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 Brazilians are investing in U.S. clubs and two Brazilian teams
are in Florida this week for pre-season training and challenge
matches against German sides.
Edu Gaspar, the former Arsenal player who is now Corinthians
Director of Football, said: "For a long time now the club has been
looking for an opportunity to promote itself in the U.S."
"We have managed to find an important competition with clubs that
are equally important and under conditions that suit us."
Corinthians will this week play in the Florida Cup, a four-team
tournament that includes Bayer Leverkusen, 1. Cologne and Rio de
Janeiro's Fluminense.
Corinthians play Cologne and Fluminense face Leverkusen in Orlando
on Jan 15. Two days later Corinthians take on Leverkusen and
Fluminense meet Cologne in Jacksonville.
The Brazilian clubs will use the games as warm-ups for the state
championships which begin at the end of the month but more important
than facing top European sides are the commercial possibilities.
 GROWING STATURE
The U.S. game is growing in stature, with New York City FC signing a
franchise deal with part-owners Manchester City and top players like
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard signing for LA Galaxy, who he will
join after the Premier league season.
Brazilian soccer, meanwhile, is in the doldrums on and off the pitch
thanks to decades of mismanagement.
Almost all the top clubs are heavily in debt, with many owing
players and managers months of back pay.
Even with 12 new stadiums built for the World Cup, the average first
division crowd last year was 16,562, less than in Japan, Mexico,
China –- and the United States.
Brazilian clubs can see U.S. socceris growing -- some Major League
Soccer matches are now broadcast live in Brazil -– and they want to
form closer ties with the country.
"This is one more opportunity for the club to establish a presence
in the North American market, showing off its brand and its
players," Marcelo Teixeira, Fluminense's executive director of
soccer, said of the Florida tour.
U.S. clubs are waking up to the interest, with Orlando creating a
Portuguese-language website and tourism packages for Brazilians.
"After Canadians, Brazil represents the biggest group of foreign
visitors to Orlando," Orlando City's Brazilian president Flavio
Augusta da Silva told Reuters in an email.
"Brazilians spend billions of dollars each year in Florida. And
Orlando City will be an integral part of Brazil's most beloved
tourism route."
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Fluminense and Corinthians underlined the importance of marketing
and TV coverage, with the Florida Cup games being broadcast live to
125 countries.
PACKAGE DEALS
The Brazilian clubs also believe they can make money from their own
fans by selling package deals to see the games as well as to watch
training sessions and even fly with the team.
"In addition to what the club will receive for competing in the
Florida Cup, we can also generate revenue from pitch-side
advertising, TV rights and the sale of travel packages that include
tickets to the game and for visits to the training center to watch
training sessions," said Alexandre Ferreira, Corinthians' marketing
manager.
Fluminense have a partnership with Gatorade, and Corinthians have
deals with Fox Broadcasting to advertise The Simpsons and with
Disney.
The other blossoming relationship comes in ownership. In addition to
Silva at Orlando, three Brazilians own Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
Orlando make their MLS debut in March, while the Strikers play in
the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second level of U.S.
soccer.
Former Brazil, Real Madrid and Inter Milan striker Ronaldo last
month snapped up a piece of Fort Lauderdale and declared he was
looking to the future.
"There are no doubts that the beautiful game is growing
exponentially in the U.S., and I guarantee you that the NASL will
play a key role in the rise of professional soccer here," Ronaldo
said.
Ronaldo played for Corinthians and the Sao Paulo side are using the
Strikers' training center as their U.S. base.
(Reporting by Andrew Downie; editing by Ken Ferris)
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