Britten's Champions League anthem has become one of the most recognised sporting songs in the world with the famously multilingual refrain ("Die meister, die besten, les grandes equipes, the champions") instantly familiar to football fans around the world.
International soccer fans know it well: When the greatest clubs in the world face off in the UEFA Champions League and the iconic theme song kicks in, it just feels different. Well, baseball is now getting in on the international club action, too, with the Baseball Champions League. Starting Thursday
There were a few things that needed to be accommodated in this inaugural year. First, the leagues needed to know who was hosting the tournament and what the teams were going to be before the end of the 2023 regular season. So, the clubs taking part are the 2022 champions -- Leones de Yucatán, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Alazanes de Granma and Caimanes de Barranquilla -- instead of this year's winners.
"It's like our champion versus your champion, our best gladiator against your best gladiator, not a culmination of our best gladiators from separate markets," Schaub said. "It's our best market versus your best market. I do think that's appealing. And what's cool for me as a commissioner is that I get to root for a team. I never [get to cheer] -- besides for the umpires -- but for us to have some pride in our champion, like as a league going down there to represent us, I think is awesome."
"The games Leones plays in are going to be sold out and the atmosphere is going to be crazy," Schaub said. "And our players, truthfully, even the ones that have been the big leagues, I don't think they're going [to be prepared] for the atmosphere and the noise, the dancing, the horns. I'm excited for that. And I look forward to going down there and competing our [butts] off to win this championship."
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