We're all going on a summer holiday

It is rumoured that three English Premier League teams - Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Hull City - will play a series of games in Beijing this summer as part of a competition involving Chinese Super League team Beijing Guoan. This won't be the first time that English (or indeed European) teams have headed for South East Asia (Manchester United will also be playing in China this summer). Why are the teams doing this? Is it simply for pre-season practice? Somewhere warm? Somewhere that teams are guaranteed a good reception? Somewhere away from the usual pre-season pressures and scrutiny? Or is there something more to it? Are such games a short-term commercial opportunity? Or part of a long-term strategy aimed at promoting brands and boosting an overseas fan base? Is this a situation of new market entry for the teams involved? In which case, what are some of the management, marketing and operational challenges that such teams face? If it is a repeat visit for a team, how should it aim to take advantage of the trip, and is it a case for the club of having to focus on market development activities? If it is a short-term commercial opportunity, the question is: is the trip worth it? While the financial benefits may be appealing, do the travel distances and demands of a high profile visit make the trip worth anything? If the trip is part of a long-term strategy, how does it actually fit in with a club's strategy? Can a sustainable fan and/or long-term brand equity be built on the basis of infrequent visits to South East Asia? If not, then what else are the clubs involved doing to leverage value from their upcoming summer games?