It’s a uniquely scheduled event joining a full, established soccer calendar. But for those involved in the sport, Copa America Centenario’s place in the crowded slate is unquestioned.
It’s even given the organizers of the International Champions Cup a cause for reflection.
“Early on in our planning stages, we made it clear that we either needed to take a year off — or that we’d have to be every bit as good as the Euros and Copa in terms of what we’re bringing to the table,” said Charlie Stillitano, chairman of Relevent Sports, which operates the tournament. “This will be the best summer we’ve ever seen talent-wise across the world of soccer, and that tide can perhaps lift all boats. But it’s important that our boat has the right people on it to take advantage of it.”
This will be the ICC’s fourth year of operation. It’s grown from being primarily a North American-based event — showcasing teams from Europe in front of capacity crowds at U.S. venues — to having extensions in China and Australia. Guinness and Audi have taken lead sponsorship positions with the event through its short history.
Details on this year’s North American tournament have yet to be announced, but nodding in part to the competitive pressures, Stillitano said the lineup of participating teams will “blow people away.”
MLS is also giving a nod of sorts to the Copa event. It will pause its schedule for nearly two weeks during the group stage of the tournament, akin to what the league does in FIFA World Cup years. It hasn’t suspended play for other tournament matches in recent years, and it also won’t break its schedule for the Rio Olympics competition this summer.
The overlap of competitions doesn’t concern Stillitano.
“From a spectator point of view, I really believe that there’s enough time between each event so that people can enjoy them all, whether that’s in person or watching on TV,” he said. “I think all these marquee events are really putting soccer up against traditional sports in this country, like baseball, and I think that’ll end up being good for MLS and good for us.”
Gary Hopkins, president and CEO of CSM Soccer, also sees a benefit in the various competitions. Hopkins is a former G7 Sports and Octagon executive with 20 years of experience in professional and grassroots soccer.
“Tournaments like these highlight the American consumer and soccer fans on a global stage to foreign and domestic sponsors, and also show how much of a part of the global game they’ve become,” he said. “The biggest predicator of soccer’s continued success in this country is the passion that fans are producing, whether it’s for their MLS club, a national team or another league. This summer will build that up even more.”
