The Basketball Tournament organizers launch $1 million soccer tournament

Written by on October 11, 2022

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The same group that founded The Basketball Tournament is moving to the pitch. On Tuesday, TBT Enterprises announced that it is launching a $1 million, winner-take-all addition called The Soccer Tournament, which will take place over four days in June 2023 in Cary, N.C.

The Soccer Tournament will feature 7-on-7 soccer action of 32 teams competing against one another in group play before moving into the knockout stages, similar to the World Cup.

TST’s first two teams will be Team Dempsey, highlighted by legendary American soccer star Clint Dempsey, and the British soccer and esports club Hashtag United. 

“TST is an opportunity for players to show what they’ve got,” Dempsey said in a press release. “I came from the pickup culture, and we’ll be on the search for unproven talent that may have been overlooked by the American soccer system. Don’t sleep on Team Dempsey, we’re coming to win.”

TBT has developed into a very successful event since its inception back in 2014. Phoenix Suns star guard Chris Paul is one of the company’s co-owners and has been involved since the beginning.

“We are excited to birth a new event in TST,” TBT and TST founder and CEO Jon Mugar said. “Our model has always been about open access for all, something European soccer embraces through promotion/relegation and events like the FA Cup. We think that model is fantastic for fans. As we have seen with TBT, it attracts dreamers who are passionate about sport. We’re lucky to have been approached by a group of soccer dreamers that understand the game, our model, and the opportunity with seven on seven.”

The Soccer Tournament has partnered with other big names as well, such as former soccers stars like Alecko Eskandarian, Henry Tembon and Michael Volk to make this new avenue happen. Volk and Tembon actually reached out to Mugar back in 2020 about adding TBT’s model to the soccer community.

The Soccer Tournament will also have Target Score Time, which offers a different finish to a soccer match. It’ll make sure that all matches end with a goal.





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