http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110.../10/1102120/mls-renew-contract-with-panasonic 3-year extension of current deal. No financial details given. Another positive sign that sponsors are not only not abandoning MLS in these tough times, but re-upping with them. http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20090209&content_id=216473&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp
Philly signed a sweet deal with them. http://www.sourcesecurity.com/news/articles/co-1277-ga.2960.html
Sweet, guess I'll go buy a new TV like a good drone. J/K This is good for MLS, sponsors still want their names out there they just don't want to pay as much and this proves it. I'll take all those sponsors that can't (don't want to) afford the big leagues for sure.
I love see the Panasonic logo in the front jersey of one of the new MLS teams or the other teams with no jersey sponsor.
Because it will have Ideas for life. Duh!!! It's not just a slogan; it's an inspirational message! Seriously though, it is a good sign that companies are still willing to support the league in these economic times. It would be easy and understandable to cut ties. But it says a great deal about loyalty to the league when they don't which Panasonic seems to have. I have no idea how Panasonic have faired in this economy but it's good to know they support their clients.
http://sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/61493 Slightly more info in the SportsBusinessJournal version. "Just under eight figures over three years," so ~$3/yr. Also interesting, they cited a cross promo with Best Buy and Blanco and Angel selling flat-screens. It says something that they're cutting 15,000 jobs but not cutting their MLS sponsorship.
Haha, good one. Seriously though, I think it would be a good thing for those sponsors who pay tons of cash to be apart of the big 4 leagues to start seeing MLS as a real value and take advantage of the opportunity. But I'm serious about the buying the TV, Circuit City is practically giving them away!!! haha
I paid 1,800 for my 52 inch HDTV about 3 years ago. It is amazing what you can get now for a lot less than what I paid. As the league becomes more successful, I think they will be able to have a higher asking price for sponsorships. Philly's deal is pretty sweet, they are outfitting the whole stadium with state of the art gear.
Maybe our sponsors like being associated with a league that has a future unlike and industry with no future like the Banking system in this country.
Good find. Some other interesting details for me were a) they did NOT re-up with U.S. Soccer at the same time they did re-up with MLS and b) how good their sponsorship was working in the Hispanic market. I think we undervalue on these boards the value of the Hispanic market to MLS - remember just a few weeks back American Airlines re-upped their sponsorship specifically citing their penetration into the Hispanic market and I believe even Amway cited it as a factor in their shirt sponsorship with the Quakes. MLS must be doing something right and I think it makes it even more imperative to bring in new Latin talent from south of the border, not just for what it brings on the field, but what it brings off the field as well. (Maybe another reason why the Montero, Escalanta (sic?) and Vitti signings may prove important as well.) There was also more encouraging news at the end of the SportsBusinessJournal piece: So maybe there's more good news on the sponsorship front forthcoming as well.
I actually think you're right. It speaks to the conservative business model that IS MLS, unlike the national economy which the scaliwags of Wall Street, Washington and wherever have turned into a nascent mushroom cloud (God forbid).
You got that right. All those companies that come over now with MLS being a relative value opportunity will have a 'ground floor' type relationship as the league grows. Definitely a good decision looking at exposure over the long-term. I gotta agree with you on the Philly deal too, seems like a sweet deal for both sides. Although it wouldn't hurt to have some of that Seattle Sounder-style Microsoft/XBOX360 money operating behind the scenes!
X-Box Tarket Demo maps to MLS Target Demo - also cross marketing opportunity FIFA 09/10 provides good ROI. : )