Recap: Atlanta United takes home the trophy in first American Family Insurance Cup

Under the bright lights of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, on Tuesday, June 14, Atlanta United took to the pitch in their American Family five-stripe jerseys for a friendly match against LIGA MX team, C.F. Pachuca.

With 38,000 tickets sold, the pressure was on. Atlanta United came out strong, with Josef Martinez scoring the first-ever goal in the cup’s history in the fifth minute. Forward Luis Araujo scored another quick goal just minutes after, and Pachuca answered back with two goals of their own to tie it up going into the half.

Up for grabs was the AmFam Cup inaugural trophy and with thousands of screaming fans in the stands, Atlanta United forward Dom Dwyer brought it home for the team, with the game-winning goal in the 56th minute.

Supporting youth soccer with SITS

Crystal Sanchez, an American Family agency owner in Locust Grove, Georgia, was on hand to cheer on the team and represent American Family during the half-time presentation, when a new partnership with non-profit organization, Soccer in the Streets (SITS), was announced.

Cesar Pinzon, American Family personal lines agent and customer operations vice president, joined by Sanchez and Hugo Zamora (an agency owner in Buford, Georgia), had the honor of presenting SITS with a contribution of $100,000 to support youth soccer in the local community. 

“It was an honor to represent American Family on a personal level with our community during the half-time announcement,” Sanchez said. “Being present in our community shows how real and personal agency owners are, and it speaks volumes. We are real-life agents who have the same struggles and achievements as those around us. This kind of exposure is not possible at the individual agency level, and for that I am very grateful.”

SITS aims to expand free access to soccer and provide safe spaces for youth players in the Atlanta-area to play, while also helping them learn important life skills through the game of soccer.

Highlighting its ongoing commitment to the Atlanta community, American Family along with SITS will also be launching a new soccer pitch and sponsoring a new youth soccer tournament in Atlanta later this year.

“Like American Family, SITS is passionate about providing opportunities to underserved communities,” says Tony Carter, Soccer in the Streets director of programs. “Their generous contribution will go a long way in supporting the dreams of youth soccer players across the greater Atlanta area.”

Plenty of pre-match fun

Ahead of the AmFam Cup, youth soccer players gathered with their families at Gary Pirkle Park in Sugar Hill, Georgia, on June 11 to compete in the Atlanta United 3v3 Cup Kickoff, a family-friendly soccer tournament sponsored by American Family.

Pinzon and local agency owners mingled with families, rooted for the players and built genuine relationships in the local community.

“Being authentic and involved at the local level builds trust in the community. Customers buy from people and companies they trust and it’s equally as important they buy from those who share their same values and beliefs,” Pinzon said. “The AmFam Cup and 3v3 Kickoff were great opportunities to tell the story of our commitment to support communities through giving and by making insurance more equitable and accessible.”

Atlanta United midfielder Osvaldo Alonso and goalkeeper Brad Guzan also attended and offered their support from the sidelines. Meeting and taking photos with their professional soccer heroes was a dream come true for many of the youth soccer players at the event.

American Family Insurance is a founding partner of Atlanta United, which joined Major League Soccer in 2017 .

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About the American Family Insurance group
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family Insurance has been serving customers since 1927. We inspire, protect and restore dreams through our insurance products, exceptional service from our agency owners and employees, community investment and creative partnerships to address societal challenges. We act on our belief in diversity and inclusion by constantly evolving to meet customer needs and preferences. American Family Insurance group is the nation’s 13th-largest property/casualty insurance group, ranking No. 251 on the Fortune 500 list. The group sells American Family-brand products, primarily through exclusive agency owners in 19 states. The American Family Insurance group also includes CONNECT, powered by American Family Insurance, The General, Homesite and Main Street America Insurance. Across these companies the group has more than 13,500 employees nationwide.