The Heineken partnership also includes deals with Relevant Sports and ESPN around retail promotions and ICC match broadcasts.
Heineken has signed on as presenting sponsor and official beer of the International Champions Cup, the premier pre-season soccer tournament which brings the best clubs to the United States. The beer giant has inked a multi-year partnership with Relevent Sports which kicks off in the summer.
The exclusive collaboration entails retail promotions and match-day activities at the national level. Meanwhile, the brand and ESPN have also reached a media agreement which will extend the alcohol beverage company’s position across all of ESPN broadcasts of ICC matches.
Through platforms like the ICC, Major League Soccer, Union of European Football Associations Champions League, and with spokespeople including David Villa, Landon Donovan, and Carli Lloyd, Heineken will highlight the game to long-term and casual fans in America.
The partnership between Heineken and Relevent Sports brings fans captivating European stars and will deliver on-premise events, unique fan experiences, ticket giveaways, and digital content campaigns. The 2016 ICC will run from July 23 through August 13 featuring 15 matches across the United States and Europe.
Each club will play three contests and the club with the most points at the end of the tournament will be crowned champion. In addition, La Liga champions, FC Barcelona, and English giants, Liverpool F.C. will meet on 6 August 2016 at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
“Our sponsorship solidifies our role in sustaining soccer’s fantastic momentum in the United States. We will bring some of the best European soccer stars to the states, elevating the experience for fans and cementing soccer’s role in the national consciousness,” said Nuno Teles, Chief Marketing Officer of Heineken USA.
