The internationalisation process of the AC Milan brand continues, with a particular focus on the US market. This summer, the Rossoneri participated in a significant event in the United States (the "Soccer Champions Tour 2023"), the key details of which were revealed on LinkedIn in a post authored by Halajie Barjiee. She has been responsible for the team's corporate communication for about a year now, writes Calciomercato.com.
In total, they covered over 40,000 kilometres, making stops in iconic cities like Los Angeles and Las Vegas. During the tour, the Rossoneri played three friendly matches against top European football teams: the first against Real Madrid at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the second against Juventus at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, and the third and final match against Barcelona at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
They reached more than 120,000 spectators, not to mention the five events exclusively dedicated to fans, featuring a fan village at each official match, along with numerous activations for partners, institutional and business meetings, as well as dozens of interviews and press events.
These communication opportunities generated over 1,000 articles, in addition to collaborations with influencers and media personalities who participated in matches and non-football-related initiatives. They shared exclusive content and made statements about the Milan brand.
These collaborators included LeBron James (L.A. Lakers/NBA), Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic/NBA), Gary Payton Jr. (Golden State Warriors/NBA), Angels FC (Los Angeles women's football team), Bleacher Report (San Francisco-based sports news website), ESPN TV network, Esquire magazine, and many others.
The tour exceeded the initial expectations, serving as a unique opportunity to prepare for the official start of the season and accelerate international growth. This helped strengthen the reputation and emotional connection with all stakeholders, starting from fans, business partners, and institutions.
Thanks to the tour in the USA, Milan managed to solidify its position in one of the major international markets. The Major League Soccer, equivalent to Italy's Serie A, has experienced exponential growth in the last five years. This geographical area, gearing up for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup (to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico), holds strong potential for football, or as it's commonly referred to in the US, "soccer."
In the United States alone, Milan boasts over 43 million fans (Nielsen data) and is the most recognized Italian football brand (YouGov data). It has a network of 16 official fan clubs and has formed strategic collaborations with all-encompassing sports and entertainment icons like The Yankees, New Era, Warner Bros., Apple Music, and Rocket League (a football-themed video game developed by Psyonix Studios). The roots of the Rossoneri ownership, RedBird Capital Partners (established in 2014 under Gerry Cardinale's leadership, the current owners of the club), lie precisely in this market. Their expertise in sports-business, media, and entertainment is crucial for the club's future.
Continuing on the path of brand internationalisation, the recent opening of the store at Malpensa Airport stands out. This airport is one of the major national and international air hubs, located within Terminal 1, Schengen Departures area. In 2022, Malpensa saw over 21 million passengers and 700,000 tons of cargo, ranking second and first respectively in Italy. The decision to open this new retail point aligns with the Rossoneri's retail development strategy, which also included renovating the official store at San Siro stadium and opening matchday or pop-up stores in central Milan, Riyadh (during the Italian Super Cup), and, as previously mentioned, during the US Tour (in Los Angeles and Las Vegas).
