I had a basketball coach that always repeated to us:
One game is equivalent to five training sessions, you guys are more concentrated and pay more attention to all, the productivity you have is huge. The evolution of the players just training is poor, this is not real life.
This was the reason because he was always looking for friendly games with other teams or old players, to put you on real situations.
In my honest opinion he was right.
Now, 20 years later I have remembered these words but in a different environment: IT industry and customers.
When I started to work as developer I visited my customers and this was something usual to do; nothing strange. I work in a back-office and travel to visit my customers on the front office, but no everybody have these opportunities here.
The other day I read this fantastic comic and found that in the office I work there are so many developers that they never have met a customer face to face.
What will happen to them the first time they play their first real game?
WordPress
Google + 
Facebook