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Known for their groundbreaking and iconic ways to interact with their audience, Pepsi’s virtual gaming platform known as “Zona Gamer” has just announced a collaboration with DJ Mariio, one of the world’s most influential Youtubers ~currently at 8M Followers~ and primarily known for his content focused on soccer and FIFA.
With over 2.7 million gamers in the world, the virtual gaming industry is an industry that continues to show unstoppable growth. Gamers alone make up about one third of the world’s population and have practically carved out a virtual world of their own through their tournaments, rankings, and heavy presence.
Pepsi’s Zona Gamer (Gamer Zone) brings together the best technology and offers players a virtual platform that enhances and sharpens their gaming skills for electronic tournaments accompanied by the occasional involvement of top influential streamers. Through this virtual platform, players also have access to exclusive Pepsi merch, such as limited-edition Pepsi cans inspired by the digital gaming culture.
In this upcoming Zona Gamer partnership, Pepsi will be joining the world of E-Sports tournament with their first Pepsi e-sport Soccer tournament. To join, players must visit mundopepsi.com and register to be a part of the Pepsi Zona Gamer soccer tournament. The lucky winners of the tournament will have the chance to travel to Spain, where they will meet the legendary and insanely talented gamer, DJ Mariio (@djmariio) and will be able to play the final at the Dux Gaming Club – one of the most competitive gaming teams in the world.
The partnership between Pepsi and DJ Mariio provides an exciting and adventurous opportunity for gamers and also paves the way for Pepsi’s involvement in the virtual and nonvirtual world of soccer. The partnership was made possible through the support of ISL agency, who provided Pepsi with a thorough investigation and strategic approach to the brand’s needs and partnership requirements. Together, ISL and Pepsi x DJ Mariio are providing gamers with a never-before-seen immersive experience combining everyone’s love for soccer and video games; the only question left to ask is if you’re ready to step onto the field.
Make sure to check back for updates as we continue to roll out more details around the upcoming tournament, and as always, may the best player win.
This holiday season, the ISL foundation in collaboration with Barça Academy US Carolinas is making the holidays of child refugees truly special by gifting them soccer gear donations.
The campaign, also known as #SoccerLovesUkraine, is working closely with players from the different academies to gather all donated goods for child refugees from Ukraine that now reside in Poland. What started off as a small yet mighty donation effort by fellow Barça Academy Carolinas player, Alex Cordora, turned into a collective effort between the Barça Academy Carolinas and the ISL Foundation.
When asked what motivated him to start this initiative, Cordora said the following:
“I knew about the war and I learned about the effects that it had on the people in Ukraine and all around the world and I thought that they could use something to boost their spirits”
Full interview HERE
Through this campaign, kids are welcome to donate various types of lightly used soccer gear ranging from cleats to soccer balls and even shin guards. The donations will then be sent off to Poland where a vast majority of Ukrainian refugees have fled in an attempt to escape the war.
This campaign is one of the many different efforts managed by the ISL foundation and although each campaign has addressed various social topics or issues, this campaign in particular is one that will directly impact the lives of many children who have been forced to flee their home country with little to no time for packing any personal items.
“I would like to help out the Ukrainian refugees in need in Poland and give them a positive distraction and something to take their mind off the war” – Cordora when asked how he thinks this campaign can help children currently in shelters.
#SoccerLovesUkraine is an opportunity for us to collectively come together as a community not only through our love for soccer but through our core values of teamwork and empathy. ISL is a global community with the power to drive positive impact across this world, we take pride in helping others and hope #SoccerLovesUkraine will give Ukrainian children a memorable holiday season.
Please bring donations to Barça Academy Carolinas practice location in the USA between November 28th-December 4th, 2022. Donations can include new and gently used soccer equipment (cleats, shin guards, balls, pumps, gloves, etc.) and/or money to cover costs for shipping.
Read Monica Aguado’s, Humas Resources and CFO, insightful comments about the importance of corporate meetings on an era where remote work is growing fast and is not going anywhere anytime soon.
1. First of all, can you tell us about your job as HHHR & CFO Director?
I’ve been working with ISL since the company was founded, back when it didn’t even had an Human Resources structure. It has been a big challenge to create and shape this department; it definitely has been a learning experience and it’s amazing to see how far we’ve gotten. Part of my daily tasks also includes hand-in-hand work with the CEO preparing financial reports and tracking the cash flow which is crucial to make strategic decisions.
2. Taking into account that currently most of ISL’s employees work remotely, do you consider that corporate meetings are important?
During COVID times, ISL was introduced to remote work; nowadays most of the team works remote or hybrid. Because of this, many team members interact only virtually with the rest of the team. We consider that corporate meetings, now more than ever, are a must in our annual calendar of activities.
3. Which is the main objective of a corporate meeting?
The main objective of a corporate meeting is to boost physical and emotional experiences that we may lack in a daily basis. To achieve this, during corporate meetings we organize team building activities, meetings where we recap annual results and share future projections, luncheons and other interactive activities.
