There is "not much room for improvement," but if the organizers of the Int'l Champions Cup
competition -- Bart Campbell's TLA Worldwide group -- get their way, then Barcelona will be the "main drawcard for the
mid-winter tournament next year," according to Michael Lynch of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Bayern Munich is also one of the other big clubs organizers "are targeting, it is understood." And there "is a strong chance that a local club -- perhaps A-League champions Melbourne Victory -- could also be involved to add more domestic interest." This year's ICC tournament "was the first time the competition -- which features most of the world's top clubs playing in a three-cornered series in countries around the world -- came to Australia." Real Madrid was the headliner alongside Man City and Serie A side AS Roma. Real Madrid "pulled a massive crowd" of 99,382 to the Melbourne Cricket
Ground in July when it beat Man City in the final match of the ICC tournament. Crowds for the two Madrid games were enormous but the middle game, between AS Roma and Man City, "pulled just over 40,000, less than half the capacity of the MCG." To avoid such a situation again, if organizers feel that the games involving the teams "supporting" the main drawcard "might not attract a huge crowd they might try to play one of the games either at a smaller venue, such as Etihad Stadium, or perhaps even interstate" (SMH, 10/4).
