El Clásico Miami on Saturday drew a "sellout crowd of 66,014 at Hard Rock Stadium" for FC Barcelona's 3-2 win against Real Madrid in an "entertaining, action-packed game," according to Michelle Kaufman of the MIAMI HERALD. Although it was officially an exhibition, the "intensity on the field (and in the stands) proved that there is nothing 'friendly' when these two teams get together." It was just the "second time in history the rivals played each other away from Spanish soil, and both teams left most of their starters in well into the second half." FCB Fs Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez "played 63 minutes" and F Neymar "didn't go out until the 72nd minute." Fans "flew in from more than 50 countries for the spectacle and paid between $240 to $4,500 for tickets." A crowd of 35,700 "showed up Friday night and paid $20 to watch the two teams practice" (MIAMI HERALD, 7/30). In West Palm Beach, Hal Habib wrote the match was "everything Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross could have dreamed when he somehow persuaded these teams ... to add one extra meeting to their calendar." It began with a "parking lot jammed hours before the game with tailgaters, continued with a halftime show by Marc Anthony" (PALM BEACH POST, 7/30). There were "many familiar faces" at the event, including tennis player Serena Williams, Knicks F Carmelo Anthony, Warriors F Draymond Green, Pelicans C DeMarcus Cousins, rapper Drake, model Adriana Lima, former NFLer Terrell Owens and 40 Dolphins players (MIAMI HERALD, 7/30).
WEEK OF FUN: In Ft. Lauderdale, Matthew DeFranks noted the match "capped a week-long ode to soccer that featured parties and concerts across South Florida." Relevent Sports Chair Charlie Stillitano said that "15,000 people attended Casa Clásico -- the free fan fest at Bayfront Park on Friday and Saturday." It was a schedule that "more closely resembled a Super Bowl rather than a preseason soccer game." But FCB and Real Madrid "made the result match the hype" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 7/30). In N.Y., Steve Brenner wrote marketers behind the event did a "fine job." Reminders in the Miami area were "everywhere" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/30). ESPN's Max Bretos noted Relevent Sports and the city of Miami "knew they had to create a spectacular event, and they did." ESPN's Taylor Twellman said, "You felt the vibe for 72 hours here in Miami, this is something special and the fans got exactly what they paid for" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 7/30). ESPN's Jon Champion said the atmosphere during the game was a "setting that really is elevated to levels that we've not seen before here." Champion: "There's been a Super Bowl-like buildup" ("Real Madrid-FC Barcelona," ESPN, 7/29). In Miami, Joey Flechas noted "oppressive heat and even early afternoon showers did not deter revelers from breaking out the barbecues, coolers and much-needed tents before El Clásico." Early arrivals got "good parking spots with little hassle, setting the scene for a carnival of fandom that brought friends and strangers together, under the toast of booze and a savage sun, in the name of the beautiful game" (MIAMI HERALD, 7/30).
WHERE'S RONALDO? In Miami, Greg Cote noted Real Madrid F Cristiano Ronaldo's absence was "glaring." However, the teams "put on a scintillating show even without him." Ronaldo "strung Miami along until the very end." Cote: "A sea of thousands of No. 7 Ronaldo jerseys were seen here, but not the one man who should have been wearing one" (MIAMI HERALD, 7/30). In Ft. Lauderdale, Ian Cohen noted Ronaldo jerseys "dotted the crowd milling about the fan zone, and covered the backs of most of the Real Madrid fans waiting in line to take pictures with the team’s European Cup trophy outside Hard Rock Stadium" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 7/30). The HERALD's Kaufman writes Ronaldo fans "justifiably felt duped after seeing his face on promotional material for months, and hearing organizers say they were 'hopeful' he’d show up, only to learn on the eve of the match that he officially declined the invitation." But judging by the "electric mood," the fun "seemed to outweigh the Ronaldo drama and inflated prices." Rather than "string everyone along, Ronaldo should have been honest from the start" (MIAMI HERALD, 7/31). In London, Kieran Canning noted other than the absence of Ronaldo, "all stars were on show" (INDEPENDENT.co.uk, 7/30).
FEELING FRIENDLY: YAHOO SPORTS' Leander Schaerlaeckens wrote the match had "none of the fiery animosity these games regularly garner." Some people who "paid through the nose to watch it seemed to be having a good time though." Collectively, they "fattened the pockets of the two richest clubs in the world." It "probably means that no real harm was done." That is, if you "don’t mind the cheapening of the most beloved rivalry in the most popular sport in the world" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/30). In Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Hyde wrote some soccer evangelist will "attempt to find meaningful consequence in a grand night of just meaningless fun." BeIN Sports' Ray Hudson said, "This is wonderful, but there's no real lasting impact." Ross said, "Miami is a great event city. That’s what it’s known as. It’s not the great sports city we’d like to think we are. (MLS) coming in to compete with us, I wouldn’t want to do that" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 7/30). The HERALD's Kaufman writes the game "really was a big deal." FCB fans "certainly seemed thrilled to see Messi score in the opening minutes." But tickets starting at over $200 "automatically turned away a large segment of South Florida’s most soccer-passionate population," and it "would have been even nicer to have reserved some segment of the stadium for fans who required lower-end prices" (MIAMI HERALD, 7/31).
HE'S GOT THE POWER? In N.Y., Kevin Draper wrote Stillitano "might be the most powerful, most well-connected soccer power broker you've never heard of." Stillitano has "no official role with any club, or any league." Instead, he makes his living in soccer with Relevent Sports, which puts on the Int'l Champions Cup. The event includes a "corresponding Asian version in China and Singapore" and has "quickly become the most high-profile summer exhibition tour in the world." Stillitano has been "persuading top European managers and the biggest European teams to spend their preseasons" in the U.S. for the past 15 years. In '11, Ross hired Stillitano and Jon Sheiman away from CAA to create what would become the ICC. Ross' vision was to "turn what was effectively a ticket-selling operation into one that sold the television rights to the matches globally and sealed large sponsorship agreements -- a proposition that was, potentially, far more lucrative." After losing millions of dollars during its first four years, Ross said that the ICC "will turn a profit this year." FCB President Josep Maria Bartomeu said last week that the La Liga teams were "already discussing doing it again" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/29).
