Top-Tier Brands Partner with International Champions Cup as Tournament Continues to Demonstrate Strength in the Marketplace
Today, Relevent Sports announced global sports and innovative brands Under Armour, Gatorade, Equinox, GEICO, and DHL as sponsors for the 2016 International Champions Cup.
Under Armour, the industry leader in sports apparel, footwear and equipment will be the official ball and apparel provider of the ICC and will supply premium soccer product. This partnership will highlight the debut of Under Armour’s new Desafio soccer ball, and the first time that elite European clubs will play competitively with the ball. Gatorade will be the official sports fuel of the ICC, and their products and equipment will be integrated on the sidelines of all ICC matches.
Equinox, GEICO, and DHL also join as official partners of the 2016 tournament. Equinox, the high performance lifestyle leader with 81 global locations, is focused on engaging with match day fans and geo-targeting digital sweepstakes in the ICC markets with Equinox clubs (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco. DHL’s ICC campaign will complement their global partnership with FC Bayern Munich. The brand will activate multiple consumer promotions, including the “DHL Fan Reporter” and “Match Ball delivered by DHL.” Terms were not disclosed.
“These world-class brands joining as sponsors for the 2016 International Champions Cup is an extremely exciting development for us,” said David Tyler, CEO of Relevent Sports. “These top-tier brands, along with the multiple others we’ve signed, demonstrate the strength of the property and its growth in four short years. These brands work with some of the most influential and well-known organizations, teams and leagues in the world and our partnership highlights our place in this space.”
Prior to today’s announcements, Relevent Sports had signed HEINEKEN USA and their family of brands to be the presenting sponsor and official beers of the International Champions Cup. Indeed (Official Job Search), McDonald’s (Official Quick Service Restaurant), Vivid Seats (Official Ticket Reseller), Groupon Live (Official Social Commerce) will be sponsors of the 2016 tournament as well.
Each of the sponsors will get prominent exposure at ICC matches along with various activation programs leading up to and throughout the tournament. As presenting sponsor, HEINEKEN USA and their family of brands will create local market events, unique fan experiences, and ticket giveaways. Further, Indeed will focus on a match day assistant promotion and on-site fan engagement, while McDonald’s will have youth clinics in select markets, and match day player escorts/ball kids/flag bearers across the tournament
“We are proud with the consistent growth of the ICC as a valued sponsorship platform,” said Bob Brennfleck, CEO of Ascendent Sports Group. This year’s tournament has attracted the deepest roster of high-quality brands in our 4-year history and we will add more before our first match, later this month. Many of our partners have committed to the ICC for multiple years, which builds a solid sponsorship foundation for the property and enables us to collaborate on stronger long-term activation development and planning. It is clear that the ICC has arrived as the premier summer soccer property in North America and we are eager to see packed stadiums enjoy the thrill of watching the greatest clubs and athletes on earth.”
The 2016 International Champions Cup will run from July 23 – August 13 featuring matches across the United States and Europe. In just four years, the property has grown into one of the premier events on the sporting calendar, featuring top clubs from around the world playing in marquee venues including the Rose Bowl, Wembley Stadium and the “Big House” at the University of Michigan, among others. The ICC marks the beginning of the 2016-2017 global club football season and provides the best opportunity to see the top clubs before the start of their domestic campaigns.
In total, 10 teams from Europe will be competing in the 2016 International Champions Cup – from England (Liverpool FC, Chelsea FC, Leicester City FC), Italy (AC Milan, FC Internazionale), France (Paris Saint-Germain), Spain (FC Barcelona, Real Madrid), Germany (FC Bayern Munich) and Scotland (Celtic FC).
This year’s International Champions Cup features many of the most storied and successful clubs in the world, including many of the world’s top players. The 10 participating teams have won a total of 190 domestic league titles, 246 domestic cup titles and 36 UEFA Champions League titles. The teams feature 18 of the 2015-2016 FIFA Ballon d’Or nominees, as well as 50 of the top 100 players in the world as chosen yearly by renowned English magazine FourFourTwo.
In 2016, the International Champions Cup will once again be played worldwide, including standalone tournaments in both China and Australia. The overseas presence demonstrates the immense global appeal of the tournament and demand for elite competition during the summer. Clubs participating in China include Manchester City, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund – including a Manchester Derby at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing. Tottenham Hotspur FC, Juventus FC, Atletico Madrid and Melbourne Victory FC will compete in Australia, providing even more fans from around the world the opportunity to see their favorite clubs live.
