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Brand Marketer Choice: Why International Soccer Sponsorships May Be Better Bets Than MLS

Americans’ interest in soccer both as active participants in soccer matches as well as in fandom is growing at a high rate. Therefore, the brand marketing community is taking notice and considering more soccer sponsorships. What is the best strategy for marketers to engage with the Hispanic population through the soccer passion point? International leagues and clubs such as LigaMX, English Premier League and La Liga are alluring propositions. Here’s why.

 

A 2018 Gallup poll shows soccer ranks second in popularity only surpassed by football among the coveted 18-34 demographic. Soccer ties with basketball at 11% and is ahead of baseball at 6%. Undoubtedly, soccer, including beach soccer, is a substantial alternative for brands to reach out to this coveted population segment. These are two reasons why European and Mexican soccer sponsorships can be viable alternatives.

1. High Name Recognition of European Clubs and Stars

Lionel Messi – Photo Property of Futbol Club Barcelona

The high name recognition of European clubs among U.S. audiences, and even more among U.S. Hispanic audiences, explains why brand marketers prefer these marketing platforms over MLS. Thus, more American brands are closing soccer sponsorships with clubs including Futbol Club Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus and Bayern Munich. Moreover, the fact that global soccer stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are household names makes maximizes opportunities.

Partnering with European Leagues can be alluring to major U.S. consumer brands. As an example, LaLiga North America  —a joint venture between LaLiga, Spain’s top-soccer league, and Relevent Sports Group- recently partnered with Allstate for Soñando con LaLiga, which details the experience and progress of the best 17 players from the Allstate Sueño Alianza National Showcase while they traveled to Spain and competed against LaLiga academies and in front of LaLiga coaches and scouts. (Check out the partnership of Paris Saint German with Nike subsidiary Air Jordan.)

2. LigaMX Soccer Sponsorships Speak Closer to Hispanic Consumers than MLS

The Mexican LigaMX can be a much better soccer marketing vehicle to engage U.S. Hispanics than the MLS, Nick Kelly, Head of U.S. Sports Marketing at Anheuser-Busch, said at last fall’s Portada New York conference. The fact that 70% of Hispanics are of Mexican origin explains the high popularity of the Mexican National Team and LigaMX clubs (e.g. América, Guadalajara, Toluca, and Cruz Azul) among U.S. Hispanics.

soccer sponsorships expert
Nick Kelly

“All our world cup campaigns were about the Mexican National Team (not the U.S. National Team)”, said Nick Kelly, a member of Portada’s Sports Marketing Board. Anheuser-Busch partners with the LigaMX particularly for soccer sponsorships and activations in the Southwestern U.S., an area with a very large Hispanic population. In particular, he mentioned Texas, Arizona and Nevada, as well as cities like Houston, Dallas, and surprisingly, Nashville.

Toyota is another company that is betting on Mexican soccer for its Hispanic outreach. Tyler McBride, Engagement and Events Marketing Manager at Toyota Motor North America, told Portada that he is partnering with Club America because they are the top club and most successful team in North America. The team is recognized internationally with a storied history and winning tradition in Mexico’s Liga MX and they are the most-watched soccer league in the United States. “Our partnership with Club America allows us to engage with Liga MX fans year-round across multiple touchpoints,” he said.

Featured image by Vienna Reyes on Unsplash

 

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How Scotiabank Pursues Global Audiences According to Sponsorships VP Mike Tasevski

Scotiabank’s sponsorships in Canada and Latin America are focused on sports passion points like hockey and soccer, as well as arts & culture. How do we know this? We talked to Mike Tasevski, VP Global Sponsorships at Scotiabank, and a Portada Council System Member.

 

sports passion points expert
Mike Tasevski

Until a few months ago, Mike Tasevski held the position of VP, Market Development at Mastercard. We asked him in what way his current job at Scotiabank is different from the one he had at Mastercard. “At Scotiabank, I have a global role in which I oversee a very different portfolio that is heavily focused on sports passion points hockey and fútbol with a very unique flavor of arts & culture. In comparison to my previous role, where there was a focus on multiple partners, my role at Scotiabank is to establish unique partnerships that will assist in delivering ROI on all channels for our bank objectives including personal banking, wealth and clients…

My role at Scotiabank is to establish unique partnerships that will assist in delivering ROI on all channels for our bank objectives.

Mike Tasevski, VP Global Sponsorships at Scotiabank, will be one of the dozens of brand marketing innovators participating in Portada Miami on June 4, 2020. If you are interested in participating in Portada Miami and/or in Portada’s networking and knowledge-sharing platform with brand marketers please contact us here.

 

Canada’s Sports Passion Point: Hockey

Scotiabank has billed itself as “Canada’s most international bank” due to its acquisitions primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean, but also in Europe and parts of Asia. We asked Tasevski how Scotiabank’s marketing investment approach to sports passion points differs in all these regions. “The key focus in Canada is hockey due to the popularity of the sport in this nation,” he answered. “People widely consider us Canada’s Hockey Bank due to all our partnerships. Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) (20-year sponsorship agreement valued at C$800 million, many Canadian hockey teams, the NHL, Hockey Canada) In the South America market, we are investing heavily in soccer (A major partner of Concacaf, Fútbol Club Barcelona (FCB), Costa Rica Fútbol, etc.)”

 

The Way to Mexico’s Heart: Fútbol 

In 2000, Scotiabank increased its stake in Mexican bank Grupo Financiero Inverlat to 55%. Scotiabank later acquired the Inverlat banking house in 2003, taking over all of its branches and establishing a strong presence in the country. The Mexican bank’s name subsequently changed to Grupo Financiero Scotiabank Inverlat.

“Soccer/Fútbol will play an important role in the Latin American market. For example, there are over 25 million FCB fans in the Mexican market,” said Tasevsi. “Our association with FCB allows us to jointly communicate with the passionate fútbol fan and to educate them on the Scotiabank brand and how we can assist with all their financial needs. Fútbol is key in the Latin Market and we will continue to invest and support the growth of this sport passion point in this market.”

Our association with FCB allows us to jointly communicate with the passionate fútbol fan and to educate them on the Scotiabank brand.

Future Plans to Tap into Sports Passion Points

Spanish soccer champions FC Barcelona have unveiled a new regional partnership with financial group Scotiabank, the first deal struck from the club’s recently opened New York office.

The multi-year agreement will see Scotiabank become the La Liga side’s official partner in Latin America and the Caribbean, and it will work alongside the club to sponsor a number of soccer programs in the regions aimed at underprivileged youth.

Scotiabank will also set up soccer festivals and will support local teams in attending training events in Barcelona. On top of this, customers will receive exclusive ticket deals and competitions.

 

 

 

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Passion Point Marketing

How Gepp-PepsiCo Engages Mexican Consumers with Storytelling

Daniel Galvan Duque, Marketing Director for Flavored CSD’s at Gepp PepsiCo Mexico tells Portada about their Consumer Engagement Cycle for reaching audiences through meaningful experiences, heartfelt stories and open conversations. You may know everything about your consumers nowadays – what they wear, where they go, what they eat, and even what they need and when they need it. Perhaps your brand has been paying close attention for years. But have your brand’s consumers been paying attention to you? Read on to see how Gepp PepsiCo Engages the Mexican Consumer.

