We
breathe
soccer
breathe
soccer
Yesterday morning, the captain of FC Barcelona and Spain’s national team, passed by ISL’s Barcelona Soccer Experience training session to meet our players.
Busquets stopped at the Barcelona Soccer Experience training session to meet the 135 American players who travelled overseas to enjoy an unique soccer experience. It was a big surprise for all the young players, who were very excited to meet an international soccer star.
Just like them, Busquets had the dream to one day play for a club like Barça, and since 2005 he has been making his dream come true every day, step by step. From the Barça youth teams, to the first team, to wearing the blaugrana Captain armband. His perseverance, commitment and hard work are inspirational for all the young generations.
Sergio took the time to take a picture with each player and encourage them to keep pursuing their professional soccer careers.
The Barcelona Soccer Experience is a program developed by ISL to provide a professional and international soccer experience that players can’t have access to in the US. As the places are limited, the scouting process is made in collaboration with Barça Academy US, reaching players from all across the country.
The program offers American players and their families an exclusive and unique soccer experience in Barcelona, combining training sessions with official Barça Academy coaches, and competition matches against other Spanish teams. It also includes cultural guided excursions, an exclusive Camp Nou tour, Barça home matches, and many surprises!
For more information about The Barcelona Soccer Experience check https://islagencyold.wpenginepowered.com/travel/
It all started in 2015 with 5 cities (Raleigh, Charlotte, Richmond, Cincinnati and Louisville).
Alex Isern and Marc Segarra – ISL’s CEO and ISL’s Managing Partner – closed a deal with FC Barcelona to manage official Barça Soccer Academies and Camps in the United States.
The main goal was to expand the FC Barcelona brand, values and methodology in the US, while captivating and developing young talent.
Eight years later, we may say this goal was not only achieved but very much exceeded by ISL.
The Barça Academies receive thousands of players for a year round program, and the Barça Camps create a true lifetime experience where young players train like FC Barcelona stars for a week.
The numbers speak for themselves: more than 35.000 American players have participated in ISL’s Barça Academy Soccer Camp program over the last 7 years.
“We are opening Barça Camps registrations for the 8th time and we are as excited as we were 8 year ago. We have learned a lot along the way and we want to keep giving an amazing and truly unique experience to all the players and families.”- says Albert Balsells, ISL’s Director of Barça Academy Soccer Camps.
This year, ISL is also improving the experience with even more official Barça coaches, the latest training routines from FC Barcelona and new host cities – Los Angeles and Peachtree City are now part of the Barça Camps roster!
In 2022, a total of 37 cities in more than 20 different states will welcome young players aged 6 to 17 for an unforgettable Summer camp experience!
Players will not only train and play under the Barça methodology, they will also have the chance to be selected for a Soccer Experience in Barcelona to train at Barça facilities, go to FC Barcelona matches, visit Camp Nou, explore Barcelona, and play against other Spanish teams.
Barça Academy Soccer Camps kick off on June 13th and end on July 29th, 2022.
Find more information and register here!
Today, at the Ciudad Deportiva de Valdebebas, the American players participating in ISL’s Madrid Soccer Experience were surprised by the visit of Real Madrid star Lucas Vázquez!
It was a day to remember for the 43 young American players that travelled with ISL to participate in an intensive and exciting soccer experience in Madrid.
Little did they know that after their first training session they were going to meet a professional soccer player from one of the best clubs in the world.
Lucas Vázquez, who also plays for Spain’s national team, arrived with a big smile and took a picture with each player and staff member, while sharing words of encouragement.
With an enviable career, Lucas is a reference for these young kids who share one common dream: to play for a team like Real Madrid.
The Madrid Soccer Experience program offers American players and their families an exclusive and unique soccer experience in Madrid, combining training sessions with matches against other Spanish teams, and guided cultural visits to explore the city.
The experience also includes Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid LaLiga matches, as well as exclusive tours of both clubs’ stadiums – Santiago Bernabéu and Wanda Metropolitano.
In addition, the ISL team makes sure to always prepare something to surprise the players and make their experience even more unforgettable!
Learn more about ISL Experiences and follow us on Instagram! @team_isl
November was a busy month for ISL!
In addition to opening registrations for the 8th Barça Academy Soccer Camps, a program developed with FC Barcelona and Barça Academy, ISL organized three simultaneous soccer events with over 1.000 American young players.
On the weekend of November 20th, ISL kicked off the LaLiga Select Talent ID in New York, the Madrid Soccer Experience and the Barcelona Soccer Experience.
