Visit Tucson Sun Cup Explained

Desert Showcase
Founded:2011
Number Of Teams:Varies
Current Champions:
(2nd title)
Most Successful Club:
(2 titles)
Current:2022 Desert Showcase

The Desert Showcase (formerly the Desert Cup, the Desert Diamond Cup, the Mobile Mini Sun Cup, and the Visit Tucson Sun Cup), is a preseason soccer tournament hosted by Phoenix Rising FC of the USL Championship and FC Tucson of USL League One. The tournament is sponsored by the Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau, known as Visit Tucson.

Beginning in 2011, the inaugural Desert Cup featured two Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs, Sporting Kansas City and New York Red Bulls. In the years since, the number of participating MLS clubs has continued to grow, with the 2018 Mobile Mini Sun Cup featuring eleven MLS clubs ‒ nearly half of the league's total membership.

History

The first edition of the tournament, held at Hi Corbett Field, a former baseball spring training stadium saw sellout crowds[1] with international stars such as Thierry Henry, Rafael Márquez, and Omar Bravo playing.

The second edition was held from February 22 through March 3, paralleling several other preseason tournaments ahead of the 2012 American outdoor domestic league seasons.[2] Three new clubs competed in the 2012 edition of the tournament: defending MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, and the New England Revolution joined the New York Red Bulls, who returned for their second Desert Cup appearance. The 2012 Desert Diamond Cup moved to Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium and saw clubs play a total of four matches each.[3]

Phoenix Rising FC purchased FC Tucson on October 11, 2017.[4] On December 5, Phoenix Rising FC and FC Tucson announced that they would co-host the tournament and that it would be renamed the Mobile Mini Sun Cup, with Mobile Mini as sponsor. Games will be played at North Stadium at the Kino Sports Complex as well as Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex. A record 11 teams will participate in the 2018 tournament.[5] [6]

In 2020, the tournament will be renamed the Visit Tucson Sun Cup and will host Sporting Kansas City, Real Salt Lake, New York Red Bulls, Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew SC along with Phoenix Rising FC.[7] [8]

Sponsors

Results

Year1st Place2nd Place3rd Place4th Place
2011Sporting Kansas CityNew York Red BullsFC TucsonArizona Sahuaros
2012LA GalaxyNew England RevolutionReal Salt LakeNew York Red Bulls
2013Seattle Sounders FCReal Salt LakeNew England RevolutionNew York Red Bulls
2014Chicago FireChivas USAReal Salt LakeNew England Revolution
2015Real Salt LakeColorado RapidsSporting Kansas CitySeattle Sounders FC
2016New England RevolutionColumbus Crew SCSporting Kansas City
Houston Dynamo (tied)
2017Houston DynamoColorado RapidsNew England RevolutionSporting Kansas City
2018New England RevolutionHouston DynamoPortland TimbersSporting Kansas City
2019FC DallasPortland TimbersNew York Red BullsReal Salt Lake
2020Columbus Crew SCPhoenix Rising FCNew York Red BullsHouston Dynamo
2021Real Salt LakeLA GalaxyColorado RapidsSporting Kansas City
TeamWinsRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up
Real Salt Lake212015, 20212013
New England Revolution212016, 20182012
Houston Dynamo1120172018
LA Galaxy1120122021
Columbus Crew SC1120202016
FC Dallas102019
Chicago Fire102014
Seattle Sounders FC102013
Sporting Kansas City102011
Colorado Rapids022015, 2017
Phoenix Rising FC012020
Portland Timbers012019
Chivas USA012014
New York Red Bulls012011

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MLS in Tucson: Soccer proves to be major hit. Ryan Finley Arizona Daily Star. Arizona Daily Star. 6 March 2011 .
  2. Web site: Knapp. Jake. FC Tucson, MLS announce 2012 Desert Cup. KGUN9.com. November 26, 2011. September 29, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120517084116/http://www.kgun9.com/news/local/130805658.html. May 17, 2012.
  3. Web site: Four MLS teams to compete in Tucson Desert Diamond Cup. MLSsoccer.com.
  4. News: 'It's going to elevate everything:' FC Tucson sold to Phoenix Rising FC. Arizona Daily Star. October 11, 2017. October 11, 2017.
  5. Web site: Phoenix Rising FC and FC Tucson Debut 2018 Mobile Mini Sun Cup. Phoenix Rising FC. December 5, 2017. December 5, 2017.
  6. News: FC Tucson Debuts 2018 Mobile Mini Sun Cup. Paul Cicala. KVOA.com. December 5, 2017. December 5, 2017.
  7. Web site: Sun Cup Preseason Tournament Rebranded to Visit Tucson Sun Cup. FC Tucson Communications. December 20, 2019. December 20, 2019.
  8. Web site: 2020 Visit Tucson Sun Cup Participants and Dates Set. Phoenix Rising Communications. December 20, 2019. December 20, 2019.