Brand Bandwagon: MLS Topped Record $460M In Sponsorship Deals In 2022
Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at 06:19PM By Barry Janoff
November 30, 2022: Los Angeles FC won the 2022 MLS Audi Cup Championship, but the league itself was the big winner this past season, totaling a record $461 million in club sponsorship revenue generated across 1,300 unique brands.
The beverage-alcohol and media categories were the most active brands, according to the just-released MLS 2022 Marketing Partnerships Report from global sports and entertainment intelligence platform SponsorUnited.
The figure was up from $400 million last season, according to SponsorUnited.
"MLS continues to impress with its increasing popularity, game attendance and sponsorships, propelling the league to be the fastest-growing in the world," Bob Lynch, Founder and CEO of SponsorUnited, said via the firm.
"It's clear to see how MLS franchise median value grew five-times more than other U.S. pro leagues through new investments made from companies like DoorDash, as well as continued support from brands like adidas, (which) has been a league partner for the past 26 years.”
For the 2022 season, SponsorUnited said MLS gained six new league partners: Avant, IHG, Socios.com, Sorare, DoorDash and Caterpillar.
“Brands like the Japanese beverage company Asahi tapped into the North America market for the first time through MLS,” according to the MLS 2022 Marketing Partnerships Report. “International brands including Volkswagen, Bermuda Tourism Authority and Inter&Co” also had a strong MLS presence.
LAFC defender Giorgio Chiellini led players with 18 endorsements, while DeAndre Yedlin of Inter Miami CF led with the most new brand collaborations this past season, including Heineken, Audi, DoorDash, Quaker State and Captain Morgan.
Among the most active MLS sponsors on social media were Heineken, Audi, BodyArmour, Bank of Montreal and Delta.
Crypto sponsorship deals within MLS grew from one to five.
Cryptocurrency was also the most searched financial category within the SponsorUnited platform as more than 250 cryptocurrency brands worldwide were searched, with Coinbase, Crypto.com and eToro leading the way, according to the MLS 2022 Marketing Partnerships Report.
However, with FTX going bankrupt, the impact of cryptocurrency firms moving forward remains to be seen.
Sporting KC, Philadelphia Union and Austin FC attract nearly 100 brand deals each for the 2022 season, “eclipsing the league average of 62,” reported SponsorUnited.
Sporting KC led in terms of deal volume, with new partners including Don Neron Tequila, Socios.com, Google Fiber, and Compass Minerals, its new front jersey partner.
Austin FC "quickly surpassed all other MLS clubs in terms of sponsorship category diversity in just its second season.”
The numbers will continue to be strong for MLS next season, which will see alliances including the start of a ten-year deal with Apple; growth to 29 franchises when St. Louis City debuts in 2023; and the launch of the Leagues Cup, an official CONCACAF competition, in which all 47 MLS and Liga MX clubs will compete in a World Cup-style tournament.
“With the very innovative ten-year partnership with Apple — one of the most innovative and exciting and consumer friendly companies in the world — we believe will reimagine how our game will be consumed by the next generation of our fans, all who are very digitally native and all who consume the majority of their soccer and football content via digital devices,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said during a media conference prior to the championship game between LAFC and Philadelphia Union.
“Every MLS game, almost 500 of them, along with exclusive content from our clubs promoting our teammates and our players, will be distributed to anyone around the world, anywhere, every club, and on every match.”
According to Garber, “We do think that having global exposure for our league in easily accessible formats is going to allow us to open up our league to other players who may or may not be thinking about Major League Soccer today, and obviously other fans who will have more access to our games.”
Said SponsorUnited’s Lynch, “It's an exciting time for MLS and I'm looking forward to seeing the continued momentum."
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