The season is about to begin! The Vikings take on the Saints and it is sure to be a good one. With the Brett Favre drama finally coming to an end (at least for this year) and the Saints winning team ready to go this game is sure to be a great match up. The game I am looking forward to the most is the Redskins V. Cowboys. Great Atlantic still has some overnight packages with or without bus and also very limited tickets left. Whatever game you are looking to watch this week i know it will be the start of a great season. If you need tickets to NFL games check out Great Atlantic Travel and search on the top right hand search bar for any team you want tickets for.

Six years down and only a double digit number of days left before South Africa welcomes the world to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We here at Great Atlantic Travel can’t wait until the first kick-off and our more than pleased with the amount of terric clients we have set up to go as we have surpassed that number from Germany 2006. If you haven’t gotten your ticket, airfare, hotel, or packages dont wait any longer as availability is getting down to the bare minimum. Even though the World Cup will be awesome to watch on ESPN HD, that will be nothing compared to the spectacle of being there live at the world’s best and most popular sporting event. After an amazing Olympics where the US hockey team had all of the country’s support and attention, its only fitting that the US Soccer team does the same on a much larger scale. It is setting up to be such an amazing time with numerous storylines taking shape such as the US being put in same group as England. The Americans have released their World Cup jerseys and they are going old school with the same threads they wore in the 1950 World Cup - the same World Cup they beat England 1-0, an event the Brits have still not gotten over. Then you have the host country South Africa in same group as France and Mexico as they are trying not to become the first host nation to fail advance to the second round. If you need anymore reasons or pushing I would look over this article from Goal.com. We look forward to setting up a lifetime experience for you!

With less than 188 days left until the 2010 FIFA World Cup gets kicked off, all 32 teams and their devoted fans found out today who their teams are grouped with and when/where they play. Soem teasm such as Mexico and Netherlands have to like their chances of moving past the First Round while other teams like top seeds Brazil and Germany may have been dealt very difficlut groups.

Group A                       Group B                   Group C              Group D
South Africa                 Argentina                 England              Germany  
Mexico                          Nigeria                     USA                      Australia
Uruguay                       South Korea            Algeria                 Serbia
France                          Greece                     Slovenia              Ghana

Group E                       Group F                    Group G                Group H
Netherlands                Italy                            Brazil                     Spain
Denmark                      Paraguay                 North Korea         Switzerland
Japan                           New Zealand           Ivory Coast           Honduras
Cameroon                   Slovakia                    Portugal               Chile

A few observations that should jump out and get attention:
Group A offers South Africa who is as host country is slated as a top seed. No host country has ever failed making it out of the first round. Uruguay will offer stiff competition as well as favorite Mexico and 2006 runner up France who neaded a handball against Ireland to make this World Cup.

Group B features Argentina who had a tough time qualifying behind their player turned coach Maradona as well as the 2004 Euro Cup Champions Greece, South Korea, and a speedy and possible dark horse in Nigeria.

Group C had everyone talking today as top qualifiers England were put in the group against the United States. That alone has intrigue going back as far as the 1950 World Cup when the US stunned all of the soccer world by beating England 1-0 which still has all of the England faithful upset to this day. Although paired with talented teams of Algeria and Slovenia, both the USA and England are relieved to not be in the “Group of Death” as the Us were in 2006.

Group D offers 4 very well supported countries in the likes of speedy Ghana, improving Australia, young Serbia, and 2008 Euro Cup runner up and one of the favorites - Germany. This may be one of the toughest groups to get out of.

Group E is rather interesting as they have the Netherlands who compete well every tournament but have a tough time in the final rounds with 3 teams who have been on a steady course of improving in soccer over the past 8 years in Cameroon, Denmark, and Japan.

Group F puts the reigning 2006 World Cup Champions Italy in a group with evenly matched Paraguay and Slovakia as well as New Zeland who makes their first World Cup in 28 years.

Group G is widely considered the toughest group as it features the consistent powerhouse Brazil along with Cristiando Renaldo’s Portugal. North Korea and Ivory Coastrounds out the group. The Ivory Coast is a very talented team who many believe will make it deep in this tournament and may be the kryptonite to Brazil based on their speed and defense.

The final Group H has FIFA ranked #1 and 2008 Euro Cup Champions Spain against the likes of an improving Switzerland and very well supported Honduras who is makingg their first trip to the World Cup in 28 years. Chile rounds out this group as this is their first World Cup since 1998.

