Announced today, new sponsor for RSL. http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/10/28/Franchises/Real-Salt-Lake.aspx QUOTE While Salt Lake City is one the smallest markets in MLS, the deal is one of the league’s largest, as MLS sources put it at $30 million over 10 years. That’s about $1.3 million more per year than the team’s stadium naming-rights deal and three times more per year than what was being paid by XanGo, its jersey sponsor since 2005. UNQUOTE
What about it is troubling? You think MLS only gets paid if they sign up their other sports league friends?
There's no more or no fewer MLMs in the league than there were before this deal, since this replaces Xango. The other companies RSL was negotiating with were not MLMs, and this one emerged only at the last minute - the whole negotiation took something like 30 days. Not sure if many franchises in the league are in a position to turn down an extra million a year or so on principle of not dealing with an MLM.
It's not about MLS, it's about Utahn eyeballs. (For a number of demographic and sociological reasons not worth getting into here, Utah is the MLM capital of the US.) I'd only be worried about the trend if it wasn't RSL. Indeed, with the lapse of Amway, MLMMLS sponsorship is down 33% since 2012.
Let's make a list of kits that will change in 2014. I know Portland is getting a new Away and a new 3rd.
New England will have a new home/primary next year (2014), and then a new away/secondary in 2015. It will keep alternating like that from then on.
Vancouver - New Away Seattle - New third PDX - New Second (and third per CAllen91) SJ- New home LA - New home ChivasUSA - New home Colorado - New home Salt lake - New home FC Dallas - New home Who knows what the hell is going on in the east.
DC... well, DC was on a schedule until it became a thing. Who knows what they're going to do now? Whenever I want them to take my money, they don't want to.
QUOTE *Will the iconic Volkswagen logo grace United’s jersey next season? I continue to receive mixed signals, but the prevailing thought is that VW is not likely to return as the club’s primary sponsor. The company has an option for 2014 after a six-season affiliation with the MLS side. The club has engaged in talks with other potential partners, I’m told. Volkswagen’s sponsorship with the league runs through next season. UNQUOTE http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2013/11/01/d-c-united-news-and-notes-30/
Vancouver - New Away Seattle - New third PDX - New Second (and third per CAllen91) SJ- New home LA - New home ChivasUSA - New home Colorado - New home Salt lake - New home FC Dallas - New home Houston - New second (according to the FO on a conference call)
The Galaxy kit will be mostly the same except the stars will actually move to the sash and get much bigger..better yet, they will let the fans design it.