INTERSPORT launches Soccer Partnership consulting practice

Intersport has launched Intersport Fútbol Company (Intersport FC) to offer brands the most holistic one-stop resource for activations and sponsorships that meaningfully connect with fútbol (soccer) fans. The expansion of its partnership consulting practice will be led by distinguished industry experts Alfonso Alanis-Cue and Rob Swain, who together bring more than 40 years of international experience and a slate of soccer connections across clubs, leagues and federations.

Intersport FC, a new business unit within the Chicago-based agency of the same namesake, offers brands the most holistic one-stop resource for activations and sponsorships that meaningfully connect with fútbol (soccer) fans.

“Soccer is on the cusp of a monumental breakthrough in North America,” said Brian Graybill, Intersport president. “Alfonso and Rob are world-class soccer experts who bring a deep understanding of the sport, its fan bases, the global landscape and brand opportunities. Combined with our capabilities in experiential marketing, content and property creation, hospitality and partnership consulting, Intersport FC is uniquely positioned to offer the most robust and well-rounded services—from ideation through execution—for brands to break into or grow in soccer.”

Alanis-Cue and Swain most recently served as co-founders and managing partners at O Street Consulting, a boutique sports agency acquired by Intersport in the launch of Intersport FC.

Alanis-Cue is a global sports executive with extensive experience working with top soccer properties throughout the United States and Latin America. His prior experience includes leading business development and marketing strategy with MP & Silva in the Americas, overseeing partnership marketing at MLS and heading business units for top consumer companies. Alanis-Cue holds a Master in Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Georgetown University.

Swain is an expert commercial and legal strategist, highly regarded as an informed advisor within the soccer world. He previously served as in-house counsel for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and has helped numerous organizations navigate the sport’s complex landscape on a global level. His prior experience also includes work in private practice, government, a Fortune 100 media company and a technology start-up. Swain holds a Juris Doctorate from Emory University School of Law, a bachelor’s degree in political science from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in sport management from Le Centre International d’Etude du Sport.