Miami Beach, FL- The annual event for those in the business of making the sport work inside the United States and worldwide has returned to South Florida to share their knowledge and expertise in the world we all know and love called Football. The huge international convention that shows everyone the new techniques to improve their training, better equipment, technology, and the latest in energy drinks after a match or training.
Here are some of the moments that I saw while talking to the people who are hard at work making their living from the sport and the love they put into it. Also discussing the other moments as well during conversation sessions that gave knowledge and interesting facts of the clubs that bring players to their academies, or other special moments.
Local Equipment Company is trying to join the big boys
When you watch the best clubs in the world and the best National Teams in the world, you always look at Nike, Adidas, Puma, Hummel, and other famous brands. But one brand that has now shown up at Soccerex was Rolara. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, C.E.O. Philip Trotter spent some time with me on how they made their soccer balls and the process to improve the technology.
“This is the top-of-the-line professional quality ball. This is our highest-level ball. It truly is the best soccer ball in the world. And I can say that because I’ve tested every ball in the world pretty much. I can’t tell you how many balls we’ve bought from our competitors just to cut open to test, and to play with. I know the factories that are making them, and I know how they’re made, and truly, our ball is, we believe, the best in the world.
And it comes in at about a fraction of the price. It’s $90, which is about half the price of the $180 top-of-the-line balls from the competitors. “ I was shown two different soccer balls. “The design it’s our diamond series, so if you look at it, it actually looks like a diamond reflecting light. That’s kind of where the color pattern comes from. Everything about the ball is top of the line, from the bladder to the wrapping around the bladder to the outer material is kind of the best in the world that you can buy. It’s all thermally bonded.
We think it’s the best ball on the market, and again, about half the price. Our other ball here is a Gold Series, which is also a truly professional quality match ball. It comes in at only $60, so it’s about, again, half to a third of the price of anything comparable. We think this ball is probably best for the high school and college level. All of our balls are NFHS certified, so they’re approved for use in high school sports across the country. And they’re all built to FIFA quality professional specifications.”
WEBSITE: Rolara
Classic Football jerseys are in the States
For a very long time, we have seen professional sports teams use the same classic jerseys or kits, use the same logo, or the same style since their respective club started. But, in football, the colors remain the same, but the style or pattern changes. After a certain number of years, that old style is gone and a new one appears.
That’s where Classic Football Shirts come into play. Originally from the United Kingdom, based in London, England, in the Kensington Neighborhood, has branched out to the United States, with stores in New York City at 323 Canal Street, Los Angeles at 447N. Fairfax, and now in Miami at Wynwood, near the Wynwood Walls art gallery & museum at 217 NW 25th Street. I spoke to Miami Store Manager David Jones about the company.
“Classic Football Shirts is the world’s largest collection of vintage jerseys and kits going back to as early as the 70s and 80s, with a specialized service in the 90s to mid-2000s. It started in Manchester, in the UK, in 2006. And when did they move to the United States to create their business? So, over the last couple of years, there’s been numerous amount of pop-ups throughout the U. S., just kind of doing market research and being able to reach a new fan base. And obviously, with any metropolis, brick-and-mortar happened a little over a year ago in New York, L.A., and Miami.”
If you are wondering if they have a lot of club shirts and National Team shirts?, “If you can find a team or club that we don’t have, I’d be surprised. And also, as I’ve said, international jerseys, national team jerseys.” Don’t forget to go online to their website to find what you’re looking for if you can’t get to any of their stores in those cities.
WEBSITE: Classic Football Shirts
Traveling to a special match
If you are looking to travel abroad to watch your favorite club perform in the UEFA Champions League, or a CONCACAF Gold Cup even a different sporting event, you need to look up a reputable travel agency that specializes in this field. VIP Events Team based in New York City can help you with your needs to see great matches inside great cities across Europe and the USA.
Lev Feldman is the President of VIP Events Team, as he has led this business since 2021, but has been in the industry since 1998. A man with vast experience in this type of industry for a long time, and he has made it possible for many people to make their dreams a reality, to watch special matches or meet those special players.
“We provide the match tickets, and if they want any experiences beyond that, whether it’s hospitality, we’ve done meet and greets. We’ve actually done a meet and greet for a client with Messi. And if they want to go to the team museum, we have offers and packages pretty much anywhere in the world for all the major leagues, major tournaments. If they need hotels and transfers, we can help with that as well, in a full-service concierge. We’re also promoting our Club 26 at Harborside, hospitality production for the World Cup in New York.“
They have also received requests for travel to England for the Premier League, Italy’s Serie A, and Spain’s La Liga. They have made deals with clubs like AC Milan, AS Roma, and a few others. “We’re an official authorized partner for these clubs. Where we promote their ticket offers, their hospitality offers worldwide.” And now the World Cup will be here next summer in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. This tournament is VIP Events Team’s time to shine.
“It’s a great opportunity for the business. To be honest, I think a lot of people in our industry are looking at it as a retirement event. If that was what I was looking for, I’d probably treat it as such. But for me, it’s a great opportunity to… Build out the name for our company and also to kind of enjoy the event being on our home soil because, usually, we’re traveling overseas to attend these events, and here I can actually be in New York and quarterback the whole tournament from our base of operations.”
WEBSITE: VIP Events Team
Other Sessions and artists for soccer
As always, there was a stage to have discussions about the game in different aspects. From youth soccer to women’s soccer, a club’s academy pyramid to discussing past matches from a long time ago. But with the World Cup coming very soon, we had members of the Miami Host City Committee chatting with the people who attended the opening symposium sessions.
But what caught my eye was sports art. To see the likeness of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo of Brazil in his prime, and yes, a painting of Kobe Bryant was there as well. But to see three local artists like Freaky (she’s wearing the Inter Miami jersey) and her friends showing their talents on canvas was amazing to watch.
While I can admit that I have a decent amount of what I want to paint or draw, I’m not at the level of excellence these artists have achieved. Freaky’s Flamingo painting with a gold chain around its neck reminded me of my old days growing up in the Bronx and New York City, seeing the subway cars graffiti’d up on the outside.
INSTAGRAM: Freakykissdesigns
Once again, Soccerex delivers on the business side of football when it comes to constructing stadiums for either a temporary or permanent ground. Clubs are trying to advertise themselves, old and new. Equipment companies, and giving insights to the club’s business side, and what they try to do to grow in player development, or the idea of creating a third shirt and giving meaning behind it.
Soccerex News:
Discover more from Bad Dawg Sports - Global Sports Coverage & Analysis
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
