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The second inaugural Soccerex USA will deliver the latest in Soccer industry insight through a conference programme, spread over two facilities featuring senior decision makers from clubs, leagues and federations alongside experts from the world of commerce, performance, technology and management.
For Soccerex USA, the organisers are gathering an advisory board of leading industry thinkers and influencers across a variety of sectors to ensure that the event delivers the cutting edge content and expert speakers the market deserves.
The Grassroots Business – Managing the Pathways for Elite Talent
Whether run by a club, an FA or private organization, youth soccer academies must provide the right level of football coaching, education and competition in order to allow young talent to flourish. They must also ensure they have the right scouting and management systems to ensure that they can identify elite talent and their development in order to be ready to play at the highest level. At Soccerex USA in Miami, we will bring together Directors of Coaching and academy experts to look at the grassroots industry in the United States; at how academies need to be structured, and managed, to optimise the development of elite soccer talent and deliver the best return for both the academies and the parents who are investing their child’s future.
The Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Soccer
From record attendances and increased participation levels to ground breaking sponsorships and the drive for equal pay, the global spotlight on women’s soccer has never been greater. The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup looks set to capitalize on this swell of interest and help propel the game to new heights, both in terms of audience and commercial value. At Soccerex USA, through a series of discussions, we will gather senior figures involved in the FIFA Women’s World Cup along with experts from the professional game around the world to analyse at the impact of this summer’s tournament on areas such as participation, professionalization, media rights and tacking inequality.
Betting & The Future of Soccer Business
Over the past two decades, broadcasting and sponsorship revenues have undoubtedly shaped the growth of the global soccer industry, but as rights values show signs of stagnating and the media markets fragmentation offers great options for sponsors, sports betting looks set to define the next chapter of the game’s professionalisation. In markets such as the UK, where almost 50% of Premier League teams display a betting brand on their shirts, sports betting is already an essential part of the revenue mix and soccer in the United States looks set to go the same way after the federal ban on sports gambling was removed last year. There are important regulatory issues to consider, to ensure the game’s integrity is upheld but the potential is huge, both in terms of the revenues on offer and how betting’s introduction can further the connection between teams and their fans.
At Soccerex USA, a mixture of right holders, legal representatives and betting experts will look at the different challenges and opportunities faced with integrating betting into the US soccer industry.
The Financial Influence of US on World Soccer
This year’s Soccerex Football Finance 100 report highlighted the United States’ significant financial interest in global soccer, with individuals and organisations from America accounting for the ownership of nearly a fifth of the top 100 ranked clubs worldwide. While this may not come as a surprise given the growing riches in MLS and the high ratio of national owners in the league, US organizations also own a quarter of Premier League teams ranked along with clubs in Italy and France too. With the US’s appetite for soccer investment showing no sign of abating, Soccerex USA will unite owners, investors and financial experts to analyse America’s growing financial influence on the global game.
Measuring Major Tournament Success in the Americas
With the region set to host many expanded, multi-nation competitions across the next decade, most notably the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and United States – and potentially also the 2030 FIFA World Cup if the joint Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay bid is successful – the delivery of major tournaments is high up on the soccer agenda in the Americas. What are critical success factors that need to be considered in the bid and delivery phase and how should the different stakeholders collaborate to ensure these factors achieved, particularly when there is more than one host nation involved? At Soccerex USA we will unite regional and international experts to debate these questions and analyse both the major event market in the Americas and the impact these tournaments will have for the growth of the industry across the two continents.
How brands connect with US soccer Fans
With an estimated 3.5bn fans worldwide and the popularity of the sport on the rise in the US, particularly among millennial fans, soccer is increasingly the vehicle of choice for brands looking to connect with potential customers. The US soccer audience – and the brands seeking to engage them – are now spoilt for choice; the ever-improving MLS, and the expanding USL are driving up both the quality and availability of soccer domestically and broadcasters are delivering all the best action from Europe, Central and South American Leagues. Fans are also consuming football in new and varied ways as technologically driven shifts in media habits shape both fans expectations and how they can be fulfilled. Against this backdrop, how are brands seeking to reach US soccer fans and which approaches bring the best return on investment? Sign up for Soccerex USA to find out!
MLS at 25
In 2020, Major League Soccer will enter its 25th season. Over the past quarter of a century, the league as seen significant changes and expansion, most notably over the past 15 years when the league has doubled in size and is now established as one of the most popular and commercially successful competitions outside of Europe’s big five. With Inter Miami and Nashville set to join in season 25 and further expansion in the pipeline, the future is bright but there is work to be done if the league is to continue their upward trajectory in an increasingly crowded market. At Soccerex USA, senior leaders from MLS and their partners will look at back on the successes of the past 25 seasons and share insights into how they will be working with their franchises, broadcasters and other stakeholders to continue delivering value for both fans and commercial partners around the world.
Soccer, esports and the importance of partnerships
Football maybe the world’s most popular sport but in the esports world, its virtual cousin lags some way behind games such as League of Legends and Counter Strike: Global Offensive both in terms of audience size and commercial value. EA Sports’ FIFA title’s competitive platform, the Global Series, continues to grow featuring the world’s largest leagues (Premier League, La Liga, MLS, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Eredivisie), broadcasters (Sky Sports, Turner, BeIN) and even a the first eNational team competition in 2019. The football world is rushing to get involved and understand how this benefits them from a marketing and commercial perspective – at Soccerex USA, we will bring together games’ publishers, rights holders and digital experts to analyse the potential for FIFA 19 (and beyond) to challenge the audience dominance of esports established elite and look at how partnerships with soccer’s leading rights holders are helping them to achieve this goal.
The role of coaching & technology in elite performance
Messi had Guardiola, Ronaldo had Sir Alex Ferguson…even the greatest players need great coaching if they are to fulfil their potential and great coaches can have a significant impact on a player’s ability to perform at an elite level. Whether it is teaching tactical awareness, technique or mental toughness a good coach will play a huge part in a player’s development. But who coaches the coaches? What processes are in place to ensure there is the suitable standard of coaching in the Americas needed to nurture the next crop of soccer stars coming through their different national and club academies? And what role does technology play in identifying elite talent and ensuring they achieve their playing potential? Through a mix of presentation and discussions, Soccerex USA will deliver answers to the questions by showcasing regional best practice in coaching and performance technology.
The Evolution of Sports Broadcasting
Broadcasters have it tough these days. First, they competed amongst themselves for sports rights and share of audience. Then technology enabled new types of digitally-centred media to enter the market, offering non-linear ways for fans to consume soccer content. Now the rights holders they rely upon for content are themselves entering the game, as are the athletes who can use digital and social content to connect directly with their fans. In this increasingly complex market, what are broadcasters doing to stay relevant to the modern fan and how are they offering value for the sponsors looking to connect with them? What threats are posed by the advent of rights holder and athlete led media? Soccerex USA will analyse the roles different stakeholders have to play in the modern fragmented media landscape and what opportunities are there for collaborations that will ultimately enhance the soccer fan’s experience.
