AC Milan and Olympiacos to Meet Thursday, July 24 at BMO Field in Toronto to Kick-Off Guinness International Champions Cup
Match Marks First Ever Guinness International Champions Cup Game Held in Canada
Second Annual Guinness International Champions Cup Will Culminate with Finals in Miami Monday, August 4.
TORONTO, June 24, 2014 /CNW/ - Relevent Sports, a division of RSE Ventures, in partnership with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, announced today that top international clubs AC Milan and Olympiacos will face off at BMO Field in Toronto on Thursday, July 24th as the first match of the 2014 Guinness International Champions Cup. Kickoff for the contest, which will be broadcast internationally in more than 150 countries and domestically on Fox Sports 2, is set for 8 p.m. EST.
"Thanks to our fans, Toronto has established itself as one of the great soccer markets in the world and we know that both clubs will receive strong support next month," said Tim Leiweke, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. "Our goal is to continue to grow Toronto's reputation as a host city and bring the best in international football here to our fans at BMO Field in the coming years. We're thrilled to partner with Relevant Sports and to host the first match for the 2014 Guinness International Champions Cup."
Exclusive presale tickets for the AC Milan v. Olympiacos match will be available Wednesday, June 25th at 10 a.m. for Toronto FC season ticket holders, while the general public will have access to tickets beginning Saturday, June 28th at 10 a.m. Tickets for this game will start as low as $40. Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to purchase an Ultimate Fan Pack, which includes one supporter's section ticket, team gear and priority access to select team training. Also available are VIP Team Travel Packs that allow fans to experience the games alongside their favorite teams, including AC Milan and Olympiacos, providing VIP tickets, charter travel and world-class accommodations to all of their teams' Guinness International Champions Cup games. All tickets and packages are available at www.internationalchampionscup.com.
The Guinness International Champions Cup is a unique tournament featuring eight of the world's best and most recognizable soccer clubs: Real Madrid CF, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool FC, AS Roma, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Olympiacos. Twelve round-robin contests will be hosted across North America with matches in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Denver, Berkeley, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Dallas, Toronto and Ann Arbor from July 24-August 2. The tournament will crown an overall champion on Monday, August 4 at Miami's Sun Life Stadium.
For more information on the full Guinness International Champions Cup, including the tournament bracket and team information, visit www.internationalchampionscup.com. The game between the Greek and Italian giants was originally scheduled for Citi Field in New York.
"We are thrilled to bring the Guinness International Champions Cup to Canada for the first time," said Charlie Stillitano, CEO of Relevent Sports. "Toronto is a passionate sports city with a vibrant Greek and Italian community and its love for soccer has only grown since Toronto FC joined the MLS in 2007. Partnering with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to bring AC Milan and Olympiacos to Toronto to kick-off our tournament is an exciting development and we look forward to continuing the relationship in the years ahead."
One of the world's most decorated clubs, AC Milan has won 18 UEFA and FIFA recognized titles. A fixture in Series A, Milan has won a record three Intercontinental Cups. Milan has also won the European Cup/Champions League on seven occasions, second only to Real Madrid, and has won the UEFA Super Cup a record five times.
One of the most financially successful clubs in the world, AC Milan is owned by former Italian Prime Minister and controlling shareholder of Mediaset, Silvio Berlusconi. Milan is managed by Filippo Inzaghi and features Mario Batotelli, starting striker for the Italian National team, and Kaka, who won the FIFA World Cup with the Brazilian National team in 2002. A.C. Milan defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-0 last year to finish in third place at the Guinness International Champions Cup. For more information, go to www.acmilan.com.
Olympiacos F.C. is the most famous, supported and successful club in Greece. Since its foundation in 1925, Olympiacos has played only at the highest level of Greek and European football, capturing 41 Greek League titles, 26 Greek Cups, 16 Doubles and four Greek Super Cups. To put that in perspective, all other Greek teams combined have won only 38 league titles.
The club is currently managed by Míchel and owned by Evangelos Marinakis. Olympiacos is led by Argentinean striker Javier Saviola. For more information on the club, go to www.olympiacos.org.
"We look forward to coming to Toronto this summer and playing our first ICC match with AC Milan at BMO Field! We know that there is a strong Greek community in Toronto and it will be an honor for us to play in front of our passionate fans!" said Javier Saviola.
Further details about the Guinness International Champions Cup can be found at www.internationalchampionscup.com.
About Relevent Sports
Relevent Sports brings the excitement and intensity of international soccer to the United States by showcasing the best clubs in the world through premier tournaments and events. Going beyond the game, Relevent provides an innovative approach to building international soccer presence by utilizing brand development, grassroots planning, corporate sponsors, international touring and philanthropic initiatives for the soccer organizations.
About RSE Ventures
Founded in 2012 by Stephen M. Ross and Matt Higgins, RSE Ventures operates in four interrelated verticals: Sports, Entertainment, Digital, and New Ventures. The company's growing roster of companies, venues and events includes the NFL's Miami Dolphins, Sun Life Stadium, Relevent Sports and Insignia Sports & Entertainment.
About Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd.
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) is one of the world's premier sports and entertainment companies that owns the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), the Toronto Raptors (NBA), the Toronto Marlies (AHL), Toronto FC (MLS), Air Canada Centre, Maple Leaf Square and three digital channels — Leafs TV, NBA TV Canada and GOLTV Canada. MLSE has also invested in four of Toronto's sports facilities — Ricoh Coliseum, home of the Marlies, BMO Field, home of Toronto FC, Lamport Stadium, and the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence, the practice facility for the Maple Leafs and Marlies. MLSE operates and manages events at Ricoh Coliseum and BMO Field.
SOURCE: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd.
Relevent Sports, Ben Spencer, [email protected]; Derris & Company, Nick Rosen-Wachs, [email protected]
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