January saw the Seattle based online retailer Zulily make a strategic soccer sponsorship commitment to the whole city of Seattle by becoming the new front of shirt sponsor of MLS side Seattle Sounders and NWSL team Seattle Reign.
As well as appearing on the MLS team’s playing shirts, the tie-up also includes the presence of the retail business’ branding on team jackets and polo shirts and it will also feature on the franchise’s academy jerseys (from the club’s U12 age-groups through to the development academy squads).
The multi-year Sounders official jersey tie-up was first teased socially,
and outdoor installations at famous Seattle city landmarks such as Pikes Place Market,
before the new partner was officially introduced via a ‘Name On The Back / Name On The Front’ video posted on 17 January
which was supported by online pieces.
Our new Rave Green for 2019.
https://t.co/7QRL0X4tZq pic.twitter.com/HAQ5JRumto
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) January 17, 2019
These rolled out hours ahead of the official joint press event which was amplified across both brand and club online platforms with a series of video and Q&As,
We are proud to announce a multiyear partnership with @SoundersFC and @ReignFC , where team jerseys will don our new logo. We’re excited for the 2019 season and beyond! https://t.co/FcsbjY0SP7
— zulily (@zulily) January 17, 2019
featuring interviews with sponsor executives, club management and players.
The Reign deal, which sees Zulily become the NWSL club’s presenting partner with its logo on both home and away kits, was also introduced via a digital and social campaign across the sponsor and the club channels.
We’re proud to announce @zulily as our new presenting partner. Also sponsoring @SoundersFC, zulily is uniting both of Seattle’s professional soccer teams under one jersey partner for the first time. pic.twitter.com/jzyIQZH7ip
— Seattle Reign FC (@ReignFC) January 17, 2019
.@zulily will serve as the presenting jersey front sponsor of @ReignFC and @SoundersFC, showcasing zulily’s support of the entirety of Seattle’s vibrant soccer community and a commitment to all its professional athletes.
Details here: https://t.co/2CbQ3mCmzI pic.twitter.com/iWOmzm2JmI
— Seattle Reign FC (@ReignFC) January 17, 2019
“It was an all-encompassing approach to soccer in the Puget Sound region that was really attractive to us. Anyone can write a check and then slap their logo on the front of a jersey. The hard work is finding really attractive innovations and activations and making it fun for the fans and the employees of the teams and the company,” said Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer.
“In Zulily, we have found a first class, Seattle-based organization that is not only invested in our community, but has made meaningful commitments to the growth of our sport throughout the region. “[The] news doesn’t just impact the future of Sounders FC, but it also supports youth soccer across the Puget Sound and the women’s game for years to come. Zulily’s desire to unify both professional franchises under one banner was something that stood out to us during this process,” added Hanauer.
“We’re proud and excited to welcome Zulily as our new presenting partner. It was clear through our many conversations that they share our most deeply-held values, including a commitment to excellence, innovation, inclusiveness and equality,” added Bill Predmore, owner and president of Seattle Reign FC.
“I also want to thank Adrian Hanauer and the entire Sounders organization for their continued support of our club. Our partnership with Zulily would not have happened without Adrian’s involvement, which serves as a tangible example of his ongoing commitment to helping our organization succeed.”
Comment:
The twin deals see the US e-commerce company, which is valued at around $2.6bn, make a major commitment to its home town: placing sport and soccer at the heart of its local and national marketing strategy.
Zulily also says that the objective behind the tie-ups is to “invest back into the community.”
The financial terms of the deal were not official disclosed, but the Sounders sponsorship was reported to be worth more than the $5m the club received from previous partner Xbox last season.
Plus, another advantage of the new deal is that the Zulily partnership does not include pitch-naming rights – an asset that was included in the Xbox deal.
Thus the Sounders have a new shirt sponsor paying more than the last incumbent and still has the flexibility and the potential to sell another major asset.
The partnerships mark the first time that both Seattle professional soccer sides – the Sounders and the Reign – have had the jerseys sponsored by the same brand.
The Sounders, one of the heavyweight teams in US football and who won the MLS Cup in 2016, are managed by Brian Schmetzer.
Previous stars have included Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins, DeAndre Yedlin and Freddie Ljungberg and the team will start the 2019 MLS regular season on 2 March with a home match against league newcomers FC Cincinnati.
The Seattle-headquartered company becomes only the second kit partner in the Sounders’ history and follows local IT and gaming giant Microsoft Xbox.
Previous shirt sponsor Microsoft Xbox had a long running partnership with the Sounders and a strong track record in marketing through football with campaigns starring the likes of star players such as Willian and Rashford (see case study) and even YouTuber teams at the EE Wembley Cup (see case study).
Links:
Zuliliy
https://www.zulily.co.uk/facebook
https://www.instagram.com/zulily
https://www.youtube.com/user/zulily
Seattle Sounders
https://twitter.com/SoundersFC
https://www.instagram.com/soundersfc/
https://www.facebook.com/SeattleSounders
https://www.youtube.com/user/soundersfcdotcom
Seattle Reign
https://www.youtube.com/user/SeattleReignFC
https://www.facebook.com/ReignFC/
https://www.instagram.com/ReignFC/
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