Interview conducted by Alejandra Velazquez

Daniel Galvan Duque, Portada, Brand Marketing
Daniel Galvan Duque, Gepp PepsiCo Mexico @gepp

The Power of Storytelling

PepsiCo has been mastering the Consumer Engagement Cycle for decades. Their beverage portfolio is relatable, and their strongest brands have been household names for the fashion, music, and sports industries for decades. This isn’t just about what people like, it’s about how people live. Melding into consumers memories of meaningful events gives brands a backstage pass into people’s experiences. And once they’ve shared an experience, it’s how the story gets told.

El Peluches: Creating Engagement Through Passion

When people don’t immediately skip your ad, you know you’ve hit a home-run. “Truth is, in an era populated with so many brands, communication, and content, the challenge is grabbing people’s attention,” says Daniel Galvan Duque, the man behind PepsiCo’s marketing strategy. In August 2016, Gatorade partnered with Alejandro “El Peluches” Ruiz, a man who runs marathons wearing a vest covered entirely in plush toys. Why? Because his unique passion encourages others and brightens their day. Gatorade was clever enough to notice and share the story to connect with their Mexican audience.

Truth is, in an era populated with so many brands, communication, and content, the challenge is grabbing people’s attention.

The “El Peluches” ad was an unconventional format with a story worth telling. “You have to constantly challenge yourself to produce things that create proximity. The digital world demands you to keep your pre-rolls under five seconds long and all your content under 20, and here was this 2’30’’ narrative with a 70% view rate” reminisces Galvan Duque.

5v5 Montemorelos: Rooting for the Underdogs 

The Gatorade 5v5 soccer tournament in partnership with the UEFA Champions League has gained plenty of momentum in its four-year run (check out our interview with Jill Leccia, Senior Marketing Director – Gatorade Latin America). In 2017, a team from the small rural town of Montemorelos made it to the playoffs but lost in the semifinals. “They asked us if there was a chance they could try again at the second playoffs, and we gave them permission. This time they won, and that gave us a chance to tell a great story. They ended up losing at the finals and didn’t get to travel to Barcelona for the first prize, but we still made the story fit perfectly with the brand’s message: sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you never quit trying” says Galvan Duque.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you never quit trying.

The outcome was a brief 3’34’’ documentary in which the narrator says “At the end you might win. You might not win. You might have all the odds against you. But one thing is true: in Montemorelos and anywhere else, if you keep sweating, nothing can stop you”. The message matched the brand messaging and reached over seven million views.

Fido Dido Parade: Nostalgia and Influence  

Relatable characters, a touch of nostalgia and partnerships with influencers can keep brand awareness alive. Fido Dido was 7UP’s beloved hand-sketched character in the nineties who was “ageless, thoughtful, chill, and compassionate towards one and all” according to one of its creators Joanna Ferrone. Reviving an ambassador like Fido Dido, highly nostalgic and relatable, does wonders for sparking all kinds of conversations, activations, experiences, and stories – the cogs that keep the Consumer Engagement Cycle alive and spinning.

We wanted each to have a different personality, imprinted by the person creating them. So we found an influencer pool that made sense with the brand.

He recently made a comeback in a series of ads and parades held across Mexico where the brand invited different artists to decorate blank forms of the beloved character. “We wanted each to have a different personality, imprinted by the person creating them. So we found an influencer pool that made sense with the brand. First thing to consider is whether they believe in your message and what you’re doing” reveals Galvan Duque. The right strategy goes a long way for how Gepp PepsiCo engages the Mexican consumer.

Daniel Galvan Duque, Marketing Director for Flavored CSD’s at Gepp, PepsiCo Mexico, will be one of the dozens of brand marketing innovators present at Portada Miami on June 4, 2020. If you are interested in participating in Portada Miami and/or in Portada’s networking and knowledge-sharing platform with brand marketers please contact us here.

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AB-InBev’s Nick Kelly:”LigaMX Soccer Activations Speak Closer to the Hispanic Consumer than MLS”

The Mexican LigaMX can be a much better soccer marketing vehicle to engage U.S. Hispanics than the MLS, Nick Kelly, Head of U.S. Sports Marketing at Anheuser -Busch, said during last week’s  Portada New York.

Kelly, a member of Portada’s Sports Marketing Board, said that his company partners with the LigaMX particularly for soccer activations in the Southwestern U.S. which has a very large Hispanic population. In particular, he mentioned Texas, Arizona and Nevada as well as cities like Houston, Dallas and, surprisingly Nashville. “All our world cup campaigns were about the Mexican National Team” (not the U.S. National Team), he told Portada’s Janet Grynberg during the keynote interview at Portada New York in the Westin Times Square last Thursday.

Subscribe to Portada’s weekly Sports Marketing Updates!

Chicharito Soccer Activation

Mexican soccer player Javier Hernandez (“Chicharrito”) has also been sponsored by Anheuser-Busch In-Bev brands. “The Chicharrito sponsorship worked very well and showed lift in the markets that mattered most”.”We don’t need brand awareness lift, what we have seen is retail lift in markets such as San Antonio and El Paso,” Kelly noted. “We activate 100% retail”, he added..

Anheuser Busch also activates jersey sponsorships of LigaMX teams through Corona (which is a Grupo Modelo brand; Grupo Modelo was acquired by Anheuser Busch InBev in 2012). LigaMX Club America recently switched its jersey sponsorship from Corona to Bud Light.

One of our objectives is to find out how to activate on a hyperlocal level.
Nick Kelly (right) at the Portada Sports Marketing Board meeting (on his left, Jose Antonio Ortega,(Prisa Brand Solutions), Manny Gonzalez, (Moët Hennessy USA) and Eugene Santos (Kia).

Asked by an audience member at Portada New York whether it makes sense to bring a LigaMX team to play in the U.S, Kelly said that while this type of soccer activation would be popular in the region the match is played, beer wholesalers in other regions would not necessarily like it.
However, Bud Light recently gave soccer fans in Las Vegas a chance to virtually experience a game 1,500 miles away with immersive technology. The four “Seats of Glory” were featured at Beerhaus, a beer hall on the Las Vegas Strip, for a Liga MX playoff match between Club América and Cruz Azul. Every fan over age 21 who visited the bar was able to watch part of the game in VR.

Anheuser-Busch InBev brands spent US$ 591 million advertising to the U.S consumer in 2017, according to Kantar Media.

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St. Louis Is Joining the MLS, Weekly Soccer Marketing News

It’s official: St Louis is joining the MLS.  Here you’ll find a weekly summary of the most exciting news in soccer marketing. If you’re trying to keep up, consider this your one-stop-shop.
St. Louis

On Tuesday, the MLS announced that St Louis had been awarded as the league’s expansion team. With Betz and six other female members of the Taylor family part of the ownership group, St Louis becomes the first female majority-owned club in MLS history and one of few in professional sports.

The club will begin MLS play in 2022, in a brand new stadium located in the Downtown West district of St Louis.

“Our ownership group has come a long way since we first announced our bid last October at Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club, and it’s an incredible feeling to now be able to say, St Louis is home to the first official majority female-led ownership group in MLS,” said Carolyn Kindle Betz.  “Our MLS team and stadium will only add to St Louis’ renaissance currently underway and will provide us with a great opportunity to bring together many different segments of the community, uniting people in their love for the game.”

