Organisers call off this year's ICC tourney because of Covid-19
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Tottenham's Son Heung-min attempting a shot against Juventus in their ICC game at the National Stadium last July. ICC attendance figures in Singapore have exceeded 300,000 over the years.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
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NEW YORK • Just weeks after the International Champions Cup (ICC) cancelled its exhibition games in Asia, the marketing company that owns and operates the competition announced on Friday that none of its friendlies will kick off.
The football tournament that has also brought European powerhouse clubs to the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia in recent years will not be played this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Danny Sillman, chief executive of organisers Relevent Sports Group, said uncertainty surrounding restrictions that have shut down global sport make it "unfeasible" to plan a tournament in 2020.
"The health and safety of players, staff, fans and all who are involved in our matches is always paramount," he said in a statement.
"The lack of clarity of when social distancing and shelter-in-place restrictions will be lifted and the uncertain international football calendar with the potential for European domestic leagues and Uefa tournaments being played into August, means planning a men's International Champions Cup this summer is unfeasible.
"We look forward to bringing the best clubs and most iconic match-ups in the world to the US and Asia in 2021."
Many of Europe's suspended domestic leagues, as well as the Champions League, hope eventually to complete their seasons this year.
The ICC, which began in 2013, has been played in July and August. Many of the games have attracted massive crowds, including 109,000 for a Real Madrid v Manchester United contest in Michigan in 2014.
But the New York Times reported in January that the Cup has not been profitable for the owners, who were threatening to pull the plug unless teams started taking it more seriously.
For seven years, Stephen Ross, the billionaire owner of Relevent Sports, pumped millions into the ICC. The cost of hosting the annual event grew to more than US$100 million (S$141 million), with no signs of a profit as it failed to attract the required investment from broadcasters and commercial partners.
Clubs and venues for this year's tournament had not been announced, though the LA Times reported that organisers were in talks with Barcelona and Real Madrid to play at SoFi Stadium, the new stadium of the NFL's Los Angeles Rams that is under construction.
In February, The Straits Times reported that the ICC, first staged in Singapore in 2017, would not take place in Asia in the off-season. The three teams who were being lined up for the National Stadium were understood to be English giants Liverpool and Manchester United and German side Borussia Dortmund.
ICC attendance figures in the Republic have exceeded 300,000 over the years, and a record 52,897 fans saw Manchester United beat Inter Milan 1-0 last year.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS, NYTIMES
