March 13 – The 2017 International Champions Cup (ICC), the ad hoc tournament organised by US sports agency Relevant Sports (RSE), will have as its showpiece match an El Clasico match-up between Barcelona and Real Madrid in the newly renovated Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
This will be the first time the tow Spanish giants have met in the US. It is the fifth time the ICC has been played. The game will be played July 29.
The ICC and El Clásico Miami management team are theming the El Clásico Miami week with a programme of events leading up to the match including concerts, brand activations, team ‘pep’ rallies, and art activations in and around Hard Rock Stadium. Additional activities will be themed around the culture of Miami by creating events around Miami Beach, Wynwood and Bayfront Park.
The ICC has yet to announce its full summer schedule but while Barca and Real are warming up for a Miami festival, one club that won’t be featuring is Premier League champions Leicester City. ICC organisers hawking their club partners to potential host venues cities had a cold response to Leicester who venues felt would struggle to attract interest, especially if they dropped to the Championship.
This will be the second time Real Madrid have played in Miami as part of the ICC, In 2013 they beat Chelsea to win the inaugural tournament in front of a crowd of 67,273.
“I am thrilled to bring the International Champions Cup back to the city of Miami,” said Stephen Ross, RSE Ventures chairman and co-founder and Miami Dolphins owner. “The opportunity to showcase two of the most storied clubs in the history of the sport is why we created this tournament. That it will take place at Hard Rock Stadium is a testament to the recent transformation of this venue into a global entertainment destination.”
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