For Soccer recently had the honor of working with the English Football Association (FA) – governing body of soccer in England – to help bring the Magic of the Cup to New Yorkers around the Emirates FA Cup’s Fifth Round matches.
The Emirates FA Cup had quite the adventure through the Big Apple, headlined by two sold-out watch parties on back-to-back days and a youth soccer clinic in Brooklyn in partnership with Black Star. The FA Cup trophy also hit the town to meet up with local soccer fans, athletes, artists, and comedians, while taking in all the sights New York City has to offer.
Black Star teaming up with the FA Cup to grow the game in black communities and inspire the next generation is so important. Programs and clinics like these are much needed. My time spent with the kids was so much fun. To be able to watch them compete, learn and have fun, was the best outcome I could have asked for.
Moonlight Studios in SoHo, a digitally-led venue, was the backdrop for the two watch parties which invited fans out during the day for the Fifth Round matches that took place at the end of February.
U.S. Men’s National Team & FA Cup legend, Tim Howard, served as the host for the two watch parties and treated those in attendance to a unique match-viewing experience, enhanced by a Wembley Stadium VR game, photos with the Emirates FA Cup trophy, custom laser-engraved pint glasses and passport covers, and giveaways, including a flyaway trip to the Emirates FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in May.
Black Star and the FA teamed up with U.S. Men’s National Team legend, DaMarcus Beasley, who played in the FA Cup with Manchester City, to host a youth clinic at Sofive soccer center in Brooklyn for local soccer players in the Black community.
In addition to the events, the Emirates FA Cup trophy took planes, trains, and automobiles to experience all that NYC has to offer:
- A visit to Madison Square Garden for shootaround where Tim Howard brought the trophy to New York Knicks guard and Chelsea fan, Josh Hart
- Headed east for a surprise with the New York Islanders and their UK supporters group, who likened the FA Cup trophy to the history and prestige of the Stanley Cup
- Chatted with John Oliver ahead of a show during his residency at the Beacon Theatre to chat all things FA Cup and Liverpool
- Alexis Guerreros, one half of The Cooligans, treated the FA Cup to a local’s tour of NYC, including a stop at his local bodega for a BEC (baconeggandcheese)
- Local artist, Dylan Sadiq, more famously know as College Cuber, put his spin on the Emirates FA Cup trophy, making it out of Rubik’s Cubes overlooking Manhttan skyline from Brooklyn
- Other stops included the Empire State Building, iconic music venue Terminal 5, and Times Square where NASDAQ welcomed the trophy to the city that never sleeps
Prior to the start of the Emirates FA Cup trophy tour, we devised a three-part PR strategy to build anticipation, motivate attendance by local media, and recap accomplishments.
The strategy paid off with the following hits across a variety of media outlets:
- Ahead of the Tour we set up two interviews with New York-born, U.S. Men’s National Team star, Tyler Adams. The first interview featured Adams, remote from his home in England, with Sportico reporter Eric Jackson. In the second, Adams joined veteran New York sports broadcaster, Seth Everett, on his Sports with Friends podcast
- After the Tour launched, Tim Howard made appearances with several local media outlets. Ahead of the Wednesday watch party, Howard joined NBC New York 4 sports reporter, Seth Rubinroit, for a sit-down interview. During the watch party, Howard joined former New York Giants wide receiver, Brandon London, of SNY / New York Post for an interview, as well as PIX 11’s sports broadcaster, Joe Mauceri. After the watch party, Howard joined FOX 5 New York sports reporter, Tina Cervasio, from Saturday’s Football for a sit-down interview.
In all, we helped coordinate eight (8) local broadcast hits at major New York City media networks and over 30 online articles/blogs.
FA Cup Trophy Tour Recap
Want to see more of the action? Check out the Instagram video below.
