Presentation Outline and Video

Copa American Final (2024)

James Mitchell Elmore

Department: Communication and Theatre Arts

Comm 323: Leadership and Events Management

Dr. Danielle Jackson

September 26, 2024

Target Audience:

The Copa America Finals of 2024 was one of the most significant and chaotic sporting events in the history of Hard Rock Stadium. This soccer tournament ended with Argentina and Colombia meeting head-to-head in mid-July 2024 to determine the cup’s victor. The specific target audience for this event was fans of Argentina and Colombia and anyone who pays attention and keeps up with soccer. This game was also a chance for fans to see arguably one of, if not the greatest soccer player ever, to lace up his boots. (Lionel Messi) 

Scope:

A total of 65,300 tickets were sold, meaning Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium’s entire capacity was sold out for this event. This would be a massive event, with many stakeholders funding it and bringing in thousands of dollars of revenue. 

The resources available to fans during this game included purchasing tickets online or at the ticket booths. Both teams’ merchandise was also available, including jerseys, shirts, hats, pants, bobbleheads, soccer balls, and more. There was also an abundance of concession stands that provided fans with drinks, food, and souvenirs.

Marketing:

Leading up to the game, several different types of marketing occurred to attract fans to watch on television, listen to the radio, or come in person. Commercials on social media platforms and television sites were aired and shared worldwide. Whether it was Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, or Instagram, people knew the game was happening and that thousands would tune in to see it. All aspects of marketing occurred to tell people about the game. New media, traditional, and social media were all factors that supported the event. 

Improvement to the Event:

Many aspects of the start of this event needed to be revised. For example, the start of the game did not start until 9:30 p.m., an hour and a half past the original start time of 8 p.m. The event took as long as it did “because thousands of unruly fans marred the event — many without tickets — who stormed the gates, scaled walls, jumped turnstiles and even slithered through vents to get a glimpse of the spectacle.” The main reason for this event being flawed was that there wasn’t enough security at the beginning. Knowing that the stadium would be at total capacity, the event managers should have added more security and reinforcements to support and back them up. “The stadium became so overcrowded so quickly that security ordered the gates shut, locking out hundreds, maybe thousands of fans who paid top dollar to attend one of the most looked-forward-to sporting events in years.” To truly improve this event, we would like to expand the number of seats and capacity of the stadium. However, I don’t think the event should have even been held at the stadium. A more giant stadium would have done better since Miami is one of the most populated cities in America. The event as a whole should have been better planned and organized. The marketing aspect was impressive; thousands of fans came to support their country and favorite players, and it did its job well. 

Leadership Style:

This event requires a very composed and directional leader. Along with being able to have the intelligence to recover if something goes wrong. Which with time is what occurred when police and more security came to the stadium to corral the fans who got into the stadium without paying. Being able to work under pressure is another trait a strong leader should have. This event should have had a leader that was able to take control of the situation even if it was with smaller numbers on their side. Also for this specific event knowing who the teams playing are, a leader who can speak the language of the fans would have also been a huge addition to recovering the event in due time.

References

LAX security for walk-ins led to breach, chaos at Hard Rock Stadium’s Copa America Final. (n.d.). https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article290079454.html 

Magramo, K., & Lev, J. (2024, July 15). Argentina wins Copa América in Miami final marred by chaotic crowd scenes and Tearful Messi goodbye. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/14/sport/copa-america-final-argentina-colombia-tickets-spt-intl-hnk/index.html

Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/L_qlhVLO5vo?si=7iKL1_jEVRUhepV3