NORTHBROOK, Ill., July 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today that Allstate Insurance Company will be the Official Protector of the Gold Cup™ trophy as it makes its way to some of the biggest soccer matches across the country. The seven-city Gold Cup Trophy tour scheduled for this month, gives soccer fans across the United States the chance to interact with the Cup awarded to the winner of the region’s preeminent men’s national team soccer tournament.
Allstate, an official sponsor of the Gold Cup, will kick off the trophy tour today in Dallas ahead of the opening match at Toyota Stadium, during which defending 2013 champion United States takes on Honduras as part of a double header, also featuring 2013 runner-up Panama versus Haiti.
“As Protector of the Cup, CONCACAF is confident Allstate can protect one of our most precious symbols – the Gold Cup Trophy,” said CONCACAF Acting General Secretary Ted Howard. “The end result has yielded a great opportunity for fans at this summer’s Gold Cup – the chance to get up close and personal with the trophy and truly enhance their experience.”
The month-long trophy tour culminates at the final matches in Philadelphia, July 24-26. At each stop along the tour, the Gold Cup Trophy will be displayed at Allstate-organized community events benefiting local youth soccer leagues and at the Allstate Fan Zone – a fun and interactive experience where fans can take part in family-friendly activities and meet soccer legends Adolfo Rios or Brian McBride before heading into the match.
“Soccer has some of the most loyal and passionate fans in sports. There’s no better way to celebrate them than to provide exclusive access to the coveted Gold Cup Trophy,” said Pam Hollander, vice president of marketing for Allstate Insurance Company. “It’s a natural fit for Allstate to protect the Cup, just like we keep our customers in good hands, protecting them from life’s uncertainties.”
As part of the trophy tour, the Gold Cup will visit Dallas, Chicago, Kansas City, Charlotte, Baltimore, Atlanta and Philadelphia, in that order. The full schedule is as follows:
July 6 – July 7 – Dallas, Texas and Toyota Stadium (July 7)
July 8 – July 9 – Chicago, Illinois and Soldier Field (July 9)
July 12 – July 13 – Kansas City, Kansas and Sporting Park (July 13)
July 14 – July 15 – Charlotte, North Carolina and Bank of America Stadium (July 15)
July 16 – July 18 – Baltimore, Maryland and M&T Bank Stadium (July 18)
July 21 – July 22 – Atlanta, Georgia and the Georgia Dome (July 22)
July 24 – July 26 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and PPL Park/Lincoln Financial Field (July 26)
This year marks the first time Allstate has joined CONCACAF as a sponsor of the Gold Cup. The company has a well-established history of supporting soccer events in North America, including Major League Soccer and the Mexican National team, and is committed to aiding grassroots community initiatives to help the next generation of soccer fans and players.
The 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup will be played from July 7-26, involving 12 teams from the region. Qualifying countries for this year’s tournament are in alphabetical order: Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago and the United States.
The Gold Cup will take place in 13 cities across the United States and Canada. Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Toronto will all host group stage double-headers. Atlanta, Baltimore, New York/New Jersey and Philadelphia have been slated for knockout round matches, with the final match schedules set to be announced later this summer.
The winning team will qualify for a playoff to determine which CONCACAF team will participate in the Confederations Cup – a competition ahead of the World Cup which features the champion from each region of the world, as well as the host nation and the defending World Cup champion. Since clinching the Gold Cup in 2013, the United States has already qualified for the playoff, so a repeat performance this summer will automatically confirm its place in the Confederations Cup.
Taking place every two years, the Gold Cup has established itself as the region’s most popular national team tournament, routinely drawing capacity crowds and millions of viewers across the region. The Gold Cup has been played 12 times since the inaugural edition in 1991.
About CONCACAF
CONCACAF — the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football — is one of six continental confederations of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) and serves as the governing body of football in this part of the world. It is comprised of 41 national associations, from Canada in the north to Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana in the south. Please visit www.concacaf.com for more information.
About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16 million households from life’s uncertainties through auto, home, life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance, Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Allstate is widely known through the slogan “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®.” The Allstate brand’s network of small businesses offers auto, home, life and retirement products and services to customers in the United States and Canada. In the 20 years since Allstate became a fully independent public company, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate, its employees and agency owners have donated more than $405 million to support local communities.
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