Well the groups are set and now the only thing left to do is reserve your package through Great Atlantic Travel if you havent done so already. There is nothing like being at the worlds biggest sporting event where all politics and differences are put aside for a month in the name of the beautiful game. Great Atlantic Travel is the most expierenced and customer driven sports tour operators in the world and we are looking forward to providing packages to our 5th World Cup, the only operator to be credited as official by FIFA on 4 different occasions. Whether you are looking for Follow Team Packages, Team USA Specials, Semi-finals and Final Packages, Custom Packages,or Exclusive Emirates World Cup Packages we have your ticket to the biggest event in the world - the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Germany are no longer the feared side they once were and need to use the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa^TM qualifiers to re-establish their ruthless streak, captain Michael Ballack has said.”"We are lacking in dominance,” Ballack told Kicker magazine. “And recently the results have also not been good.

“This has a lot to do with physical condition but also with quality. We are in a phase where we don’t put teams under enough pressure.”

Costa Rica is targeting the Mexicans and trying to knock them out of the Qualifying for 2010 World Cup

See This Aritcle on Sports Illustrated

Mexico struggled just to reach the Hexagonal phase, having tied once and lost twice in its last three qualifiers.

If Mexico does not Qualify for the World Cup in South Africa will there be utter chaos?   YOU TELL ME!!!

Yahooooooooo   The 2010 FIFA World Cup is right around the corner!!!  The largest single-sport event in the world kicks off in South Africa on June 11, 2010. Nine FIFA World Cup Cities will host 64 Matches. One team will prevail as the 2010 FIFA World Cup Champions. Be there to Experience the drama, thrills, and adventure in South Africa!

Great Atlantic Travel is an official package provider for the World Cup.  Weather you want to follow team USA, Follow your favorite team, go see the Finals, Quarterfinals, or semifinals, or just plain create your own Custom Travel Package.  Check out all the travel packages including South Africa Youth Tournament 2010.  Or plan your trip with Soccer Legend Marcelo Balboa at the helm leading your trip and customizing which World Cup Matches you would like to see. See the 2010 FIFA World Cup match Schedule and pick out what team you would like to see (the draw will be on december 4th)  Pick your favorite matches for the World Cup and go explore South Africa in your downtime with safaris and other add ons.

Its sure to be a great Masters this year with the worlds supposed best golfer tiger woods.And with the economy the way it is Im sure you can get Masters Badges for way cheaper right? Wrong Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) — “Augusta National Golf Club, host of the Masters Tournament, is “blessed” financially even during the economic crisis and is investing in growing the sport, Chairman Billy Payne said in an interview in Hong Kong today.” It seems nothing taints the long tradition of the masters not even the fact that the economy is in shambles. If you are in need of some extra cash Great Atlantic Travel will buy your Masters badges and practice rounds.  This year why not try a Masters Hospitality package to go along with a perfect time in Augusta National.

Get your Masters packages at Great Atlantic Travel while we still got em!

For a team that has one of the league’s most historic past and largest group of fans, the Washington Redskins are simply not being talked about as the 2008 NFL season draws nearer. Especially for a team that had an impressive winning streak at the end of last year to make it to the playoffs as one of the more dangerous teams in the NFC before being eliminated by the Seahawks. After 2 impressive preseason games and even with a new coach the Redskins seem to not have lost a step, but rather gained two steps while nobody is noticing as Farve, the Cowboys, and Giants steal all the attention. I for one think that is awesome and am having a difficult time from getting too excited for a team that has made the playoffs three times since their Super Bowl XXVI victory. Sure it is only preseason but you can just tell that this team is different. There is a whole different kind of vibe noticed while watching them during training camp or a preseason game. Fortunately I am apparently not the only one who has noticed.

 FoxSports.com writer Alex Marvez backs my case with this terricfic article http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8442428?MSNHPHMA

Don’t miss the chance to witness history or at least a good NFL experience. Great Atlantic Travel has a Preseason Fan Appreciation Special where you can buy 2 tickets to the Redskins vs Jaguars preseason game for the price of 1. Thats less then the cost to fill up your car for the trip up there to FedExField.  Don’t feel like driving like Dale Earnhardt Jr on i-95? Then reserve your Day Trip or Overnight Package which includes roundtrip motorcoach transportation for any Washington Redskins home game as they take their new and improved team on the path to Super Bowl XLIII.

So the drama is finally over…Great!  I’m tired of reading about the old man on every sports related newspaper, not to mention, he’s the only topic of conversation on Sports Center these days.  He’s dominated every other interesting aspect of Sports Coverage for the past 2 weeks.  Now, we can finally move on to more interesting sports subjects such as the Beijing Olympics in China, and the Dallas Cowboys premiere of HBO’s Hard Knocks last night (Dam, they look good!)

So, Brett, like other greats whom have done the same before you, Emmitt Smith and Joe Montana, I think you’re doomed to fail.  The good news, other than New England and maybe Seattle, you have a patsy schedule.  You should be able to roll over teams like Cincy, Oakland, KC, Buffalo and San Fran.  I don’t see the Jets losing more than 4-5 games this year, so you’ll be back in the Playoffs for sure.  The Question: Can your old body take it?  In New York?  Sure is a big change from Mississippi and Wisconsin.

 Good Luck FAV-RE!

This upcoming weekend brings us a great couple of days in sports.

The action kicks off Friday night with Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers versus the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals. After that game the Utak Jazz will play the LA Lakers in their own game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals. So far in this round the home team has won 20 out of 21 games with the lone loss coming from the Magic losing to the Pistons in Orlando in a series that was boring and over quickly. Tonight I have the Celtics finally winning their first away game of the playoffs and ending the Cavaliers season. In Utah I see the Jazz protecting their home court where they have only lost 6 times all year to force an exciting Game 7 in LA where the Lakers will end up winning the series. In the last series I have the Hornets knocking off the Spurs in Game 7 on Monday in New Orleans to clinch their spot in the Western Conference Finals.

The Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown in horse racing, takes place on Saturday in Baltimore. After attending my first Kentucky Derby, which everyone should experience at least once with Great Atlantic Travel, I am throughly looking forward to see if Big Brown can become the 7th out of the past 12 Kentucky Derby winners to take the first 2 legs of the Triple Crown. The 2008 Kentucky Derby winner has been nothing short of impressive in his 4 races where he has won all four by a combined 33 lenghts, which is incredible. Big Brown has opened up at a crazy 1-2 odds and is seemingly scaring away the competition. It has been 30 years since we have had a Triple Crown winner and although some say we need to experience it again, I don’t see it coming this year. Big Brown is starting out of gate 7 where 11 Preakness winners have come from. At the Kentucky Derby, Big Brown won convincingly out of the 20th gate which has only been done once. I think he could’ve won if he started the race from 30 yards behind the gates. I have Behind at The Bar to win with Yankee Bravo placing, Big Brown to show, with Gayego and Kentucky Bear rounding out the top five.

Saturday also features NASCAR’s 24th All Star Race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte. This is a great event to watch as it really seperates their all star game from that of the other major sports. It is always fun to watch and the drivers are still just as competitive as they are racing to win a million dollars. Charlotte rolls out the red carpet too as they make sure the party lasts all weekend. The race is made up of 4 different segments and is a great way to be introduced to the sport. Even though he hasn’t mon a poiunts race this year I have Dale Earnhardt Jr winning the race with Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch rounding out the top three. Great Atlantic has tickets and packages available to all races including the very popular September Richmond Race which is the last race until the chase - NASCAR’s playoffs.  

A quick THANK YOU!! to the over 1,000 great clients that we had the pleasure of serving at this past weekends NASCAR Crown Royal 400 race at Richmond as well as the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby and Oaks. We enjoyed the priviledge of accommodating our sports loving clients everything from Overnight and Day Packages to Front Stretch tickets to Millionaires Row.

All race fans, were treated to great races whether they were cheering for their favorite driver and car or their favorite throughbreed. Clint Boyer took advantage of a questionable hit on Dale Earnhardt Jr from Kyle Busch to take the victory at Richmond. Out west in Louisville, for the fourth time in 21 years the favorite had won the Kentucky Derby. Big Brown also became the second horse ever to win the most exciting 2 minutes in sports from the number 20 gate.

Packages are available for the September 6th NASCAR Chevy Rock N Roll race at Richmond which is the last race before The Chase. That is sure to be as exciting as any race of the year. We will also have packages available for the 2009 Kentucky Derby in the coming months. Whether you joined us this past weekend or are considering doing so with any of our upcoming events (NFL, Olympics, Euro Cup, Masters), we certainly thank you and look forward to seeing you again in the near future.