MLS

MLS expansion club Austin FC adopted VR technology. The technology will drive season ticket sales at their new US$200 million stadium ahead of their inaugural season in 2021. The strategy is part of a new multi-year partnership with US mobile ticketing platform SeatGeek.

David Beckham’s Inter Miami announced Heineken as its first founding partner. The long-term deal will see Heineken serve as the official beer partner of Inter Miami. The deal also secures signage, intellectual property rights, and retail activations.

Subscribe to Portada’s weekly Sports Marketing Updates!

Broadcasting

ESPN signed an exclusive agreement with the National Women’s Soccer League locking worldwide rights (excluding U.S.) to the league’s regular-season and playoff matches. ESPN already held the rights to NWSL broadcasts in the US. “This is an important step for NWSL to strengthen the league’s reach through ESPN’s international network,” said NWSL President Amanda Duffy.

LaLiga extended its partnership with beIN Media Group, that will see beIN SPORTS USA and Canada exclusively broadcast LaLiga until 2024. The new agreement comes just days before the start of a 2019-20 season.

US Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro said the country is planning a bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Cordeiro’s comments came during a conference call with reporters. During the call he announced Kate Markgraf as the new general manager of the US Women’s National Team (USWNT).

ESPN got the exclusive broadcasting rights in South America for the next three seasons of Premier League. The deal covers Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Branding

Adidas locked a deal with DAZN to advertise across the platform’s live Premier League soccer rights in Canada. This marks the first brand to run adverts DAZN. Also it’s the first time that Adidas has advertised on a streaming provider in North America.

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Women’s Soccer Keeps Getting Marketer’s Attention; Soccer Marketing News

Women’s soccer keeps getting attention with new partnerships and the promise to double the prize money for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. This is a summary of the most exciting news in soccer marketing. If you’re trying to keep up, consider this your one-stop-shop.

soccerMLS

Austin FC and SeatGeek have reached a multiyear agreement. Through this deal, the software becomes the MLS club’s official ticketing partner. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Active PDF and the LA Galaxy have locked a partnership for the remainder of the 2019 season. Through this new deal, ActivePDF becomes the Naming Sponsor of the “Substitutions” image posted on the Galaxy Twitter feed. The new partnership includes a prominent display of the ActivePDF logo and branding within the Galaxy’s home field stadium at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Audi of America and the MLS announced a multi-year initiative to improve the experience at MLS academies. The partnership includes the brand-new youth academy support program, Audi Goals Drive Progress, to help provide funding for MLS academies.

European Soccer

Dutch soccer champions Ajax and beer brand Budweiser locked a long-term partnership until June 2025. The deal covers both Ajax’s men’s and women’s teams. Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) presented its revamped model for Spanish women’s soccer. Iberdrola is also expanding and extending its title sponsorship deal for six more years. The top-flight will be entitled Primera Iberdrola, while the second division will now be known as the Reto Iberdrola.

Subscribe to Portada’s weekly Sports Marketing Updates!

NWSLWomen’s Soccer

The numbers are out, Fox Sports earned US$506,665 on average for each 30-second advertising slot sold for its coverage of the USA’s 2-0 win over the Netherlands in the Fifa Women’s World Cup final. Provided by analytics company SQAD the figure tops the average US$437,707 that each ad spot went for on the US network for its broadcast of the men’s 2018 Fifa World Cup final between France and Croatia.

FIFA’s Council approved expanding the Women’s World Cup from 24 teams to 32 for the 2023 tournament. Nine national associations are looking to host the next world cup: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, and South Korea, which could bid jointly with North Korea. Formal bids are due Oct. 4.

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has signed an extension with Nike its exclusive kit supplier through 2022. The sports brand will continue to supply uniforms, apparel, and equipment for the NWSL. “The relationship with Nike aligns with our goals to strengthen the level of competition, as well as to support and develop female athletes as they continue to train and play at the highest level,” said league president Amanda Duffy.

Women’s soccer keeps getting attention from Fifa is promising to exceed its commitment to double the prize money for the 2023 Women’s World Cup to US$60 million. “We have until 2023 to discuss the prize money,” Gianni Infantino, president of Fifa said. “I think we need to market it as well in a certain way. I’m very confident, I’m sure we can go higher than doubling.”

 

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AB InBev Partners with La Liga and Premier League, Soccer Marketing News

AB InBev Partners with La Liga and Premier League, Soccer Marketing News

La Liga

  • AB InBev Partners with La Liga and Premier League, signing a new multi-year global deal which makes Budweiser the league’s official beer. The partnership will run across five continents and in more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, China, South Africa, India, Chile, and Nigeria.
    We will see the beer brand activating trophy tours, viewing parties, broadcast media assets, and content collaborations.
    “We are excited to kick-off these long-term partnerships with the Premier League and LaLiga, two world-class football competitions,” said Pedro Earp, chief marketing officer at AB InBev. “These partnerships will allow us to further connect with key consumers and football fans across the globe.

  • Ab InBev PartnersLa Liga will stream up to 35 live pre-season games on its own OTT platform for free. Launched in March, LaLigaSportsTV will also show the coverage of the International Champions Cup (ICC) clash between cross-city rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on 27th July.

 

  • La Liga partnered with UK-based food delivery company Deliveroo, for the 2019/20 season. Deliveroo will gain visibility across La Liga’s media platforms, including its official broadcasts, digital channels, and written press.

 

  • FC Barcelona launched an official account on the Chinese social media platform TikTok to engage with younger fans. Barcelona will produce a ‘user challenge’ featuring first-team players as part of their launch. The deal was unveiled in time for the club’s pre-season tours of Japan and the US

Subscribe to Portada’s weekly Sports Marketing Updates!

MLS

  • The Leagues Cup, the new club soccer competition featuring teams from the MLS and Liga MX, will double the number of teams to 16 for the 2020 edition of the tournament. The teams qualifying from the MLS will be those who finish in the top four of the Eastern or Western Conference during the regular season. It is limited to those who are not competing in the 2020 Concacaf Champions League.

The eight Liga MX clubs will consist of the 2019 Apertura champion, the 2020 Clausura champion, the 2019/20 Copa MX winner and the top five teams in the combined Apertura 2019-Clausura 2020 regular season standings who have not already qualified for the Leagues Cup.

 

  • NBA star James Harden is now co-owner of MLS club Houston Dynamo. Harden has acquired a 5% stake in the club, According to Front Office Sports. The franchise has been valued at more than US$475 million.

 

  • Ally Financial locked a multi-year agreement with potential MLS team Charlotte Soccer Bid Team. The deal designates Ally as the founding and lead partner of the team. Aside from marketing efforts, Ally plans to leverage its partnership by demonstrating its commitment to the local community.
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P&G Calls for Women’s equal pay. Weekly Soccer Marketing News

P&G Calls for Women’s equal pay. A summary of the most exciting news in soccer marketing. If you’re trying to keep up, consider this your one-stop-shop.

Women Soccer

  • The BBC has secured exclusive live rights for Uefa Women’s Euro 2021. The deal follows the corporation achieving record ratings for its coverage of this year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup.

 

  • P&G Calls for Women's equal pay.
    Foto via P&G.

