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Across the United States, Barca Academy USA kicked off a new season as ISL enters the 4th year of activating FC Barcelona’s global brand strategy. 6 Academies from coast to coast, and 1 from Costa Rica, begin their season with Opening Ceremonies which are unique to Barca Academy. They welcome the future FC Barcelona hopefuls as they begin their journey learning the FC Barcelona teachings and methodologies. For a few lucky locations, FC Barcelona legend and current club ambassador Juliano Belletti, goalscorer in the 2006 Champions League final, was in attendance. Take in the excitement and fun with our special gallery from across the country!
In Barcelona, Spain today, FC Barcelona Femení, one of the most successful Spanish Women’s soccer teams, took time after training to meet with an all girls soccer group that ISL Travel Management were managing during a Sports Trip throughout the historic Catalan city. Major Women’s soccer stars like Marta Torrejón, and Stefani Van Der Gragt met with the girls soccer players to provide words of encouragement and to hopefully inspire them to further greatness! We’d like to thank FC Barcelona Femeni and their players for helping create this special moment.
Soccer in the U.S. has grown tremendously over the past few years with over 2.3 million youth soccer participants across the country. It has become the youth sport of choice for many households around the country. There are a variety of clubs in cities around the country hoping to produce the next standout player that can make a concerted run at getting a college scholarship, make to the pros or bet yet get a call up to the National Squad to represent the Stars and Stripes.
Recognizing that the value of growing the FC Barcelona methodology within the United States, FCB leaped at the chance to be able to infuse the tradition & values that nurtured scores of FC Barcelona legends into the domestic youth system. In their endeavor to paint the world blue and red, the plan of global expansion continues just as recently as naming Orlando, FL as the 50th Academy. A proud day for them and ISL, as Orlando is now the 7th such Academy that Blaugrana has entrusted us to run in the U.S. and Costa Rica.
Barca Academies around the country recently kicked off with FC Barcelona legend and now current Ambassador, Juliano Belletti, with him visiting Academies around the country.
To put it into numbers: ISL runs 6 Academies around the country and 1 in Costa Rica. In total we have 2300+ boys and girls (and growing) ranging from 6-18 years old, 85 coaches and 25 staff members. So, as we look forward to another successful season ahead, we are grateful to all of the friends and families that trust us with each of their budding soccer star loved ones and helping them each achieve their dreams.
To follow along with each Academy over the course of the year round season follow @BarcaAcademyUS on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
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.
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.”
Last weekend, ISL Foundation had the honor of partnering with Developmental Disabilities Resources, Inc. (DDR, Inc.) in putting on a free soccer clinic for 40 plus kids and adults in the Charlotte, NC community. “Dream, Believe, Achieve” is the bedrock on which they stand and for us, their motto is everything that embodies ISL Foundation as a whole.
The special event gained local news coverage from WCCB CW, and helped build support throughout the community leading into the event.
Kim Michel, the Leader of DDR’s Dream Squad, was quoted saying of the event “The DDR Dream Squad were in complete agreement that the soccer event this past weekend was easily one of our favorite events we have ever been a part of. This event ensured that each individual had the opportunity to stand out for a different reason, for trying hard and for being able to take risks doing something they have never tried before.”
The event was supported by Barca Academy Charlotte coaches and methodologies. Kim went on to say of the staff “I can honestly speak for the entire group when I tell you how much we truly appreciate the level of professionalism, effort, kindness, and genuine sincerity the staff put into this event.”
It was a chilly morning in Matthews, NC at the Matthews Sportsplex, but spirits were high and smiles were beaming all around. The emphasis of the day, simply to have fun, forget about the cares of the world and for a few hours train and play like real professional soccer players. After a brief welcoming introduction, players were broken up into different teams under the watchful and caring eyes of official Barcelona trained coaches and staff. Players were lead through the same instructions and drills academy players are routinely put through in preparation for league play and competitions. Passing, shooting, ball control and field formations were on the docket for the morning, before a spirited scrimmage to wrap up the morning.
ISL Foundation would like to thank everyone for making this event possible, and making it a memorable day for a special group of players.
This past November, Ivan Rakitic made a special appearance during one of the International ISL Experience Events. ISL are lucky to have strong relationships with talented individuals around the world, and were equally lucky to host Ivan Rakitic during his appearance.
Hosting big name athletes is always a special occasion for ISL and its Travel Management team. ISL would like to thank Ivan, he helped make it a day to remember for hundreds of young, aspiring athletes!
Get in contact with someone from our travel management team at Experience@islagency-old.nntesting.com for more information on how we can help mange your next major travel plans.
ISL recently helped connect two of the worlds biggest sports stars, Luis Suarez and Deandre Hopkins. ESPN FC, FC Barcelona, Houston Texans, and ISL worked together to create and capture the unique moment.
Ahead of Uruguay’s friendly with Mexico, ISL facilitated the opportunity for Luis Suarez to stop by the Houston Texans training facility. The Uruguay international got a quick tutorial on how to play quarterback, and played “catch” with the 3 time NFL Pro-Bowler Deandre Hopkins. The two athletes traded jerseys, took memorable photos, and started a new friendship.
As a core element of their marketing and brand awareness strategy, Audi wished to strengthen their connection with soccer in the US. To help them to do so, ISL identified a unique opportunity to align Audi and FC Barcelona, in order to present the sporting performance and dynamism of the brand to a grassroots American soccer audience.
Audi is one of Germany’s most prestigious automobile manufacturers, and one of the best-selling luxury automobile brands in the world. Its brand identity is focused on technology, strategy, and team spirit, making it a perfect partner for the sport of soccer.
The Second Generation Q7 is Audi’s flagship crossover SUV. Lighter, more efficient and more technologically advanced than the original Q7, the new line is truly luxurious and sophisticated.
As an established partner and sponsor of regional and international sport for decades, Audi had set a new objective to more closely align their brand with soccer in America. They had already made progress towards this goal in 2015 when they signed a partnership agreement with Major League Soccer, becoming the Official Automotive Partner of MLS.
In the summer of 2016, Audi wished to build off their extended sponsorship agreement with FC Barcelona to further reinforce their relationship with the club, and with American soccer. They identified the perfect opportunity to do both by integrating the launch of their Second Generation Q7 with the FC Barcelona Escola Camps.
FC Barcelona needed help to extend their brand into the North American soccer market. To achieve this, they entrusted ISL to create an integrated management and marketing strategy that would spread the Barça name through Soccer Camps and Schools.
In just three years, ISL grew participation in FC Barcelona’s Camps and Schools by 1,470%, firmly establishing the club in the United States.
The Client
Barcelona Football Club (FC Barcelona, FCB) is one of the largest clubs in the world, having won the European Champions League five times and their domestic league 25 times.
The Challenge
FC Barcelona needed to strategically extend the Barça brand, and transmit the club’s philosophy of hard work and values, but were unable to gain traction for their Soccer Camps and Schools (Barça Academy). The club hadn’t managed to develop systems that applied to the unique requirements of the American soccer market. FC Barcelona needed a strong, strategic partner knowledgeable of the market they were wishing to reach.
