out home gate, reaching the last eight would then bring a further £3m into the coffers.

Smith, meantime, hinted today that Stefan Klos could line up against Hibs on Sunday.

The German veteran will have to play against Osasuna next week in place of the suspended Allan McGregor.

"It would be unsettling to lose Allan as we've had a bit of stability in the back four and the goalkeeping position," Smith said.

"But we have a really experienced keeper in Stefan. Whether he plays at Hibs is something we'll decide on over the next 24 hours.

"Stefan is ready to come in if necessary."

Publication date 02/03/07

http://eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.1231533.0.0.php

theres nothing to weigh up get us over there!!! can I come!...groupie bearettes .com :Animation44:

[excoriate 0]

Do it, it won't affect the pre-season training in any way, win win!

[Stuart_RFC 41]

theres nothing to weigh up get us over there!!! can I come!...groupie bearettes .com :Animation44:

:Animation44:

[Muff 245]

Thats more f*cken like it!

[BlueSuedeSambas 54,229]

There should be no need to weigh up the offer, we should accept now. The potential cash that could come in from this game alone could be enough to fund the signing of a player IMO.

[Muff 245]

biggest pay-deal in football history.

Thats say's it all, accept!!!

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

There should be no need to weigh up the offer, we should accept now. The potential cash that could come in from this game alone could be enough to fund the signing of a player IMO.

Yep a huge market potential out there

[BlueSuedeSambas 54,229]

With a 50,000 sell-out crowd and add ons from clever TV dealings, Rangers could bank around £2m, with progression to the quarter-finals worth another £3m.

So from the three games against Ossasuna and possibly LA Galaxy we could potentially bank about 5-6 million pounds. That's great news as that could fund the signings of a couple of very good players in the summer.

However I have a feeling that this is too good to be true. i don't believe for one second that Martin Bain has the sense to pull off two deals that are this lucrative.

[Saudibear 0]

LA Galaxy must have a tie in with the media somewhere. It's the only way they could give Becks a $250 million contract. This would give us a chance to strut our stuff over there on TV before the dark side. Anyone know when Beckham's contract starts?

On a personal note, I've just changed my work schedule to be off for the NARSA convention. Of course if we get to the UEFA cup final the dates would probably change.

[Muff 245]

However I have a feeling that this is too good to be true

Exactly what I was thinking Dado.

Pull it off and it is a major coup for the club. Things like this make me excited!

[J_RFC87 761]

Dancing to the tune of timmy here

im more sceptical

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Dancing to the tune of timmy here

im more sceptical

What do you mean Jad...? Selling ourselves all over ?

[momo911 0]

play them theres nothing to lose and everything to gain ,lets make inroads in the us market!!!!

[BlueSuedeSambas 54,229]

However I have a feeling that this is too good to be true

Exactly what I was thinking Dado.

Pull it off and it is a major coup for the club. Things like this make me excited!

Things like this make me excited too......and then furious when they fall through!

If we don't accept this offer or pull out then the only people losing out will be us!

We will lose money

We will lose the chance to market ourselves in a very wide market

The game could act as a brillant bridge between the internationals. If we play LA Galaxy then the players will have had more match practise and will be fitter when they play in internationals, which will reduce the risk of injury, which could affect us.

We have to go for it while the chance is there otherwise somebody else will reap the benefits

[J_RFC87 761]

Dancing to the tune of timmy here

im more sceptical

What do you mean Jad...? Selling ourselves all over ?

Yea, iv always been a sceptic of Celtic's ventures into America and Japan. Neither are footballing nations but both grow money of trees and can afford to dish out to whoever, its just whoever takes the bait.

The advantages are easy to see. Easy 7 figure sum in the bank for a game of football, and potentially opening up a arket on the other side of the world. The Celtic done it, now look at them? Financially sound with £18 mil profits this year and a good team. Wheras we are making bare profits, poor squad and poor performances.

The money as everyone as said will used on the team which can only benefit us.

But we are selling ourselfs out and selling our soul just for some easy cash to a nation who doesnt care about football, Scotland or Rangers Football Club. It will being about a lot of pretend fans with a different mentality and attitude to RFC than we experience all the time here.

In other words, Celtic done this but sold their soul to the devil in the process. They bought a commerical super-success in Nakamura for entrance to another market (hey, who out of Celtic will tell you this?) for more money, and use paid extra dividends by the guy can actually play football.

The point is, money money money doesnt get you anywhere. Our most succesful times have been built on the foundations of Scottish/British players and a history/tradition of training our own players. Murray Park will reap the dividends soon, just need to be patient. We already are financially fine, we can pay players extreme amounts of money and have enough scope to succeed in the SPL, which is our bread and butter, and do well in Europe.

How exciting would it be to have a squad of mainly Scottish players, maybe even home grown playres like McMillian, Loy, Harvey etc coming through and doing well in Europe? If Ajax can do it in the 90's, cant we do it? I dont disagree with foriegn players, more money increase the temptation to buy foriegn 'better' players, like Tore Andre Flo.

Overall, I think we have enough marketing, economical and materialism ability to succeed in all areas as we are. Selling out would just aid it slightly, with more significant disadvantages than an £1 million in the bank.

[papaguy51 912]

If we don't do it I'll be amazed.

And note, we're actually getting INVITED, while Celtic continue to whore themselves to anyone whos interested.

[trueblue1872 2]

We could earn 6 million from the next two rounds jebus christ lets hope we make it to the final.

[Blue Stars Bearette 1]

Thats more f*cken like it!

exactly about time to Mr Bain maybe all our moaning on Clyde 1 and the forums got through (header)

[Danny 9]

If it's true that a club representative has confirmed that it's a possibility, then put simply it's a no-brainer.

Beckham is still a HUGE market force, and a game against his new side in the USA would be one of the biggest money spinning friendlies we've ever had.

This MUST be done.