Continue drinking tea, heading off before serious play starts

• Like pro baseball in February
• Like some exhibition games
• Spring-training period
• Time for a friendly game of football
• Add a bit of spice before the competitive games start
• A period prior to the beginning of the regular season which is devoted to training and preparation
• Not counting, in a way
• Time for an exhibition

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. The period before the start of a sporting season, during which players undergo training and venues are prepared vb. (context transitive English) To season in advance.

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. a period prior to the beginning of the regular season which is devoted to training and preparation