New Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup will offer $1.1 million prize to winner
· Yahoo Sports
U.S. Soccer announced the launch of the Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup, a single-elimination knockout tournament designed to crown a national champion in women’s club soccer.
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The tournament will award the winning team a $1.1 million prize and provide a direct pathway to qualify for the Concacaf W Champions Cup.
While the United States features professional leagues, amateur teams and collegiate soccer programs, historically, there has not been an interconnected competition that brings those teams together.
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The tournament is modeled similarly to European club competitions, such as England’s Women’s FA Cup and aims to connect women’s club teams across the country in a single knockout format.
U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said the competition was meant to create new ways to bring soccer fans together.
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“Women’s soccer continues to be one of the most dynamic and inspiring forces in sport,” Cone said in a statement. “The Crest Cup will create meaningful impact by bringing people together, attracting investment in the future of the game and ensuring that excellence, inclusivity and opportunity remain at the heart of women’s soccer in the United States.”
The competition is supported by Home Depot co-founder and philanthropist Arthur M. Blank and his foundation.
U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson said Blank’s support in creating the new tournament structure was helping create a “defining moment” for women’s soccer in the United States.
“This won’t be just about crowning a club champion, but delivering unforgettable moments for players and fans and expanding the reach of women’s professional soccer into new communities,” Batson said.
Blank said this was an opportunity to build a national platform for women’s club soccer and bring people together.
“Soccer has an extraordinary power to bring people together, and this competition represents an important step forward for the women’s game,” Blank said. “Creating a new stage for the best clubs and athletes in the country to compete at the highest level will expand opportunity, inspire the next generation and build on the tremendous momentum behind women’s soccer in the United States.”
A launch date for the competition has not been set yet and is being discussed with stakeholders, according to officials.
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