This December, the Prospects Cup will pit sixteen U-12 soccer teams from around the globe against each other for the title of best youth squad. It is the first new tentpole under our experiential platform UCI Live. Like our other offerings, the Prospects Cup represents youth culture and reflects the diversity of our world. But here are some other ways it will stand out.
Excellence.
By creating and owning this event, UCI is able to maintain a level of quality that extends onto the pitch and beyond. Excellence is what drove us to partner with club teams so that we’d be given official youth academy teams instead of amateur ones. Focusing on excellence is why UCI Live has partnered with Univision Deportes as our official broadcaster, the No. 1 home of soccer in the U.S., whose cable channel is the fastest-growing sports network regardless of language. Now we’re taking this same approach of excellence to youth soccer. By presenting the best product available, we hope to elevate the conversation around youth soccer to solidify it as the top youth sport in the U.S.
Storytelling.
UCI understands that soccer is so much more than what happens on the pitch. That’s why Univision Deportes’ expert editorial team will also focus on the personal interest stories behind the action throughout the year. Whether it is on TV or digital, social or radio, our multimedia capabilities allow us to amplify every part of the tournament and its stars, fostering an audience connection that will begin months before the opening whistle and live long after the trophy ceremony concludes.
A cultural exchange.
In the same way we will bring these players to the world, we will bring the world to these players. We scheduled the Prospects Cup during the club off-season, so that professionals could interact with the kids in our state-of-the-art lounge. We’ll also schedule public seminars and events throughout the week that celebrate the cultures of participating nations, including their cuisines and music. No matter how diverse their backgrounds may be, players and fans all have one thing in common: a love for the game.
And that love for the game helps make soccer special. It’s a unifier of families, communities, and nations. Fans see themselves in their country’s stars; those stars were once fans. With this event, we will see many of our players transform into heroes. Time will pass and a new generation will idolize them the same way they once idolized their own heroes. It will all trace back to one place: The Prospects Cup. Help us kick it off, December 18th.