LaLiga Select is LaLiga’s first and only official recruitment program in the US, created, developed and managed exclusively by ISL. Previous Talent IDs have taken place this year in Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Canada. LaLiga Select also hosted several Showcases around the US in collaboration with local tournaments and soccer entities.
The selected players from the Talent IDs and the Showcases will be invited for a Showcase in Madrid, where they will be trained and watched by different LaLiga clubs, with the chance of being chosen to participate in a training camp from a LaLiga club.
The Madrid and Barcelona soccer experiences offer young players the chance to live a unique soccer week overseas, training with official coaches in the facilities of Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid and FC Barcelona. In addition, ISL organizes surprise visits of professional football players to the training sessions of the experieciences – this time, Lucas Vázquez from Real Madrid, and Sergio Busquets from FC Barcelona, came to meet and greet the players and took a picture with each one of them.
These experiences also include several matches against Spanish teams, exclusive stadium tours, guided cultural visits of Madrid and Barcelona, and live matches of all 3 clubs. The “mise en scene” of 3 events of this magnitude in 3 main cities takes years of expertise, as well as the deployment of dedicated teams both on the field and behind the scenes, making sure everything goes according to plan.
In total, more than 1.000 young American players participated in the events, with over 150 coaches and more than 100 staff members. The three events were planned and developed by the ISl team with months of anticipation, in collaboration with LaLiga and LaLiga Academies, FC Barcelona and Barça Academies, Real Madrid, and Atlético de Madrid.
ISL is proud to actively contribute to the development of soccer in the US, by organizing events that offer players unique training and competition opportunities, and give them the chance of traveling overseas and get to know some of the biggest clubs in the world.
On the Grill: Bruno Diaz, ISL Sponsorship Director
In May this year, FTX became the first cryptocurrency exchange to sponsor a professional sports arena in the United States – the Miami Heat Arena.
In June, Valencia CF signed an innovative shirt sponsorship deal with Socios.com, the blockchain-based fan engagement platform.
Socios.com also replaced Pirelli as front-jersey sponsor of Serie A champions Inter Milan.
In September, Inter Miami CF revealed the club’s first-ever jersey sponsor, announcing a multi-year partnership with XBTO, a world leader in cryptofinance, also compromised with creating stability for the crypto market.
The jersey partnership is among the biggest deals in MLS to date, and marks the first cryptofinance partnership deal in the league.
Will it be the first of many?
Are cryptofinance and fintech companies taking over the sports sponsorship industry?
We asked ISL Sponsorship Director, Bruno Diaz, what were his thoughts on this new sponsorship trend and how it can impact the industry.
It is a new sector with millions of potential clients – investing in cryptocurrency is something that has been captivating consumers for over a decade now, since the launch of Bitcoin in 2009.
The new wave of Fintech and Crypto companies entering sports sponsorship reminds me of when the betting industry entered the sports world. Everyone still remembers Cristiano Ronaldo wearing the Bwin jersey for Real Madrid!
Apart from generating credibility, being present on a sports entity gives the brand access to the club’s audience and fans – it is a fast and efficient way to increase brand knowledge.
For top cryptocurrency companies like FTX and XBTO, it is also very helpful to expand their message to the general public, engage new audiences and increase their interest in cryptocurrency.
Over the last years the most traditional sectors in the world of sports sponsorship have been: banking, insurances, beers and soft drinks, airlines, the automotive industry, and most recently, betting companies and videogames.
No industry has infinite resources. However, the percentage of the budget dedicated to marketing is higher in some industries, and so are the investment rounds. Which is why we are seeing startups with a big visibility in relevant sports entities – jersey sponsor, naming sponsor, etc.
I don’t think they feel threatened, even if the fintech/crypto companies occupy spaces that otherwise could have been for another brand. But I believe all industries can coexist without conflict in the sponsoring world. Our job as marketing and sponsoring specialists is exactly to make everyone happy by guaranteeing that all brands are able to transmit their message to the fans through their sponsorships.
Yes, absolutely. When a sector generates good financial results, other players show up and try to overcome the first ones. Which is why we are already seeing different fintech and crypot companies entering the market.
Considering the market trends I believe the potential of fintech and crypto companies will keep getting stronger. This will force the “traditional sectors” to be more creative in how to reach their target audiences.
I believe the future of sports sponsorship will be balanced and that most likely in 10 years we will again be seeing new sectors on sports jerseys.
