ðeɪ sˈɜːv æz pɹˌɛpɚɹˈeɪʃən fɚðə tˈiːmz fɚðə sˈiːzən kˈʌmɪŋ; haʊˈɛvɚ, æz ðə jˈɪɹz wɛnt baɪ ðə kəmpˈɛɾᵻtˌɪvnəs ɪnðə tˈʊɹnəmənts ɪŋkɹˈiːst, ænd ðeɪ ɑːɹ nˈaʊ kənsˈɪdɚd æz ɪmpˈoːɹtənt kˌɑːmpətˈɪʃənz.
They serve as preparation for the teams for the season coming; however, as the years went by the competitiveness in the tournaments increased, and they are now considered as important competitions.