The Int'l Champions Cup soccer event is "adding something new this year: a women’s competition," according to Andrew Das of the N.Y. TIMES. Manchester City, Paris St.-Germain, the NWSL North Carolina Courage and a fourth club "will make up the first Women’s ICC field." The tournament "will be contested in two doubleheaders in South Florida this summer: back-to-back semifinal matches on July 27, and then a third-place game and the final on July 29 at Hard Rock Stadium." The small size of the tournament is a "concerted effort by Relevent Sports, which owns the ICC, to focus on making the first year a success even as it plans to double its size as soon as next year." When Relevent told its club partners that the women’s event was "finally happening, nearly a dozen teams asked to take part." While it could have filled a four-team field with European squads quickly, Relevent Managing Partner Jon Sheiman said that it "would have been 'irresponsible' not to have" an NWSL team involved. Relevent Exec Chair Charlie Stillitano said that the Dolphins' Stephen Ross, who owns Relevent, made a "multiyear commitment to build the Women’s ICC into what has the potential to be ... a de facto club world championship for women." Stillitano said ticket prices will be "modest" to encourage attendance (N.Y. TIMES, 4/12).
QUEEN CITY KICKS? In Charlotte, Erik Spanberg cites sources as saying that Bank of America Stadium "will be one of the sites" for the men's ICC this summer. Matchups, dates and sites "will be announced within the next week by Relevent." Sources said that this year's match in Charlotte is "likely to be played in late-July" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/12).