     Official US Soccer partner Procter & Gamble (P&G) has made a public donation of US$529,000 backing up the US women’s national soccer team’s (USWNT) fight for equal pay. The move comes after the company ran a full-page ad in the Sunday editions of The New York Times, calling for women’s equal pay.
    P&G has been the first U.S. Soccer sponsor to address the subject. The brand has backed up the USWNT via its Secret Brand. “Inequality is about more than pay and players,” P&G said in the ad. “It’s about values.”

 

  • Canadian streaming platform OneSoccer has added Liga MX to its rights portfolio. The deal includes two games a week from Mexico’s top-flight soccer league. The first streaming will be on 20th July, the week of the 2019 league-opening Apertura tournament. “We have no doubt that the support for the historic, first-ever Leagues Cup final from the passionate soccer fans of Las Vegas and surrounding region will be tremendous, and the atmosphere at Sam Boyd Stadium will be electric,” said Don Garber, MLS Commissioner.

European Soccer

  • Konami has become Bayern Munich’s platinum partner. The gaming company will carry out a complete 3D scan of Bayern’s Allianz Arena in order to accurately recreate the 75,000-seater venue in the game. Bayern also announced Serge Gnabry as an official PES ambassador.

Subscribe to Portada’s weekly Sports Marketing Updates!

  • Streaming platform FloSports has secured broadcast rights to the Ligue 1 Games pre-season soccer tournament in the US and Canadian. The four-match tournament will be available live and on-demand via FloFC.com, FloSports’ soccer-dedicated, over-the-top (OTT) service.

 

 

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Budweiser to Sponsor the NWSL, Weekly Soccer Marketing News

Budweiser to Sponsor the NWSL in a multi-year deal. Here you’ll find a weekly summary of the most exciting news in soccer marketing. If you’re trying to keep up, consider this your one-stop shop.

NWSL

  • The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and Budweiser signed a multi-year deal. The beer brand will get granted naming rights to the play-offs, the championship, the MVP trophy, and a newly created ‘Most Valuable Supporter’ award. Budweiser is the competition’s first official beer sponsor. “Becoming the official beer sponsor of the NWSL is our way of not just supporting the US women’s team once every four years, but also supporting women’s soccer every single day,” said Monica Rustgi, Budweiser’s vice president of marketing.

  • The 2023 Women’s World Cup could go from 24 to 32 teams, according to Gianni Infantino, president of Fifa. He also wants to double the prize money to US$60 million. “I want to expand the tournament to 32 teams. We will have to act quickly to decide if we are to increase it for 2023. If we do, Budweiser to Sponsor the NWSLwe should reopen the bidding process to allow everyone to have a chance or maybe co-host. Nothing is impossible,” Infantino said.

 

  • Nike was the most-discussed brand on Twitter during the FIFA Women’s World Cup globally, according to the social media’s data. Budweiser and Visa came second and third.

 

  • Allstate locked a multi-year partnership as official sponsor of the U.S. Men’s, Women’s (NWSL) and Youth National Teams. The deal is headlined by Allstate’s presenting sponsorship of the U.S. Women’s National Team five-game Victory Tour. The tour begins Aug 3 when the USA hosts the Republic of Ireland at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, carried on ESPN2. Also the U.S. Soccer Development Academy has designated Allstate exclusively as the Official Insurance Sponsor of U.S. Soccer, running through 2022.

European Soccer

  • French team Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is teaming up with Finnish game developer Supercell, to expand their esports division. PSG will set up their own team for Supercell’s latest game, Brawl Stars. The game developer is currently the official gaming partner of the PSG. “Our two brands share the same global ambition and a young and dynamic identity that appeals to a young audience,” said Marc Armstrong, PSG’s chief partnerships officer.

 

  • Real Madrid and Telefónica signed a partnership that will run until June 2023. Through this deal, Telefónica becomes the club’s technological integrator. No figures have been released for the new deal.

Subscribe to Portada’s weekly Sports Marketing Updates!

Broadcasting Rights

  • ESPN got the U.S. English-language broadcasting rights for the Leagues Cup, a new international club competition between four MLS teams against four teams from Mexico’s Liga MX. The tournament starts with quarterfinals on July 23-24.

 

  • Manchester CityManchester City has teamed up with DAZN, to make the sports streaming subscription service their new official partner in Japan. DAZN will serve as the exclusive live host broadcaster for the English giants’ first ever game in the country against City Football Group (CFG) sister club Yokohama F Marinos on 27th July.

 

  • According to Uefa’s president Aleksander Čeferin, the European soccer governing body is in the talks with Conmebol to create an intercontinental “champion of champions” game. The game would see the winner of European Championships play against the Copa America champions. Collaboration would take place next year after Euro 2020.

U.S. Soccer

  • The Súper Clásico between CD Chivas de Guadalajara, and Club América returns to the United States this September. Celebrating Mexico’s Independence month, the Clásico will be played at the Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, September 8th. Univision Deportes will broadcast the match in the U.S. and Televisa in Mexico. Various activities around the greater Chicago area will take place leading up to the game; including team legends, official mascots, trophies, celebrities, musical performances.

 

  • Toyota USAToyota launches is launching its “Choose the Toughest Field” soccer campaign. “This campaign champions the relentless spirit of those unafraid to conquer even the toughest terrains, just like our Tacoma and Tundra trucks,” said Terry Sell, national truck manager at Toyota Motor North America. “From international to home field games, we’re looking forward to an exciting soccer season as we celebrate the determination and toughness of the game, its players and the fans.”

 

  • Captain Morgan has become MLS’ official spiced rum and exclusive spirits partner through 2022. The new deal names Captain Morgan as an official sponsor of MLS All-Star – taking place in just a few weeks in Orlando – Campeones Cup (August 14) and MLS Cup (November 10). “From New York to Seattle to Los Angeles, everything about Major League Soccer, its intensely passionate fanbase, the atmosphere at each match, and the exciting growth of the sport in the U.S. mirrors the energy that Captain Morgan stands for,” said Christina Choi, DIAGEO Senior Vice President, Rum, Gin & Tequila
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Colombia to Host Copa America Final; Weekly Soccer Marketing News

We finally know who is hosting the Copa America Final. A summary of the most exciting news in soccer marketing. If you’re trying to keep up, consider this your one-stop shop.

Copa America
Foto via @CopaAmerica
  • Colombia will host next year’s Copa America final, according to the country’s president, Ivan Duque. Conmebol had previously announced that Colombia would co-host the tournament, but the location of the finals hadn’t been announced yet. Copa America is South America’s soccer flagship national team tournament; this is its 47th edition.

    “Copa America final will take place in Colombia, which has been one of the greatest desires of all of us,” Duque said at a public appearance. The game will be played at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, in the port city of Barranquilla.

 

  • Major League Soccer will now accept gambling and liquor sponsorship, starting in 2020. Every team will now be able to sign deals with any licensed gaming and betting operators. The league’s revision of its commercial policy also includes accepting liquor sponsorships. The youth teams in the league or players younger than 21, though, won’t be allowed to wear jerseys with logos of sponsors promoting gambling or liquor.