.4. How many corporate meetings a year do you think are necessary for ISL?
We’ve always aimed to held 2 corporate meetings per year and we hope to maintain this frequency, even though the company keeps growing and it’s hard to find a few days in the calendar where the whole team can meet.
Read Pere Segarra’s, our director of talent relationship, take on the current player market, the skills a Professional Player must have to thrive, and the importance of mental health in the football industry.
The market is on fire, especially in MLS. There have been two-star signings for LAFC: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) and Giorgio Bellnini (Juventus), two European legends who will make a difference in this league.
And as for Europe, there have been several star signings such as Halaan, who has signed with Manchester City, and Pogba’s return to Juve.
Many American players have the potential to enter the European market.
European clubs are interested in having young American promises to make the club grow in the United States, it is a good marketing tool, and obviously, the talent in the United States is increasing.
2. What skills should have a Tandhem player to represent him?
We mainly value the player’s professionalism and his commitment to his career. We also highly value the player’s projection and talent, but his dedication is critical.
You must be mentally strong and aware that there will be times that are tougher than others. We also consider his education and his closest environment, which are a support rather than a burden on his way.
3. And regarding mental health, is it essential that high-performance athletes take care of it?
Mental health is a taboo subject among footballers, which is not talked about enough, and it is the key and the big difference between a professional and non-professional player.
I recommend it to any player who feels that he doesn’t know how to handle pressure well, criticism, who has more negative thoughts than usual…
Certain players are affected much more than others, and due to their ego, they prefer to keep this fight quiet, and all they do is harm themselves.
Resorting to professionals will always provide a more significant improvement than any advice from someone who is not specialized.
4. Do the big teams consider physical and mental health when they are interested in a player?
Yes, both aspects are of vital importance for the clubs. The scouts of any club monitor not only the player on the field, but also his mental state, which I mentioned before: his environment, family, education…
The clubs have it very present. They discard the player if they believe that the player is confrontational or will not fit in well in the locker room because of his behavior.
Talent is what weighs the most in the balance, but each case must be taken into account individually.
On a physical level, they also study if the player has any irregularity that could cause future injuries or reduce his performance. Many millions are invested for each footballer, and the team takes care of even the smallest detail so that the operation is successful.
After the announcement of the next friendly matches of FC Barcelona in the USA, we have sat Bruno Díaz, Director of ISL’s Tours & Friendlies department, in the hot seat to find out more:
1. First of all, tell us about your work as Director of ISL’s Tours & Friendlies department.
It’s very exciting to help the clubs organize their preseasons.
We work with European, American, and Latam clubs to find each region’s best potential-friendly games.
It’s an essential time of the year for the sport and commercial departments of the clubs.
2. What are the objectives of friendlies?
Friendly games are crucial from a sports and commercial point of view.
During this time, the teams prepare themselves for the next season.
Playing against teams from different countries is always interesting.
From a commercial POV, clubs use these international tours to create brand awareness and gain more fans worldwide.
3. We recently announced a friendly match. Do you think there will be more news this season?
After two difficult years of COVID restrictions, we will finally see a lot of international games in the US and Europe for our clients.
It will be a busy summer for our team.
4. Are these matches essential for clubs?
They all need to play games to be prepared for the next season, and commercially speaking, it’s always a good source of revenue for the teams and a perfect occasion to win over more fans abroad.
After a year of rigorous selection and scouting at the LaLiga Select Talent IDs and jetting off to Madrid with 118 talented young North American footballers to spend two weeks training in the Spanish capital in the second phase of the program, 3 players have been selected, and offered scholarships by LaLiga Select to continue their journey in Spain and spend two weeks training with LaLiga youth teams to further learn and grow into professional level players.
The players trained at the academies of three LaLiga Santander clubs: RC Celta, Deportivo Alavés and Levante UD. Here, the young soccer players lived the experience of being part of three of the best LaLiga academies, trained with their coaches, learned their methodologies, and experienced various activities and the culture of their host cities.
LaLiga Select, the first talent detection project launched by ISL and an international soccer organization in North America, landed in Spain in March to train 118 young players from the USA and Canada. The players were selected by LaLiga Grassroots scouts from a total of 12,000 participants across 14 events and tournaments across the US since January 2021.
“It is an honor to see LaLiga Select players train at clubs like Celta, Alavés and Levante. We knew it was a program with a lot of potential that was not only going to give opportunities to footballers, but also to LaLiga clubs that can now attract North American talent. We are sure that Jacobo, Abraham, and Everton will be an example for other athletes who dream of being able to play in Spain,” says Alex Isern, CEO & Co-Founder of ISL Agency.
Next month ISL and LaLiga Select will kick off it’s tour of the US in search of new talent at the upcoming Talent IDs and encourage young, passionate players to sign up as spots are limited.
FC Barcelona has announced that they will travel to the United States this summer for the club’s pre-season tour. The club has collaborated with the ISL agency to close its first two games against Inter Miami FC and New York Red Bull of MLS.
