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breathe
soccer
Historic La Liga team Real Betis, commonly known as Betis, was on a recent postseason tour in the U.S. and around the globe as part of an aggressive growth strategy to expand into foreign markets to gain a larger fan base. The tours focus was to give current fans the opportunity to see them play locally, but also to test their futbol prowess against international clubs from around the world.
It was upon learning that the team would be stopping off as part of their travels in the nation’s capital to take on Wayne Rooney and D.C. United for an exhibition match that Toni Ortega, the International Business Manager for Real Betis and (long time ISL friend) Marc Barta, reached out to our Events Team to put together an itinerary for the players during their brief stay in Washington.
ISL Relationship Director, Pere Segara, arranged full access activities for the club. For many of the Betis players this was their first time to the Washington, D.C., let alone traveling to the United States, so what better way to experience America than taking in the countries traditional past time, baseball. Betis took in a Washington Nationals game to cap off a memorable trip for the club, players, and Betis fans.
ISL recently helped connect two of the worlds biggest sports star, Zlatan Ibrahimovic of LA Galaxy and Mariano Díaz of Real Madrid. ISL worked closely with Mariano Díaz and the LA Galaxy in order to meet Mariano’s childhood hero, and lifelong role model, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to create and capture a unique moment for both of the soccer stars.
Majority of European clubs are currently on their summer offseason, meaning Mariano Díaz had the time to visit Los Angeles where Ibrahimovic was training with LA Galaxy, who are in the middle of their MLS season. With ISL facilitating, the two met at LA Galaxy’s training facility, where they exchanged signed jerseys and kind words. Mariano Díaz was then shown around the impressive LA Galaxy Facility.
The two stars are at very different stages of their careers. Mariano Díaz came up through the Real Madrid Academy ranks, and now the 25 year old Real Madrid forward is working to take his club career to the next level. Ibrahimovic is in the later stages of his career, but it hasn’t stoped him from taking the MLS by storm, similar to every other club he has played at, with 35 goals in only 42 games. Earlier this week, Ibrahimovic received the ESPY for 2019 MLS player of the year.
ISL Talent Relationships Director, Pere Segarra, has a long time relationship with Mariano Díaz’s manager, who reached out to Pere to arrange the moment. Pere was able to quickly and happily set up the meeting for Mariano and his team.
As part of our 6 year anniversary celebration, we’re taking the time to look back at our short yet productive history as a company. Each month over the next several months, we’ll be revealing a part of our story, a story that wouldn’t exist without everyone who has helped support ISL along the way.
For our third look back at our story, we take a look at some of the biggest milestones that changed the future of the ISL family, and propelled us forward for years to come.
Typically, it’s difficult for American soccer fans to connect with international soccer stars in intimate, grassroots settings. Players are often either competing for their European clubs or their international teams, meaning the closest they get are through a TV screen. However, the summer brings a welcome opportunity for players and American soccer communities to connect while players are on their vacations and staying in shape outside of the public eye.
Recently, ISL were able to help some of the biggest names in soccer connect with the Los Angeles soccer community. Romelu Lukaku, on vacation after recently wrapping up the UEFA Nations Cup, traveled to California and connected with ISL to put on grassroots opportunities over 2 days of soccer and community.
The Belgian and current Manchester United forward took time out of his vacation to put on pickup matches open to the LA soccer community in tandem with ISL. Lukaku’s management team, and ISL connected the LA community with Lukaku and his fellow professional soccer playing friends like Ben Arfa, and Jerome Boateng.
Over 2 days, Director of Talent Relationships for ISL Pere Segarra, helped the stars with private facilities to train and keep sharp as well as play grassroots pickup games with the L.A. Community. For the local L.A. players it was a truly once in a lifetime opportunity to play alongside some of the biggest stars of soccer in an intimate setting. It was a great couple of days for everyone involved, and ISL continued to strengthen it’s connection with the biggest names in the world of soccer. We wish the best of luck to new friend, Romelu Lukaku, on his upcoming season.
As part of our 6 year anniversary celebration, we’re taking the time to look back at our short yet productive history as a company. Each month over the next several months, we’ll be revealing a part of our story, a story that wouldn’t exist without everyone who has helped support ISL along the way.
For our second look back at our story, we have a look at when ISL truly began to establish itself, and continue to prepare for the growth that we couldn’t predict to come.
June 11, 2019
This week, Barca Academy camps around the the country begin as thousands of participants aged 6-16 years old train and compete under the FC Barcelona moniker for a week. This is an exciting time, and a huge event management undertaking as once again we have the good fortune of partnering with FC Barcelona in representing their namesake branded camps.
FC Barcelona camps managed by ISL will be in 37 different cities, coast to coast, over the course of 6 weeks. The tour requires intricate logistical and travel management planning months in advance. The 2019 tour will have hundreds of staff members across the country to help ensure the thousand of participants all get the same high quality experience.
Since ISL began it’s partnership with FC Barcelona, each tour sees more locations added year on year, leading to consistent grow. 2019 will see 4 new locations with Washington D.C., Seattle, Dallas, and Houston added to the tour, continuing the FC Barcelona brand expansion strategy.
