The American Connection at Dana Cup

Sven Erik Jensen is not the only one sending American football teams to Dana Cup. Nevertheless, it is not wrong to look upon the former schoolteacher as the American connection at the Dana Cup. In fact, since 1984 he has been a tour operator for up to 800 teams from the USA.

‘As a coach for a football team in Vodskov, Denmark, we were once visited by a team from the USA. The Americans expressed their desire to take part in a tournament and knowing that Dana Cup had started two years previously, I made the connection across the Atlantic and then things quickly progressed. Already in 1986 I retired as a schoolteacher to open my own travel agency, Sport International, providing football trips from the USA to Europe, in particular to Denmark, Sweden and Norway,’ explains Sven Erik Jensen, who received the new Dana Cup Honour Award for his great work promoting the tournament.

’In the beginning, I travelled with the management of Dana Cup to South Africa, the USA, Australia and South Africa to promote Dana Cup. Today I’m an agent for Dana Cup enabling me to made agreements around the world on behalf of Dana Cup,’ explains Sven Erik Jensen, who also sends teams from other countries such as Arab countries and Spain, for instance.

‘Not least the Americans are very happy to visit Dana Cup, because they experience an amazingly well-organized tournament, where everything works and from where they travel home with more than just a football experience. In connection with the visit to Dana Cup we usually combine it with experiences in Denmark, plus many also take part in Gothia Cup and/or Norway Cup, for instance. This year several teams have taken part in a training camp at Dana Cup Sportscenter and some of them have already booked a stay in week 28 next year,’ smiles Sven Erik, who has sent 6 teams to Dana Cup this year.