LaLiga to bring in NFL, NBA stars to compete in charity esports tournament

Spanish soccer’s top-flight La Liga’s North American joint venture with Relevent Sports has struck a partnership with US content studio Uninterrupted to launch an athlete-only esports tournament on the FIFA title.

Billed as a co-promotion between the Women’s International Champions Cup, which Relevent organises, alongside the La Liga North America and Uninterrupted, the charity Kick Covid tournament is raising funds to support the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. 

The tournament will be live streamed on Twitch and other social media channels across 25th and 26th April and feature 16 star names from the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), and La Liga.

LaLiga North America, Uninterrupted and the Women’s International Champions Cup are bringing together world class athletes from the NBA, NFL, LaLiga, and NWSL to compete in the Kick Covid FIFA20 tournament. The event will take place April 25-26 and will raise funds for Feeding America during the coronavirus pandemic.  

 

Kick COVID marks the first time US-based professional athletes across different leagues and LaLiga superstars will play together. 16 professional athletes from LaLiga, the NFL, the NBA and NWSL will compete against each other in teams, with Jimmy Conrad (Former USMNT, MLS Star, LaLiga Anchor and EA gamer) moderating the gameplay along with Melissa Ortiz (Colombia WNT and Olympic Athlete) and featuring special participation by Phil Schoen (sportscaster featured on ABC, ESPN, Fox Sports, beIN Sports, and SiriusXM) and Kevin Egan (CNN commentator and e-sports host).  

 

The Kick Covid FIFA20 tournament unites players and fans across different sports and countries, bringing the biggest names from LaLiga, the NFL, and the NBA and USWNT together. The players’ faces and audio will be connected to the stream, allowing fans an intimate, inside look at the tournament, the athletes’ conversations, and FIFA playing styles. Athletes will be making donations to Feeding America and fans of each sport from across the world, connected for the first time in this way, will be encouraged to donate alongside them. 

Viewers can tune in on LaLiga’s Twitch channel (https://www.twitch.tv/elaliga) and other social channels, Uninterrupted’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, ICC social channels, and across more than 30 LaLiga broadcasters around the world including beIN Sports in the U.S.  

Donations can be made directly HERE. 

 

“This partnership between Uninterrupted, LaLiga North America and the Women’s International Champions Cup allows us to continue promoting international football, while raising money for such an important and essential cause,” said Relevent Sports Group CEO Daniel Sillman. “We continue to build the global WICC platform and move the game forward by bringing the top clubs and players from Europe closer to North American fans.” 

 

“This moment we are living has proven just how connected we all are, and our love of sports, transcends leagues and teams and countries,” said Maverick Carter, Uninterrupted’s CEO. “This tournament is a unique opportunity for the NBA and NFL athletes we work so closely with to connect with players and fans from across the world, while also doing good here at home, and for our audience to see the biggest names in Spanish football in a whole new light.”  

 

“LaLiga has always been an engine for positive change, and with this initiative we are looking to bring together the best athletes from around the world, to compete, inspire, and help during an unprecedented period of difficulty and uncertainty,” said LaLiga North America CEO Boris Gartner. “We all share a passion for storytelling through sports and couldn’t be more thrilled to engage with both existing and new fans in North America”. 

 

Confirmed to participate in the tournament are Chad Johnson (Cincinnati Bengals), DeAndre Hopkins (Arizona Cardinals), Damarious Randall (Las Vegas Raiders), Willy Hernangómez (Charlotte Hornets), Clint Capela (Atlanta Hawks), John Collins (Atlanta Hawks), Allie Long (USWNT, OL Reign), Lisa Zimouche (LisaFreestyle, Soccer Freestyler, former PSG Academy), Álvaro Morata (Atlético de Madrid), Borja Iglesias (Real Betis), Munir Hadaddi (Sevilla FC), Jose Luis Gayà (Valencia CF), Pau Torres (Villarreal CF), Allan Nyom (Getafe CF), Alexander Isak (Real Sociedad), and Fernando Morientes (former Real Madrid CF legend). 

 

The Kick COVID two-day tournament will feature eight, two-person teams comprised of one LaLiga player and one NFL, NBA or NWSL player, paired together. With three knockout rounds, each team will play two 12-minute matches with aggregated score between both matches determining the winner – with a total of 14 matches. LaLiga will define the final bracket and schedule. Matches will take place between 1 PM-5:30 PM ET. 

 

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