[Andy_B]

I know this was posted in another link, but the information in here deserves its own thread

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/socce...post-cup_x.htm

Highlights

*A multiyear sponsorship agreement with ADT Security Services that will be announced Thursday.

*ADT began its involvement with MLS by purchasing ad time during the World Cup. Now, ADT is becoming an MLS sponsor for the remainder of this season and several more seasons.


*Budweiser, which had been an MLS sponsor, increased its financial commitment to the league by deciding to become the title sponsor of the league's Hispanic Heritage Nights.

* And league officials are hoping that Burger King, another member of the World Cup ad lineup, also will become an MLS sponsor.

Thoughts:

1) Take the article with a grain of salt as the writer has very little MLS knowledge (the piece comes off as thinking the July 4th crowds in Colorado and LA were due to a WC bump, he believes attendance will be up this year without acknowledging that we need to hit 16,000 to break even etc)

2) The Burger King sponsorship would be great IMO. The league has always lacked a Fast Food sponsorship and this would be a nice pick up if possible.

3) GREAT news about ADT and Bud adding even more money to the league

4) St Phil's seeds of tying MLS to the WC seems to be showing the signs of starting to sprout

[kenntomasch]

Not bad for a league on its "deathbed" according to some eight months ago.

[Bora Fan]

Keep things in perspective.

The ADT deal is for "Corporate Sponsorship" not "Official Sponsorship. What's the difference? Official Sponsors get their name on the backs of player jerseys.

[falcon6]

sounds good. Even though alot of us worry, I think the mls is here to stay. Another few stadiums get built, then we will have no worrys.

[FlashMan]

Originally posted by Andy_B
1) Take the article with a grain of salt as the writer has very little MLS knowledge (the piece comes off as thinking the July 4th crowds in Colorado and LA were due to a WC bump, he believes attendance will be up this year without acknowledging that we need to hit 16,000 to break even etc)

i've never heard MLS needs to hit 16,000 to break even. is this true? has this been documented someplace?

just curious.


the rest of the info all seems like good news, even the ever so slight post-WC tv ratings boost. by my count, they've seen a lot of great goals on Soccer Saturday since the WC and might stick around to catch a few more...

[Steve Spencer]

GARBER: "We expected the World Cup would give us a chance to grab new fans. Our task is to grab as many of those as we can, throw them into the pot of our MLS fans and build our base."

I don't know how Garber defines fans, but it would be great if MLS could get back the 5-10 percent of its fan base that it sent to the firing squad when it folded Miami and Tampa Bay. But that probably won't happen until the next expansion.

[Andy_B]

i've never heard MLS needs to hit 16,000 to break even. is this true? has this been documented someplace?

I wrote that poorly.

What I was trying to say was that the author did not know (or at least did not state) that we needed to draw 16,000 this year to be even with last years attendance when we take out Tampa and Miami.

And back to your point, attendance is only one small piece of a pretty complicated pie in terms of breaking even, so if you ever hear anyone claim "if MLS just averages X they will break even", ignore them.

[falcon6]

Originally posted by Andy_B


I wrote that poorly.

What I was trying to say was that the author did not know (or at least did not state) that we needed to draw 16,000 this year to be even with last years attendance when we take out Tampa and Miami.

And back to your point, attendance is only one small piece of a pretty complicated pie in terms of breaking even, so if you ever hear anyone claim "if MLS just averages X they will break even", ignore them.

I totally agree with this. I think people get a little too caught up in the attendance numbers. There are many other factors such as controlling revenue streams at stadiums, rent, not having to pay for airtime, investors, sponsorship, and merchandising that are all part of the big puzzle that goes with attendance.

[Justin O]

Very true but as long as we have far more concrete info on attendance than the other factors you mention people will continue to fixate on it. I'm sure we'd dwell on all the things you mention if we had some numbers to play with.

[Real Ray]

The one thing I wonder is if Garber will address is the possibilty or expectations of new IO's entering the league. In this economic climate, I don't expect anything soon, but it would be nice-even if it's not the best news-for him to speak on the issue.

Also it's interesting that despite the transfer bids made by teams like Ajax and Bayern Munich, the league has not taken the cash. I have my doubts about it, but for a league that does have money issues, it's interesting how this flies in the face of so many who thought the fire sale was inevitable. While the players may not like it, it does dovetail nicely into this MLS-USMNT synergy that AEG is developing.

Burger King has been a MetorStars sponsor for a while-perhaps this has opened them up for larger exposure.

BTW-just how many teams in the league lack an on-shirt sponsor?