Read also in Portada: Copa America: 100 Years of Soccer Passion

European Soccer

  • Premier League soccer club Arsenal and gaming developer Konami have extended their global sponsorship agreement for three more years. This means that Konami will remain the club’s official video game partner until at least June 2022. Arsenal will be featured in the eFootball PES 2020 game, including a 3D recreation of its Emirates Stadium, and club players

    In return, the company will have access to the Gunners’ first-team players and legends, as well as gaining an increased presence at match days and across the club’s media channels.

    “We are excited to work with Konami to further engage our huge global fanbase and give them the opportunity to experience the players, legends and Emirates Stadium so accurately within eFootball PES 2020,” stated Peter Silverstone, Arsenal’s commercial director.

 

  • Manchester UnitedAlso Manchester United has locked a deal with Konami to star in the company’s PES 2020 video game. As part of the deal, United midfielder Scott McTominay has been selected as an ambassador for the game, which is released in September.
    “We are excited to bring Manchester United into the eFootball PES series – renowned for its realism and control,” said Jonas Lygaard, senior director of brand and business development at Konami Digital Entertainment.

 

  • Paris Saint-Germain confirmed a long-term extension of their kit deal with Nike. Described as the biggest sponsorship agreement’ in their history, Nike will remain the club’s technical partner until 2032. The financial terms of the new contract have not been disclosed

    “The agreement represents a very important milestone, reflecting what the club has become on the global stage and the great ambitions we have for the future,” said PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. “Nike has been the club’s most faithful partner and this deal shows its firm commitment to continue with us every step of the way for many years to come.

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LaLigaSpanish Soccer

  • Spanish soccer champions Barcelona teamed up with online platform Roblox, to showcase their new home kit for the 2019/20 season. Members of the platform will be able to play in various games as one of two avatars kitted out in the La Liga side’s new home shirt.

 

  • The return on investment via television for lead sponsors of clubs in Spanish La Liga summed US$33 million over the 2018/19 season, according to a study by sponsorship consultancy Strock. Real Madrid returned €3.36 million for Dubai-based airline Emirates, whilst Barcelona delivered €3.27 million for Japanese ecommerce firm Rakuten.

Broadcasting

  • OTT service DAZN has locked the exclusive broadcast rights for the Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana and Recopa Sudamericana in five markets through 2022. The deal covers Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain and includes the ongoing 2019 tournament as well as the next three editions.

 

  • Turner Sports will stream matches from Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the US later this month, via its OTT service B/R Live and pay-TV network. The English soccer giants, who return to action following their recent triumph in the Uefa Champions League final, will feature in three matches in the US ahead of the 2019/20 Premier League campaign.

Retail

  • New Era Cap, the official on-field cap of MLS, has launched the New Era 2019 MLS Jersey Hook Collection. The collection allows fans to represent their team, whether they’re playing on their own field or on the road.

    The collection, available for all 24 teams, features the team’s logo on the front of the crown and the MLS logo on the back. A variety of defining team attributes, such as a mascot, establish date and slogan, are also embroidered on the right-side panel of each cap.

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European Female Teams

  • women's game

    For the past few years, the public has greatly criticized the lack of a Real Madrid female team. Meanwhile, some of the team’s biggest rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have been regularly competing for titles in the women’s division. According to Spanish media, a Real Madrid female team will finally be a reality. The new female division will start competing the next season. El Pais said Madrid has purchased CD Tacon, based in the Spanish capital who have won promotion to the Liga Iberdrola, for 400,000 euros. Madrid declined to comment on the reports.

 

  • Spanish women’s top-flight Liga Iberdrola will be streamed via Uefa’s new over-the-top service. The announcement was given during a recent meeting to discuss league structure with the top Spanish women’s clubs. Also, Iñaki Mikeo was unveiled as the new director of the domestic women’s game.

 

European Sponsorships

  • ZiggoParis Saint-Germain announced a new two-year deal with Japanese men’s skincare brand Bulk Homme. The cosmetics firm will be able to use PSG’s brand and players as part of its promotional campaigns across Asia.

 

  • Ajax has renewed its contract with shirt sponsor Dutch pay-TV network Ziggo for two more years. The deal could be extended through 2024. Ziggo has been paying around €8 million a year, plus as much as €2 million in bonuses.

 

  • Gillette’s Barcelona sponsorship has come to an end. The Procter & Gamble-owned brand has ruled out prolonging their relationship. Turkish tire manufacturer Lassa also opted not to extend their deals beyond the 2018/19 season.

Read also in Portada: Women’s Sports and Brands: the Seismic Shift Expands

US Teams

  • Austin FC hired Excel Sports Management agency to boost their sponsorship sales efforts. Specifically, the team is looking for a stadium naming rights and jersey sponsor, ahead of its inaugural season in 2021. Excel will work alongside Austin FC’s existing partnership team and cooperate with Steve Lauletta.

 

  • North Carolina FCNorth Carolina FC is increasing its bid to join the MLS by unveiling plans for a US$1.9 billion stadium. Located in downtown Raleigh, the building will include a new 20,000-seater multi-use stadium and other entertainment offerings. “Having an urban stadium with great highway access and with entertainment options surrounding it will strengthen our bid,” said Malik, speaking to WRAL TechWire.

 

  • The United Soccer League (USL) is adding a new franchise in San Diego. The announcement comes after the city secured an agreement to enter into the Championship. The new San Diego club will enter into the league in 2021, or maybe even 2020. The club will initially play at the 6,000-seat Torero Stadium at the University of San Diego. The San Diego franchise is backed by Landon Donovan.

 

  • The Seattle Sounders FC and its partner Delta Air Lines teamed up on a new, three-part docuseries titled “Nonstop Scouting”. The show explores the intersection of travel, culture, and soccer and follows the travels of Chris Henderson, Sounders FC’s vice president of soccer and sporting director, in his search for the team’s next star player.

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Media: Women’s Game

  • Beats by Dre, Powerade, Wells Fargo, Fubo TV, and UK-based Screwfix are some of the brands partnering with Minute Media 90min coverage of the FIFA ScrewfixWomen’s World Cup. “The women’s game is changing and growing in stature attracting a lot of attention across the board. We are pleased to be working with some of the largest global consumer brands and biggest female football stars to elevate the coverage and share authentic perspective and insights into the game,” said Andres Cardenas, global head of football at Minute Media.

 

  • Univision Deportes announced the latest edition of “Balón de Oro” (Golden Ball), the annual awards show recognizing the top players in Liga BBVA MX, the most-watched soccer league in the U.S. The squads of Club América, Tigres, Cruz Azul, and Necaxa will attend the awards ceremony.

 

  • Telemundo Deportes’ presentation of USA/Spain on Monday drew a Total Audience Delivery of 740,000 viewers across Telemundo, NBCSN, TelemundoDeportes.com, the Telemundo Deportes app, and the NBC Sports app. This has become the most-watched weekday FIFA Women’s World Cup match in Spanish-language television history.

 

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  • Visa and Canada’s TSN, host to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, locked a partnership through which the network will produce custom content airing throughout the tournament, as well as digital and social media executions featuring Canadian Women’s National Team captain and Team Visa athlete Christine Sinclair.

