What could two soccer teams separated by over 5,000 miles, like Cancún FC and CD Leganés, possibly have in common? At first glance, one might think they only share the same sport: soccer. However, the connection between these two clubs goes far beyond that and features a cucumber and an iguana as protagonists.

The key link between the Spanish and Mexican clubs is the Blue Crow Sports Group, an organization founded in 2021, which oversees several teams such as Elite Falcon FC in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, MFK Vyškov in the Czech Republic, and the aforementioned Leganés and Cancún. In May of this year, Cancun FC and CD Leganés joined forces to launch a limited-edition merchandise collaboration connecting the worlds of sports, fashion, and culture.

The Evolution of Blokecore

The winning strategy capitalized on the growing impact of blokecore, a trend that blends street fashion with soccer. Its influence is so significant that it has even conquered territories where soccer is not the primary sport, such as the United States. Blokecore has popularized the use of soccer jerseys both in work and social environments. While social media has facilitated passionate support for teams located thousands of miles away, even in countries they have never visited.

In this context, it is increasingly common to see soccer jerseys in everyday life. If the goal is to boost the brand recognition of Leganés and Cancún, the US market emerges as an ideal strategic target. It not only demonstrates a growing interest in soccer fashion but also an increase in sports following itself. A perfect combination.

“The collection highlights the global appeal and cultural significance of sport fashion trends, which connect fans all over the world. Being a multi-owner football club and incorporating two clubs across the globe together was an idea we wanted to pursue in order to show how unity in sports can come through fashion,” said Veronica Fereday, Director of Retail and Merchandising at Blue Crow Sports Group. “We pushed boundaries—using mascots, animations (with Acid FC), and the players as models to make a bold, fashion-forward statement. It’s about bringing street style soccer to new audiences, blending high fashion with the fun, energetic spirit of clubs like Leganés and Cancun.”

Acid FC Collabs with Cancun and Leganés

Acid FC, which had already designed for iconic teams like Leeds United, faced an even greater challenge: creating a unique collection for two football clubs simultaneously. The key to achieving this was to identify a distinctive element that captured the essence of both teams. Acid also created the animation for the campaign.

Thus, the brilliant idea arose to incorporate the mascots of each entity: SuperPepino, a fun vegetable that pays homage to the agricultural history of the city of Leganés, and the iguana present in the shield of the Mexican team. This creative approach unites the two clubs in an unprecedented collaboration.

The close collaboration between Cancun and Leganés has been fundamental to the creation and success of this collection. Their marketing departments worked together with Acid FC to flesh out the original idea of using the mascot as a key element. Additionally, they simultaneously shared the collection on social media to encourage their followers to get their hands on it.

“Each club has two mascots that are well-known and loved by everyone”, tells Víctor Marín, the Communication and Marketing Director of the Spanish club. “Our fans, both locally and internationally, recognize not only C.D. Leganés but also SuperPepino, sometimes even more so than the club’s own brand.”

However, this union goes beyond the capsule collection. The two clubs affiliated with Blue Crow have forged a solid relationship. For example, Leganés raffled a trip among its fans to Cancun on two occasions during last season. Despite the thousands of miles that separate them, distance does not exist in the digital world. That’s why Leganés’ social media team joined in the celebration of the renowned Day of the Dead, showing the club’s commitment to the culture of its sister team.

“It is an honor for Cancún FC to collaborate with Leganés,” said Diego Rodríguez, Marketing Director of the Mexican team. “Creating something with them and connecting our brands globally makes us very proud. I feel part of Leganés because I am part of the Blue Crow Sports family. The first person to write to me when we won the title was Víctor. I am completely convinced that this first Cancún FC – Leganés collection will be the first of many more to come.”

The Acid FC capsule collection is still available. You can purchase it in Spain here, in Mexico, or in the United States.

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Written by Alexis Prousis
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October 9, 2024
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