We have an established and trusted relationship with FC Barcelona, to which the iconic soccer club relies heavily on our Event Management team to execute all forms of planning to see that each camp is impactful, fun, and a memorable event for all players and attendees. We highly value our relationship with FC Barcelona, not just because it is a legendary global brand, but because everything they do is done with excellence. That standard of excellence is one that leads to a powerful partnership, and long term success.
During a press conference in Barcelona today, MIC Sports and ISL officially announce their formal agreement. The agreement see’s ISL acquire the rights to host and manage the worlds most prominent International youth soccer tournament to the United States, the Mediterranean International Cup. Tournament ambassador Marc Bartra, and former participant of the Mediterranean International Cup, was alongside the two partners supporting the new venture.
ISL Co-Founder and CEO Alex Isern said of the agreement “We are very excited to bring to the US one of the best youth soccer tournaments in the world. It will be a pleasure to work with a great organization like MIC Sports and together we will form a very powerful team. We have been working on this project for a long time and we are thrilled to say it will be a reality at the end of this year. We believe it’s a great opportunity for American teams to participate in a world class event that has hosted world class soccer stars like Messi, Neymar, Piqué.”
ISL are delighted to bring the MIC, short for Mediterranean International Cup, to the United States. The 19 year old tournament is considered the worlds most prestigious youth soccer tournament and is headed into its milestone 20th year. Over the course of nearly two decades, tens of thousands of players from around the world have participated, and countless of the game’s modern stars found the tournament to be the launching pad for their early careers. MIC USA will bring a distinguished level of professionalism to the youth soccer tournament scene in the United States, and has the vision of being the destination event for years to come.
The inaugural American event will take place in late 2019 in Florida, and will be held annually. The tournament was originated with one vision, to provide the opportunity for young players to participate against the worlds best teams and players. ISL are now seeking valued partners and sponsors to support the tournaments vision in the United States.
This morning, ISL hosted a press conference in Orlando, Florida with FC Barcelona announcing the 50th Barça Academy will be coming to Orlando in Fall 2019. ISL have been trusted by FC Barcelona over the years to strategically plan and execute an expansion strategy for the Catalan club, and it continues with the opening of the milestone Barça Academy Orlando. Key FC Barcelona, ISL and local Orlando figures were in attendance drawing strong local media attention.
Xavier O’Callaghan, FC Barcelona managing Director North America, was quoted on the launch saying “This is a unique opportunity for Orlando-area youth to receive the methodology and values from coaches with one of the premier soccer clubs in the world.” Xavier O’Callaghan leads the FC Barcelona strategy of establishing and maximizing representation of the club in the North American market. Part of the club establishment, is led by Carles Martin, Director of the Global Barça Academy project. “One of the main goals of Barça Academy has always been to give players around the world the opportunity to be exposed to our methodology, acquiring our core values and soccer capacities” Said Carles.
Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe was in attendance and showed her enthusiasm for Barça Academy coming to Orlando in saying “The fact that FC Barcelona is coming to Orlando gives us the opportunity to involve our diverse community in a project that has a dedicated foundation and integration base. These standards are very well aligned to our operative mindset. This could be a major boost for Orange County.”
Barça Academy Orlando will begin play in Fall of 2019 at Austin Tindall Regional Park.
The move is part of the club’s giant push for a bigger footprint in the United States, and a worldwide boost of its Barça Academy project. ISL are looking forward to continuing its work with FC Barcelona, and ISL co-founder said of being an official partner “This new program will not only help local players experience firsthand the best international, professional and developmental soccer pathway, but will also reinforce Orlando in a Global Soccer Stage.”
ISL executives were fortunate to attend Sports Business Decision Makers Summit to take in some great insights into current sports business and marketing trends.
While a majority of the Miami, FL event held at the W Hotel focused around sponsorship and partnerships, the summit also covered investment in sport, global expansion of sports brands, sports fans, collegiate athletics, and much more. Read up on some of the major insights discussed, and social media highlights.
Fans in Asia, are different to fans in Europe, who are different to fans in South America, who are even more different to fans in North America. Each region brings different challenges, and North America appears to be the most challenging, yet most rewarding. O’Callaghan cited 2 important strategies that build the FC Barcelona fan base in the United States, those were the presence of a North American office, and the expansion of Grassroots efforts like the world famous Barca Academies. ISL continues to execute the major Barca Academy grassroots strategy, and growing the famous FC Barcelona brand.
Eelco van der Noll, head of Partnership and Sponsorship for Anheuser-Busch inBev, spoke on the Brand side of sponsorship and partnership. One key topic was on the value of the Esport target market for brands. All the major sports and leagues primary targets vary in ages, however they are all primarily 30+ years old. Esports primary target market, 24-30 years old, is an extremely valuable age range for building lifelong brand affinity.
As a major focus of the event was on partnership and sponsorship, we had to mention some of the modern approaches to the effective marketing strategy. Chief Revenue Officer for Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, Adam Davis, spoke on a modern approach to partnership marketing. Today, brands are looking for partners, not sponsors. Traditional stock sponsorship packages are a thing of the past. Instead, the approach to a modern conversation needs to have the mind frame of improving the business for each side of table, and it’s an ever evolving relationship.
Join us over the next several months as we celebrate how far we’ve come in just a short time. Each month we’ll be revealing a part of our history that has led us to today, a history that wouldn’t exist without everyone who has helped support ISL along the way. Our first glimpse takes a look back at the roots of ISL, well before our first days as a company. This is just the beginning!