 

  • Bill FoleyBill Foley, owner of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Vegas Golden Knights, confirmed interest in leading a bid to bring a Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion franchise to Las Vegas, to play at a renovated Cashman Field, home of the United Soccer League’s (USL) Las Vegas Lights. “I’m very interested in this and we are working on making it happen,” Foley told the Review-Journal. “I think soccer is the new football for many parents who don’t want their children playing [tackle football]. I think we could be just as successful with soccer as we have been with hockey. We have all the infrastructure in place to make it very successful.

 

  • FOX Sports broadcast all 52 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France matches in 4k. This is the first time 4K content to be offered in the FOX Sports App.

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  • Following the 2019 Women’s World Cup Fifa, Fifa confirmed its means to negotiate increased prize money for women’s national soccer teams. The news comes after the Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) called on Fifa to offer the same amount of prize money for teams at the Women’s World Cup as it does in the men’s tournament.

 

  • Orlando City SCMLS team Orlando City has signed a deal with timeshare and holiday rental company Exploria Resorts, to become the franchise’s first naming rights partner for their home stadium. The 25,500-seat seat arena, also home to the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side the Orlando Pride, will now be called the Exploria Stadium and sees the company secure signage, banners, kiosks, and booths throughout the venue. Financial details of the partnership have not been disclosed.

 

  • FOX Sports’ FIFA Women’s World Cup Now will live stream on Twitter, co-hosted by Karina LeBlanc and Aaron West. The company said each match will have its own dedicated page, featuring multiple timelines for top commentary and the latest tweets, as well as live video from publishers covering every, shot, save, and goal.

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  • Women’s soccer fandom is mainly driven by Hispanics, with more than half (58%) describing themselves as fans of women’s soccer compared to 39% of non-Hispanics, shows a new “La Ola de la FIFA” study commissioned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises in a partnership with Horowitz Research. NBCUniversalstates that. 24% of Hispanics consider themselves as die-hard fans compared to just 6% of non-Hispanics. 51%of Hispanics and 35% of non-Hispanics (and 35%, feel that in the next five years, the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be equally as popular as the Men’s FIFA World Cup.

 

  • Grey Argentina partnered with Telemundo on a campaign centered around the slogan: “If they fought so hard to get here, watch what they’ll do to win the Cup,” in the context of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. “We are extremely proud of the work we did for the joint campaign we developed with Grey.  It has allowed us not only to promote the FIFA Women’s World Cup but also to show our audience the reality behind many of the players we see excel on the field,” stated Karen Barroeta, Senior Vice President for Marketing and Creativity at Telemundo Networks
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  • English soccer team Liverpool has extended its partnership with Carlsberg for five more years. With the extension, Carlsberg will remain the official beer of Liverpool until the end of the 2023/24 season. “Since 1992 we have enjoyed a long and loyal relationship with Carlsberg and this extension is a real testament to the strong and historic link between the club and the iconic brand,” stated Billy Hogan, managing director, and chief commercial officer at Liverpool.

 

  • FC Bayern EnglishAlso, the Bayern Munich has extended its beer partnership through to 2026, but with long-standing partner Paulaner Brewery. The brewery company also hosts fan events and competitions as part of its deal with the club.

 

  • EA Sports renewed its partnership deal with LaLiga through the 2023/24 season. The collaboration includes a full broadcast package and bringing the authenticity of LaLiga to life in stadiums, banners, players and more.

 

  • FIFA will not expand the 2022 World Cup to 48 nations, according to the AP. The organization will stick with 32 countries for Qatar, due to political and logistical issues within the region. Subsequently, the World Cup will expand until 2026, with FIFA already having approved a format with 48 teams for that tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

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  • St. David’s HealthCare has locked a sponsorship deal with the Austin FC to adorn the team’s training facility and practice jerseys. “We had to be educated,” David Huffstutler, president, and CEO of St. David’s HealthCare, told the American-Statesman. “I’m not personally terribly knowledgeable about Major League Soccer, and we weren’t as an organization but we were intrigued. We saw the momentum building over time in the community.” This represents the first major sponsorship for the MLS franchise.

 

  • GOL Linhas AéreasGol Airlines has become the official partner for the South American Copa America. The Brazilian airline will provide more than 50 chartered flights for the various national teams during the Brazil-based tournament. “Being part of this event shows that we are once again next to the fans, the teams, and reflects our commitment to support the growth and development of Brazilian sport,” stated Eduardo Bernardes, vice president of commercial and marketing at Gol.

 

  • DAZN has secured broadcast rights for the next four seasons of Major League Soccer (MLS) in six international markets. As part of the agreement, the over-the-top (OTT) streaming platform will screen every MLS games exclusively in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and also on the recently launched Spanish platform.

 

  • ESPN+ reached an agreement to be the exclusive English-language home in the United States for the 2019 CONMEBOL Copa America. The 46th CONMEBOL Copa America will be played June 14 – July 7 with all 26 matches streamed live on ESPN+.
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  • UEFASoccer governing body Uefa has launched ‘Time for Action’, a dedicated women’s soccer strategic framework that aims to double the number of female players by 2024 to 2.5 million. The strategy will include investing in programs from grassroots to a professional level and an overarching aim to change the perception of women’s soccer on the European continent. Uefa hopes to double the reach and value of the Women’s Champions League and Women’s European Championship.

 

  • BeIN Sports has locked exclusive rights to this year’s Copa América in Brazil, in 27 international markets. The deal includes South America’s international soccer tournament broadcast in Australia and New Zealand, in addition to contracts in France and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which were agreed earlier in the year.

 

  • Real Madrid has been named the most valuable soccer brand in the world, according to Brand Finance’s annual report. Real Madrid’s brand value increased by 26.9 percent from 2018 to 2019 and is now worth more than US$1.79 billion.

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  • ESPN is “stacking up global soccer” for ESPN+, its over-the-top (OTT) platform, according to executive VP of programming and scheduling, Burke Magnus. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has more than 2 million subscribers and is looking to quickly grow its portfolio of global soccer rights in the US.

 

  • PorschePorsche has become Los Angeles FC’s official premium luxury automobile partner on a multi-year deal. As part of the agreement, Porsche has acquired the naming rights to the directors’ box at LAFC’s Banc of California Stadium. “We’re delighted to welcome Porsche to the Black & Gold family. Porsche is an innovative and forward-thinking automotive brand and we look forward to working together,” stated Tom Penn, LAFC president, and co-owner.

 

  • Real Madrid is extending its sponsorship deal with betting company Codere until the end of the 2020/21 season. The Spanish gambling firm has been the club’s official betting partner since 2016.

 

  • The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is bringing its kit supply contract for the country’s national teams with Adidas to an end. The contract between the pair currently runs until 2026 but the RFEF has decided to revoke its agreement with Adidas seven years early. In a statement on the body’s website, the RFEF said: ‘The conditions that were agreed upon when it was signed years ago do not meet the criteria of legality, transparency, and fairness that the RFEF considers minimally acceptable.’
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  • La Liga has announced that its club revenues increased 20.6% during the 2017/18 season to reach a record US$5 billion. This represents the Spanish league’s best financial results in its history. La Liga’s gross operating profit reached US$1.1 billion while operating profit was US$364 million. La Liga attributed the double-digit revenue increase to a significant uptick in sponsorship revenue and revenue from player transfers.

