TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® transports COPA América Centenario soccer teams’ equipment for 100th anniversary event

From June 3 to 26, 16 professional soccer teams with notable players from across the world went head to head in front of nearly 1.5 million fans. This was the COPA América Centenario, and it was the first time in its 100-year history that it was hosted in the United States. To help make the three-week, nationwide event possible, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, the largest national moving franchise system in the U.S., was enlisted to provide its trusted fleet of drivers and movers to help transport team equipment in its trucks to and from the airport for the duration of the games. 

“This partnership with COPA América Centenario was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to  create exposure for America’s beloved moving brand, and also gave us the chance to show everyone what TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is about — hard work, integrity and a never-ending drive to always exceed expectations,” said Jeff Wesley, CEO of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®. “We’re grateful to have been able to experience — and contribute to — this momentous event.”

From California and Washington to Texas and Florida, 10 TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® locations were recruited by logistics company, Vasta and Associates, to spearhead the effort. Selected to manage the COPA América movers was Mark List, DOT and Fleet Safety Specialist at the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® corporate office located in Lansing, Mich. Positioned in COPA América’s headquarters in Chicago, List’s first task was meeting with Delta Airlines’ corporate teams and the head of security for both Midway and O’Hare airports to discuss safety procedures for entering and exiting the tarmacs. From that moment, List’s days were spent keeping in constant contact with a representative at each of the franchise locations while simultaneously handling specific requests from teams. He also had to work closely with Delta to ensure equipment was properly loaded and sealed for team flights.

"During the planning stages of COPA America, we searched the market for a capable moving company that would fit our budget. We needed a company who would be able to professionally move team equipment for each of the 16 teams involved in the tournament. Upon contacting TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, they were more than happy to provide information on their various locations across the country, with vehicles fleets and prices that couldn’t be beat,” said Lisa Fioretti, the event manager for Vasta & Associates. “The teams from TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® proved to be efficient, organized, and well prepared for each day. We appreciated working with them on a project of this magnitude!"

For the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® movers, there was no typical day on the job. Ryan Wells, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® General Manager for the Orlando West, Fla., location, recalls helping to load the Argentina team for a 2 a.m. flight immediately after their match. Another TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® employee from Houston, Texas, Donald Davis, an operations manager, remembers transporting a ping-pong table to a hotel one night upon a team’s request. And for Steve Raffo TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Director of Operations in San Jose, California, being able to interact with the players behind the scenes during their moves was the most rewarding and memorable experience of all.

“At TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, our mission statement holds us to an incredibly high standard — I knew from the very beginning that we would not only succeed, but we would exceed expectations,” List said. “COPA América went very smoothly for TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® due to the hard work and can-do attitudes of our franchisees, managers, movers and drivers. It was an honor to participate in an event of this magnitude.”