After a forced break of almost 2 years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ISL has resumed its events and sports travelling activities this month, hosting the Barcelona Soccer Experience.
Sixty players and ninety families from across the USA joined Team ISL on its return, for a 9 day unforgettable experience in the beautiful and sunny Barcelona.
The players had the chance to train at FC Barcelona facilities with Barça Academy official coaches and compete against other teams.
Players and families enjoyed an exclusive Camp Nou Tour and two LaLiga matches featuring Catalonia’s main clubs – Barça and Espanyol.
One of the culmination moments was the surprise visit of FC Barcelona’s first team player, Eric García, who met the players after a training session at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.
Just like them, Eric started playing at the Barça schools. The 20-year-old centre back posed for photos with the youngsters and shared encouraging words.
ISL also organized outdoor and cultural activities where players and families got to know and explore the city with private guided excursions.
The ISL team has been working hard to offer better travel experiences, prioritizing the players’ and families’ safety at all times.
“We were forced to stop our activity by the Covid-19 restrictions, but we never really stopped working, as we were confident we’d be back stronger. We wanted to be prepared for when the time came, and now we are thrilled that our first event was such a great success. The smiles on our players’ faces and the positive feedback from their families is what kept us going and what we will keep working for every day.” – says Achille Obougou, Director of Travel Management.
This season, ISL has 20 sport events lined up in 5 different locations.
Stay tuned to find out more about the best soccer tourism experiences! @team_isl
Last Tuesday, FC Barcelona player Eric García joined ISL staff and players in the Barcelona Soccer Experience training session at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.
It was a surprise for the young American players, who were thrilled to meet the FC Barcelona star!
Just like them, Eric García comes from the Barça schools and his trajectory is an inspiration for the young generations who aspire to become professional soccer players.
The 20-year-old centre back posed for photos with the youngsters and also got the chance to say a few words to them, encouraging them to continue playing the sport and work hard to get better every day.
The visit happened during a training session of the Barcelona Soccer Experience, a program developed by ISL Experience.
This program offers American players and their families an exclusive and unique soccer experience in Barcelona, combining training sessions, competition, cultural visits, a Camp Nou tour, a Barça match, and many surprises!
Stay Tuned! @team_isl
The ISL Foundation launched a solidarity campaign in celebration of World Food Day – October 16th.
In collaboration with ISL Futsal and Barça Academy Charlotte, ISL was able to collect and deliver 308 pounds of food to Loaves & Fishes – an NGO dedicated to feed the neighbors in need.
This donation will contribute to help Loaves & Fishes who serve over 100,000 people in need in Charlotte, North Carolina.
ISL Futsal Director, Adam Brundle, was responsible for the campaign’s success, and he reinforced the need to keep organizing this type of community support – “It’s amazing to see we have so many loyal families who always jump at the opportunity to help. These initiatives, however big or small, truly go a long way in helping us support other great organizations who are changing lives everyday. “
According to the information shared by the United Nations, there was a dramatic worsening of world hunger in 2020, much of it likely related to the fallout of COVID-19.
While the pandemic’s impact has yet to be fully mapped, the UN estimates that around a tenth of the global population – up to 811 million people – were undernourished last year. This number suggests it will take a tremendous effort for the world to honour its pledge to end hunger by 2030.
The ISL Foundation is sensitive to the global challenges that threaten the world and is fully engaged in helping to tackle world hunger.
On October 10th, Ethernity Chain will make available the first Luis Suárez NFT (non-fungible token) collection – exlusively on Ethernity’s platform.
After the successful launch of Messi’s record-breaking NFT collection in August, which grossed $3.4 million on the first day, ISL and Ethernity will convert “El pistolero” into historic digital tokens.
Uruguay’s all-time leading goalscorer will be the next soccer star with an official and authenticated NFT collection. The collection is composed of 5 NFTs representing his epic career in the Premier League, La Liga and Uruguay’s national team.
ISL – Ethernity’s official and exclusive soccer partner – has enabled the deal between Ethernity Chain and Luis Suárez.
Ethernity’s previous NFT collections for Pelé, Copa América and Messi reached an accumulated sales value of over $5 million, positioning Ethernity and ISL as a leading reference of digital art in the soccer industry.
“Our goal is to keep developing the joint potential of Soccer and NFTs, and to continue building bridges between sports and the digital world”, – says Marc Segarra, ISL Managing Partner. “Luis Suárez is a living soccer legend and this collection represents another milestone for the NFT and soccer industries”, – adds Alex ISern, ISL CEO.