 

  • adidasAdidas has extended its sponsorship with Real Madrid, to continue as the club’s official kit supplier until the end of the 2027/28 season. Financial details of the extension were not disclosed, but it has been previously reported Adidas would pay a guaranteed US$1.2 billion over the duration of the deal, making it the most lucrative kit deal in soccer history.

 

  • Telemundo Deportes released its complete game broadcast schedule for the Women’s World Cup, which includes all 52 matches airing live, including 21 matches on Telemundo. The broadcaster will be doubling the 2015 coverage, marking the most-ever Women’s World Cup matches on Spanish-language television.

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  • The United States Soccer Federation (USSF), has sealed a multi-year extension with its official ticketing partner Ticketmaster. As part of the extension, Ticketmaster will roll out its new identity-based ticketing platform, Presence, which is set to be installed in more than 500 venues by the end of 2019.

 

  • Copa America has signed a content deal with Facebook to produce behind-the-scenes content for all 12 teams this summer. The partnership will allow official tournament profiles on both Facebook and Instagram to produce content from training centers, hotels, and team transportation. “This agreement will enable the production of unique content that will bring all football fans behind the scenes of the world’s oldest national team tournament and some of the top stars in today’s football,” said Thiago Jannuzzi, competition general manager at Copa America.

 

  • LaLigaLa Liga is still exploring the possibility of having a game in the US, as part of its plans to grow internationally, said Keegan Pierce, the league’s UK and Ireland delegate. The Spanish soccer body signed an extensive 15-year deal with US entertainment company Relevent Sports back in August 2018 to roll out a number of initiatives in North America, including the potential to stage a regular season match in the region.

 

  • Univision Deportes has established a new broadcasting record during the broadcast of Champions League’s 4 semifinal games. 705,000 people tuned in to watch the games; this is the largest audience for a Champions semifinal game to date. This is the first time since 2013, that a Spanish broadcast of the semifinals exceeds the English ones.

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  • FOX Sports reports that Sunday’s US Women’s National Team friendly game against South Africa saw a 12% uptick over last year’s comparable match, generating 705,000 viewers. On the company’s digital platforms, the average minute audience was up 40%.

 

  • https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/686974751508697090/IlX_mDKP_400x400.jpgUS Club Soccer inked a partnership with DICK’S Sporting Goods to serve as the org’s Official Sporting Goods Partner. “We are thrilled to enter into this strategic partnership with US Club Soccer,” adds Mark Rooks, Vice President of Relationship Management & Community Marketing of DICK’S Sporting Goods. “We stand with US Club Soccer’s commitment to developing young athletes both on and off the field.”

 

  • MLS will become the first pro sports league to feature a dedicated channel as part of Pluto TV’s offering of linear, curated channels, courtesy of a new agreement with the channel set to showcase soccer content, classic matches and more. “Major League Soccer’s agreement with Pluto TV offers fans a new way to experience the game and interact with our high-quality content,” said MLS Senior VP of Media, Chris Schlosser.

 

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  • Spanish Atlético de Madrid will face the best in MLS in the 2019 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target, played at Orlando City Stadium on July 31and televised domestically on FS1 and UniMás in the U.S., on TSN and TVA Sports in Canada, and in more than 170 countries around the world. “The atmosphere in Orlando will be intense and memorable when Atlético de Madrid takes on the MLS All-Stars,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber.  “Atlético de Madrid joins the list of the many prominent clubs in global soccer to play in our midseason showcase, and we know the passionate supporters that make up The Wall and the rest of Orlando City Stadium will provide a distinctive home-field advantage for the MLS All-Stars.”

 

  • VisaVisa presented its global marketing campaign for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. The campaign is titled “One Moment Can Change the Game” and designed to amplify “the meaningful moments women are creating on and off the pitch, whether it be inspiring athletic greatness on the field, influencing business outcomes in the boardroom or driving economic impact at home and across industries.”

 

  • England’s women’s national soccer team locked deals in the past few months with sports drink giant Lucozade, beer brand Budweiser and health and beauty retailer Boots UK, and Lewis. England’s Lionesses got more interest from publishers and brands for this summer’s Fifa Women’s World Cup than the men’s team received for the male equivalent in Russia, according to Georgina Lewis, head of marketing at the Football Association (FA).

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  • HBO got hold of the exclusive US television and streaming rights to the feature-length film Diego Maradona. Drawing on more than 500 hours of never-before-seen footage from the Argentine icon’s personal archives, the documentary debuts Sept. 24 at 8p. Asif Kapadia will be executive producer and director.

 

  • Univision DeportesUnivision Deportes announced a rebrand, evolving its multi-platform sports brand and cable network into ‘TUDN’. Under the TUDN brand, “Univision will continue to deliver more live soccer than any other U.S. media company while offering a richer and more engaging experience through new world-class programming, all-star talent and enhanced production capabilities,” according to the announcement, debuting this summer and debuting in Mexico simultaneously as part of a collaboration between the sports divisions of Univision and Grupo Televisa.

 

  • beIN SPORTS USA and HC2 Network announced a partnership with Azteca America, to represent media sales under one unified force in the United States. This marks a television network milestone as Azteca America leads media sales for beIN’s English and Spanish-language TV channels to cover advertisers and clients under one umbrella on an exclusive basis – including beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, and beIN SPORTS CONNECT, the live streaming platform.

 

  • Allstate has recognized 100 of the top high school soccer players in the country for their on-field achievements, naming them as 2019 Allstate All-Americans. These players will join the 150 standout teens previously named to the list after the fall soccer season. These final 100 players will complete the full list of 250 players representative of every state in the country.

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  • Ramón Loarte, Sevilla’s chief marketing officer explained the Spanish league was late to recognize the value of marketing to an international audience but is now focusing on growing its audience around the world. “Honestly, I think we all have been very lazy understanding that the Spanish league is worldwide,” Loarte said Tuesday, comparing La Liga with England’s Premier League.

 

  • AXAEnglish soccer team Liverpool and AXA have extended their partnership, which makes AXA the team’s official training kit partner from the 2019/20 season. The Premier League club initially struck a four-year deal with AXA in 2018 which saw the insurance firm become a global partner, with the expanded contract covering three years until the end of the 2021/22 season, according to the Liverpool Echo.

 

  • Patrick Lowe has become La Liga’s new North American head of sales. Lowe will lead on all commercial efforts in the US and Canada across a variety of properties, including digital and social content, experiential and events, and sporting development projects. Before this announcement, Lowe worked at La Liga’s headquarters in Madrid as the global partnerships sales manager.
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  • FIFA.com en españolKarina LeBlanc and Aaron West will co-host FOX Sports’ “FIFA Women’s World Cup Now” live on Twitter every matchday, from its Paris studio. From June 7-July 7, FOX Sports will produce and stream the show on Twitter via the @FOXSports and @FOXSocceraccounts. “We want FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP NOW to be bold, dynamic and interactive,” said David Katz, Executive Vice President of Digital for FOX Sports. “Karina and Aaron are the perfect ambassadors to engage, inform and inspire the millions of fans who will tune in to this global celebration of soccer.”

 

  • Saudi Arabia has been put on the US government’s Priority Watch List amid ongoing pressure from several national sports bodies and international broadcasters to bring down the pirate broadcaster BeoutQ. Two reports have been released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), condemning the Saudi-based piracy operation, and call out the country for its failure to protect intellectual property (IP).

