Menu
International Football

Clubs Use Academies To Cash In On Growth Of Football In United States

As the U.S. appetite for football grows, it has "not gone unnoticed by top European clubs," which are trying to capitalize financially, according to the AP. The likes of Barcelona, Liverpool and Arsenal have long sent coaches to work at U.S. summer camps, but now some are opening year-round U.S. academies "aimed at finding new talent while also expanding their fan bases and revenue opportunities in the states." Later this month, Barcelona "will open FCB Escola Florida," its first permanent U.S. academy, in Fort Lauderdale. Argentina’s Boca Juniors and Everton "are already operating in New York and Connecticut, respectively." The expansion of such programs "is part of a bigger trend, as major international clubs try to grow their brands" in the U.S. "to battle for the hearts and pocketbooks of Americans today and in decades to come." Building an int'l fan base "is becoming important for the top clubs, who derive a large chunk of their revenue from overseas broadcasting and merchandising." England’s University of Coventry sports economist Simon Chadwick said, "If you can engage kids when they are young, then they will stay with you for the rest of their lives." When teams started opening schools around the world back in the '90s, "their early impulse was to scout and develop players." Simon Kuper, the author of several books on the economics of sports, said that now their main goal "is to build their brand." Marcel Bombonato, the managing director of Kaptiva Sports, official partner of FC Barcelona in the U.S., said that "scouting is one of the goals." But beyond teaching football, "the club wants to convert children into Barcelona fans" (AP, 8/27).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2014/08/28/International-Football/Football-US.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2014/08/28/International-Football/Football-US.aspx

CLOSE