“Our mission is to continue creating exclusive collections with the best talent in the world and the digital artists of the moment. Suarez’ NFT edition is one of the most anticipated sports collections we have ever launched, and we can’t wait to share it with the fans,” explains Nick Rose, CEO of Ethernity Chain.
In the coming months ISL and Ethernity will announce more NFT collections with top global soccer brands.
Stay tuned!
On the Grill: Pol Solé
The US Men’s National Team has recently beaten Mexico in the 2021 CONCACAF GOLD CUP FINAL becoming the new soccer Champion of North and Central America.
With a sports history mostly famous for American Football, Baseball, Basketball and Ice Hockey, the US are emerging as a new soccer talent pool with several American players already playing in some of the biggest clubs in the world, such as Christian Pulisic in Chelsea FC, Sergiño Dest with FC Barcelona or Yunus Musah with Valencia CF.
Pol Solé, the ISL director of LaLiga’s first and oficial soccer recruitment program in the US – LaLiga Select – shared with us his feedback from the LaLiga select Talent IDs and Showcases held this Summer across the country.
Pol Solé: As of today, soccer is one of the biggest sports in the US and is the most played among young people. If you get your car and drive across the country, you will run into thousands of soccer fields with kids playing soccer. I have lived in the US for 6 years and I have seen a huge growth in both quantity and quality of soccer players.
Pol Solé: Yes, absolutely. Soccer has been growing exponentially over the past 5-10 years. In my opinion this growth is due to three different factors:
First, the arrival of European soccer stars to the MLS such as Beckham, Henry, Villa, Zlatan, and many more. The American soccer league and teams were followed and supported by many more people around the world.
The second factor is a consequence of the first one. Having more stars in the MLS, brings sponsors and TV rights. If you only display basketball and football games on TV, it will be very difficult for a kid to be engaged and involved in soccer. However, if the kid turns on the TV and there is a soccer game from his local team, he might watch it and get a better understanding of the game.
Last but not least, the success of the US Women’s National Soccer Team. The United States is one of the very few countries in the world where the amount of boys and girls playing soccer is very similar. Having a role model like Alex Morgan or Megan Rapinoe makes girls dream of becoming a professional soccer player and competing for the National Team.
Pol Solé: LaLiga Select is the official LaLiga recruitment pathway in the US. After launching at the beginning of this year, the program has captured the attention of youth soccer in North America, expanding the program to several showcases and Talent IDs across the country. It is a great opportunity for young players aspiring to become professionals to test out their level and skills among other great players and be selected to participate in a Showcase Talent in Spain in front of Technical Directors from LaLiga Clubs.The players can then be recruited by the LaLiga Clubs to kick off their professional careers.
Pol Solé: The first LaLiga Select own events took place over the past months in Texas, with hundreds of young American players attending the Talent IDs in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas, and widely expressing on social media their positive feedback and enthusiasm about this unique experience. I was very impressed with the talent and hardwork of these young players. They were very focused on every session and that is a reflection of their goal: become professional soccer players.
On the other hand, we attended several Showcases in the US from our club partners and they were also a big success. We attended those events with LaLiga Scouts to identify talent and bring them to Spain for a Talent Showcase alongside the selected players from the Talent IDs. One of the best things from the Showcases was to see the players in action competing and showing their skills. As I said, every year soccer is growing and the level is higher so it is more fun to watch.
Pol Solé: Yes, definitely. As soccer grows in the US, more outstanding players emerge and seek for opportunities in Europe. Also, clubs know the US is a big market and having American players in their squads will give them popularity and increase their brand awareness in the US. There are many kids that do not follow teams, they follow players. So, for instance, now that Pulisic is at Chelsea FC, all the fans now follow Pulisic’s club instead of Borussia Dortmund (Pulisic’s previous club).
Pol Solé: Yes, I think they can be one of the best. The US has the resources and the population to make it happen. However, nowadays I think the US is still far from countries like Brazil, France or Spain where the main sport is soccer and every single kid in the street knows how to play. In Spain we breathe, live and sleep soccer.
Pol Solé: I am excited to see how the USMNT performs at the World Cup. This one will be very different from the past ones, I am intrigued by how the weather and the dates will affect the players. The World Cup has never been done in the middle of the season so it will be tricky for the clubs. My prognosis is that the USMNT will qualify and advance the group stages and will lose at the round of 16.
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