Univision’s Prospects Cup – The Pros vs the Amateurs

UCI Live, Univision Communications Inc.’s (UCI) in-house experiential marketing unit, has invited the initial eight amateur youth soccer teams to compete in the inaugural Prospects Cup that will be held from December 18-22, 2017 at the Omni ChampionsGate Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Florida. The teams that accepted their invite to compete include: Academy teams from Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs FC Dallas, LA Galaxy and Orlando City Soccer; U.S. Youth Soccer teams Pachuca Tuzos Academy (Phoenix) and Real Jersey FC (Medford, NJ); U.S. Development Academy’s Weston Soccer Club (Miami); Sockers FC (Chicago) and Global Premier Soccer (Boston).

“We are thrilled that the initial eight teams have accepted their invitations to join us in Kissimmee later this year to crown the inaugural Prospects Cup champion”, said Rick Alessandri, executive vice president, Univision Enterprise Development and UCI Live.  “The eight U.S. teams will battle it out for the U.S. champion spot and the right to face the International bracket winner.”

All three MLS clubs have strong academy programs from U12 to U18 age groups.  The home club team based just outside the inaugural host city, Kissimmee, the Orlando City Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club that competes as a member of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have our team invited to the Prospects Cup, and in our hometown,” said academy director, Orlando City Soccer club’s David Longwell. “More than the invite and the chance to play in this global event, we are excited to support this movement initiated by Univision where young, future stars of soccer have the opportunity to play on a world stage and bring awareness to the growing sport of soccer.”

Both FC Dallas and LA Galaxy are American professional soccer franchises based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas and the Los Angeles suburbs of Carson, California, respectively. The clubs compete as members of Major League Soccer, the top league in the United States and Canada.

As one of the several U.S. Youth soccer teams invited to participate, Pachuca Tuzos Academy is a highly-competitive boys club based in Phoenix, Arizona, and a member of the Arizona Youth Soccer Association (AYSA). This non-profit organization was created to give players from low income families the opportunity to play in high level tournaments, where players can be seen by college and University soccer coaches and have the opportunity to receive scholarships. Supported financially by the owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ken Kendrick, Club Tuzos Soccer will be one of many teams and stories to watch this December.

“Tuzos continually demonstrates its ability to develop outstanding players, prepare them to compete on a national stage and instill the importance of a quality education,” said Arizona Diamondbacks’ owner, Ken Kendrick. “Without Tuzos, many of these players might not have the opportunities that the club provides – I am proud to support their efforts.”