The matches will take place on July 19 at the DRV PNK Stadium in Miami and on July 30 at the Red Bull Arena in New York. FC Barcelona approaches positions with the executive roles of the MLS and ensures for the first time two meetings with two of the most influential clubs in the North American League.
“Working alongside the MLS and two of its most popular clubs in the league, Inter Miami and New York Red Bull, has been instructive in finalizing the summer tour of FCBarcelona in the US.” Said Marc Segarra, ISL Managing Partner
“This marks a significant milestone for international soccer and sets a precedent for future clubs looking to capitalize on the US soccer market’s opportunity successfully. “ Said Alex Isern, ISL CEO
FC Barcelona has not played against New York Red Bull since 2008 and it will be the first time in history that FC Barcelona faces Beckham’s Inter Miami. In both cases, it is expected that the stadiums will be filled with both the MLS club and the Catalan team’s fans, who will have the opportunity to see Xavi’s Barça play in Miami and New York.
Over a decade ago, two best friends from Barcelona who graduated from
Winthrop University with honors and an NCAA Big South Soccer
Conference championship on their shoulders had an idea to change the
soccer landscape in North America for good.
With the support of Andres Manzano and UE Cornella, the journey
began while still in college, when they organized their first-ever soccer
activity on American territory. Over 80 children from the Carolinas
attended the winter camp,—— where they were able to explore, live, and
experience soccer in the same way that Marc and Alex did as
youngsters in Spain.
The mission was clear. Build the most robust, professional, and trusted pipeline
between the European and the US soccer market so they could both benefit
from each other.
And the vision was simple, becoming a referent in the production, organization,
and mediation of world-class soccer events across the Atlantic.
As a kick-off of their partnership, ISL prepared its first-ever campus summer
route across the East Coast. Nashville, Louisville, Birmingham, Charlotte,
Raleigh, Greensboro, and Richmond.
At that time, it was a very (but significantly) small company; that’s why Marc and
Alex acted as Project Manager, Event planner, and chaperone. Marc’s mother
took care of each of those children as if they were her own, doing the breakfast
and laundry.
That first international experience in Barcelona was ISL at its core. Professional, caring and unique.
During the summer of 2015, ISL was allowed to operate and manage FCBarcelona’s
soccer camps and international experiences.
FC Barcelona gave five markets for ISL to fill up the camps and provide a lifetime soccer
experience to all its participants. Louisville, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Richmond, and
Raleigh were the first cities. The rest is history.
In the meantime, ISL was working with his first client outside FC Barcelona, Xavi
Hernandez, to help him develop a training tool to help thousands of players improve their passing and controlling skills.
Oscar Grau, who ended up being the General Director of Barça, attended the
presentation in person along with the Deputy Manager of the city of Charlotte, Ron
Kimble.
In the upcoming years, ISL will focus on growing FCBarcelona’s summer camps, the
international experiences, and the soccer academy business. In a short period, ISL
managed over 10,000 participants across all of their activities surpassing the $10
million income threshold for the first time in less than four years of operation.
ISL grew up, and with it, its team (divided between Spain and the United States)
decided to open its Headquarters in Miami, Florida, during the summer of 2019 and
open three new services; Exhibition Games, Sponsorship Brokerage, and Talent
Management.
Thanks to ISL’s adaptability, it closed several exhibition games and sponsorship deals, keeping ISL afloat.
In January 2021, LaLiga betted on his ideas and created LaLiga Select: A new project to discover talent in the United States.
You have surely heard of NFTs. Surely you have listened to that Messi, Luis Suarez, and Modric created their own NFTs and were bestsellers within hours. Well, they did it together with Ethernity. Did you know that too? Epic.
ISLs core values are intact and continue to carry on our business to new heights; Integrity, Passion, Versatility, Ambition, Teamwork, Perseverance, and Empathy.
Who would have told us when we started that we would be in such a privileged position doing something meaningful while working with the biggest in the sports industry?
It is still hard to believe, but we have no doubt what brought us to this point; Believe, Humility, Respect, Hard work, Resilience, and Unconditional love for what we do and who we do it for/with.
Always grateful. Always thriving. Always ready.
Witness greatness. Witness ISL.
Marc, Alex, Bobby and team ISL.
This time around, ISL has secured the participation of Texas-based San Antonio FC and the San Luis Potosí-based, Liga MX side Atlético de San Luis in a friendly match in the upcoming pre-season, an excellent opportunity to play some top-level soccer before the season kicks off.
SAFC is to play Atlético de San Luis at the Taxan side’s home – the Toyota Field – on June 14 at 8:00 p.m. CT.
This friendly will welcome San Antonio FC back home after three-straight road matches from May 28th to June 11th. Visiting side, San Luis, recently advanced to the Liga MX quarterfinals after a penalty shootout win over Monterrey.
“It’s an important preseason match to find our form before the start of the tournament. We are very excited to show ourselves before our fans in the U.S. and start building bonds with them.” Severiano García, VP of Atlético de San Luis
Stay tuned for more match announcements and news from our Tours and Friendlies Department!
@islagency
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