Ugh, Chelsea!

Who does this? Its easy to rag on them for their billion dollar bench (despite that many other clubs are the same) but the...sheer glory hunting that is so obvious with Chelsea is what really rubs.

That people get on Beckham's case for being such a brand and not as much of a baller is aggravating but what Chelsea is doing/has done (who goes to LA two years in a row in the pre-season?) is worse. Its DISNEY! Gross. Soccer and Disney belong no where near one another outside of animated movies.

Sure, there is only so much players can do but when you sign with Chelsea (be/c of, largely, the massive amount of money the Club has recently come into - there is not alot of history in this club), its like you sign over your soul...to the highest bidder no less and allowing this type of blatant marketing plan to be run upon the backs of players like Ballack, Drogba, and Terry just makes me feel like they are all tools for the Abramovich money machine. But hey, thanks for that new UC training facility! Since you know, the UC system is so hurting for money...

Yes, money is a huge aspect or driving force of the EPL and of football around the world but a deal with Disney just makes me scowl with disgust. No class! None!

If Abramovich suddenly is willing to pour money into the "youth" and "community" of America, perhaps he should head back to Russia and return some of the billions he manipulated from the Russian working class during the post-soviet privatization time period, a la "Loans for Shares."


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From Espnsoccernet.
Chelsea have agreed a youth football partnership with the Walt Disney Company.

The Premier League club, currently on a pre-season tour of the United States, confirmed an initial four-year deal immediately prior to this morning's Disney Friendship Cup match with Club America.

Under the terms of the agreement, Chelsea become the official professional soccer club of Disney's Wide World of Sports and presenting sponsor of the Disney Soccer Showcase Series.

The Blues' business affairs director Paul Smith said on the club's official website: 'This partnership is groundbreaking for both sides.

'Chelsea is delighted to be partnering with Disney on this second project, following the sponsorship of today's game.

'Chelsea is committed to assisting and promoting all levels of soccer in the United States and youth soccer is a massive part of that. Disney is at the forefront of that movement in the US on various levels.'

Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex is a top youth football event destination, while Disney's Soccer Showcase is the number one youth football event in the United States.

Chelsea will also have significant presence at other Disney-created football events through coaching and player clinics.

These will be run under the guidance of Chelsea's Football in the Community scheme.

An annual educational exchange program will also be created where at least one Chelsea academy team will visit and compete at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

In exchange, the club will bring a winning team from a selected Disney soccer tournament to be their guests at a Chelsea match and train at their academy.

The announcement is the first stage in a possible broader partnership between the two companies.

Further talks are planned to see how Chelsea can work with the various entertainment and media brands within Disney.