 

  • The United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) announced a sponsorship deal with safety technology company Reovo Hg, to provide a safe playing environment for every UPSL player. As part of the sponsorship, every UPSL team will have access to Reovo’s product line and reduced pricing, and UPSL members can go to reovohg.com/upsl to access a special league-only offer.

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  • Huawei TechnologiesDAZN signed a three-year partnership with Huawei to distribute part of its Spanish sports rights via the tech company’s mobile platforms. The agreement includes coverage of the Premier League among other sports. Subscriptions to the service cost €4.99 (US$5.60) per month.

 

  • Twitter has expanded its content deals with the Major League Soccer (MLS) as part of a new line-up of video programming. The agreement will see North America’s premier soccer league continue to provide the platform with live and on-demand content each week, including every goal of the season, until 2022. The move also means select live matches in English will continue to be broadcast on Twitter via the official MLS and Univision Deportes handles. “Our collaboration with Twitter has proven to be a highly effective vehicle to connecting with fans in innovative ways and bringing our teams and world-class athletes to new audiences,” said Chris Schlosser, senior vice president of media at MLS.

 

  • Heineken launched a new video campaign, ahead of this week’s UEFA Champions League first Semi-Finals match – Tottenham vs. Ajax – featuring Andrea Pirlo pulling off the ultimate “Unmissable Moment,” by surprising local ZogSports athletes ahead of their rec soccer match. Pirlo warmed up with them, put their goalies to the test, and surprised them yet again with the UCL Trophy that’s on the line in Madrid this year. With the Champions League finals just a month away, Heineken and Pirlo teamed up to bring the trophy on a tour of NYC this week, as the futbol hype in America continues to grow.

  • TNT Sports LANielsen has reported that year one of the UEFA Champions League on TNT is averaging its most viewed domestic English language coverage ever, with 246k viewers tuning in each week. TNT garnered a 31% gain in viewership only for this month’s live match Quarterfinals telecasts vs. last year’s comparable coverage. Meanwhile, UEFA Champions League content on Bleacher Report and B/R Football’s social media accounts have combined to deliver more than 100 million Engagements and 260 million Video Views through the Quarterfinals, greater than any other domestic rightsholder.

 

  • Valvoline Inc. is the latest brand to sign on as a partner of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup soccer championship. Valvoline will serve as an official marketing partner of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup and underwrite the “High Mileage Stats of the Game Presented by Valvoline” digital platform, which will deliver unique statistics and infographics to fans throughout the tournament. “Valvoline shares our passion for the game and vision to provide an innovative and premium quality experience to fans as they interact and consume the best football in the region,” said Concacaf General Secretary Philippe Moggio.
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  • Major League SoccerThe MLS has announced it will expand to 30 teams, up from the previously announced line of 28 clubs. “Professional soccer at all levels is thriving in the United States and Canada and we believe there are many markets that could support a successful MLS club,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a league statement. “Expansion during the last 15 years has been enormously successful and a key driver behind the league’s continued rise, and we are pleased that some of the top business and community leaders representing great markets in North America are aggressively pursuing MLS expansion clubs.”

 

  • CBC Sports and MEDIAPRO Canada unlocked a partnership that will see live coverage of 20 games throughout the 2019 season of the new Canadian Premier League on CBC Sports platforms. CBC will broadcast exclusively 10 Canadian Premier League games, with an additional 10 games available via free live streaming coverage.

 

  • US Soccer and Major League Soccer signed a three-year partnership with meditation and mindfulness app Headspace. The app will annually provide thousands of app subscriptions to all U.S. Soccer and MLS athletes, coaches, and league and club staff to strengthen their mindfulness and meditation skills. As part of the deal, Headspace will conduct in-person introductory training sessions during U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team training camps and at various MLS events.

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  • TwitchThe MLS has locked a deal with Twitch to live stream its 2019 Generation Adidas Cup academy tournament. Twitch will live stream 66 matches from the Generation Adidas Cup, an annual soccer tournament played between academies from the MLS and international academies, held at Toyota Stadium, in Texas, this week.

 

  • Titulares y Más, Telemundo Deportes’ Spanish-language sports and entertainment studio show, is expanding to a one-hour special edition throughout the FIFA Women’s World Cup France and Copa América Brazil, starting June 7. Running Monday-Friday at 11:35 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 11 pm, the show will offer daily recaps and previews of both tournaments.

 

  • English Liverpool Football Club will play in a trio of venues in the USA as part of their 2019/20 pre-season preparations this July. Fenway Park in Boston, Yankee Stadium in New York City and Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend at the University of Notre Dame will see the club play. In addition, while in the USA, the club will also participate in key local community projects in each city.
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  • LaLigaAccording to Brand Finance, La Liga is Spain’s eighth biggest brand. Using its brand strength score metric, a figure based on calculations regarding emotional connection, financial performance and sustainability, Brand Finance gave La Liga a score of 80.7 out of 100.

 

  • The US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has locked a deal with Yahoo Sports to stream all its upcoming matches. The agreement will enable viewers based in the US to access every game from the 2019 NWSL season. Games will still be available on NWSLsoccer.com and on the NWSL app to fans outside the US.

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  • https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1008675609411837952/kARoawLj_400x400.jpgPUMA has become LaLiga’s newest partner, after signing a multi-year partnership. Starting with the 2019/20 season, PUMA will produce the official match ball and other products for all games in Spain’s top-flight leagues: LaLiga Santander and LaLiga 1|2|3.
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The Week in Soccer Marketing

A summary of the most exciting news in soccer marketing. If you’re trying to keep up, consider this your one-stop shop.

Premier LeagueDAZN got the exclusive rights in Canada to all Premier League matches for the next three seasons, starting in August 2019. The exclusive contract will include the Uefa Champions League, Europa League, Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1. “European soccer fandom in Canada is more fervent than ever, and we are proud to be at the epicenter of this trend,” said Joseph Markowski, DAZN’s executive vice president, North America.

Amateur Hispanic soccer program Alianza de Futbol announced a four-year partnership with Univision Deportes. Univision Deportes will serve as Alianza’s official Spanish-language media partner, strengthening the media company’s position as the Home of Soccer in the U.S. Univision Deportes will have exclusive access to cover the 2019 Alianza de Futbol tour in ten cities across the country and will showcase Alianza content across the Univision Deportes portfolio beginning with the organization’s May 25 event in Atlanta.

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FacebookFacebook and Fox Sports have announced a one-year content-sharing partnership in South America to broadcast this season’s Copa Libertadores. Starting this week, 46 games will be available for free on Facebook Watch, while Fox Sports will gain access to all fixtures that were due to be shown exclusively on Facebook on Thursdays. Live games on Facebook will also now be available on the Conmebol Libertadores page every Tuesday through Thursday. The partnership covers Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

The National Women’s Soccer League signed a deal with Yahoo Sports to stream the 2019 regular season live exclusively on the Yahoo Sports app for digital distribution in the US. The 2019 NWSL regular season will kick off Saturday, as the reigning NWSL champions the North Carolina Courage square off against the Chicago Red Stars.

Univision Deportes will live broadcast the unveiling of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup groups and full schedule. The show will be hosted by Univision Deportes’ Adriana Monsalve and Fox Sports’ John Strong.

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