Bringing back top-flight European soccer clubs has drawn more than fans to the International Champions Cup. The tournament this year will have more than half of its sponsors on multiyear deals for the first time in its five-year history.
The tournament, to be played in July across 10 U.S. cities, will have nine of its expected 17 deals stretching beyond a year, said Bruce Bundrant, chief commercial officer at event organizer Relevent Sports. In past years, the tournament had just one: Guinness, which previously held naming rights.
“We were an unknown quantity and, to be fair, brands didn’t know which teams we would bring or where matches would be held,” Bundrant said. “But now there is an understanding that the biggest clubs in Europe will be here, and they’ll be playing in New York, or Los Angeles, or San Francisco or Miami. There’s a level a legitimacy and consistency now.”
That has led to a significant increase in sponsorship revenue. Bundrant said the ICC’s sponsorship revenue is into the eight figures this year, roughly doubling from last year. He declined to provide further specifics. ICC sponsors are also spending more money around activation, Bundrant said.
Ally Chief Marketing Officer Andrea Riley said her company felt the momentum of the ICC and decided to boost its sponsorship. “As the ICC events get larger, the fan base continues to grow and the sport continues to gain popularity in the U.S.,” she said, noting that they have continued to “deliver on securing the top teams to play in top venues across key markets.”
New sponsors are also following suit. Coca-Cola will have targeted activations and events at El Clásico in Miami. TAG Heuer will activate on-site and give away tickets for matches in Houston and Miami, as well as have on-field presence as the official timekeeper and countdown clock. Other sponsors include Gatorade, Nike, Vivid Seats, Xyience energy drink, Groupon and Thomas Cook Sport. Heineken will again be the presenting sponsor of the ICC, and will create pop-up beer gardens at matches as well as present man and fan of the match awards at each game.
“The ICC has been able to take something that I think you could describe as a series of disconnected special events into now what I would call a true property,” said John Guppy, founder of Gilt Edge Soccer Marketing.
The ICC continues to attract sponsors aligned with the participating teams. For example, Nexen Tire, which recently signed a partnership to sponsor Manchester City’s shirt sleeve, will activate alongside the tournament at the club’s games in Houston, Nashville and Los Angeles. Aon and Chevrolet, both principal sponsors of Manchester United, will be premier partners of the ICC and have an enhanced presence at the club’s matches.
