LOS ANGELES: The finale of sports and live entertainment company AEG’s inaugural Soccer Champions Tour, a “meaningless summer friendly” that pitted current La Liga and UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid and Serie A giants Juventus saw 93,702 tickets ditributed for Saturday’s game at the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena, Los Angeles.
The new event featured five soccer clubs competing in exhibition games over nine days across four major U.S. host cities including: Las Vegas, San Francisco, Dallas, and Los Angeles. Other than Real Madrid and Juventus, participating clubs included LaLiga powerhouse FC Barcelona, and Liga MX’s Club América and Club Deportivo Guadalajara.
This tour marked the first return of play in the U.S. for Barcelona and Real Madrid since 2019 and for Juventus since 2018.
The turnout was a clear indicator of why big European clubs head to the United States for their pre-season tours where American fans are desperate to see their heroes on home turf.
The reception for Real Madrid has been incredible across their tour and it has shown the growing power of the club’s brand, which was able to bring in sell-out crowds in Las Vegas, San Francisco and now LA.
The club have gained 740,000 followers on Twitter over the few weeks in which Real Madrid have been in the US and such statistics only reinforce the reasoning behind making a trip across the world as part of the club’s pre-season regime.
It’s also a boost for LaLiga as a whole, with Barcelona and Celta Vigo also touring the US this summer, though the attendance at the Rose Bowl shows that Real Madrid have once again come out on top.
Saturday’s sellout in front of 93,702 fans was the “most for a soccer match in the U.S. since July 2018” when 101,254 packed Michigan Stadium to watch Premier League clubs Liverpool and Manchester United in the International Champions Cup.
Relevant Sport Group exec chair Charlie Stillitano, speaking to L.A. Times about the attendance at the game, said, “This is just another indicator that soccer has made it. This has become a soccer nation.
“I am glad to see that there are 90,000 people in the Rose Bowl. We started something a long time ago and you are seeing the fruits of your labor.”
Other notable European clubs, including Premier League champions Manchester City, Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton, also visited the United States this month, with Manchester City’s clash Bayern Munich side drawing 78,128 games against Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, earlier this month.
It was the largest attendance at a US soccer game in more than three years – until it was overshadowed by the Rose Bowl crowd on Saturday, the biggest sporting event of any kind in Southern California since the 2017 Rose Bowl game.
Soccer Champions Tour Event Schedule
Friday, July 22 – 8:00 PM PT
Juventus vs. Club Deportivo Guadalajara at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Saturday, July 23 – 8:00 PM PT
Real Madrid CF vs. FC Barcelona at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Tuesday, July 26 – 7:30 PM PT
Real Madrid CF vs. Club América at Oracle Park, San Francisco
Tuesday, July 26 – 7:30 PM CT
FC Barcelona vs. Juventus at Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas
Saturday, July 30 – 7:00 PM PT
Real Madrid CF vs. Juventus at Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles
