MLS is Growing Up Fast

March 30, 2006

For those of you following Major League Soccer news, this years offseason has proven that MLS is definetly here to stay as it is showing consistent signs of growth and stablization. There is certainly something to be said for MLS when you have seen over the past two years significant investment interest in the league coming from overseas and across our southern borders.

To mention a few, Chivas USA with its Mexican infulence, Red Bull buying the Metrostars with its Austrian interest and now England’s Chelsea — the EPL’s rock of a club — inking a major deal with AEG that invloves MLS Champions, the LA Galaxy. A few years back I was quoted in the Sports Business Journal defending the MLS that, "I wonder what sport corporate sponsors would support when they begin to see the grassroots soccer community rallying and supporting MLS and buying tickets to watch their teams". It now appears that the rest of the world recognizes the opportunity for soccer in America with MLS. See the story below.

CHELSEA TEAM UP WITH AEG IN US PUSH
2006-Mar-30 05:45

English Premier League champions Chelsea have become the latest club to make a play for the US marketplace after agreeing a big deal with a number of Major League Soccer sides.

The London club’s chief executive Peter Kenyon said it had penned a strategic alliance with AEG – operators of four teams and developers of a number of existing and in-progress stadiums.

The partnership will begin in the summer of 2007 with the staging of a tournament, which will take place every two years, involving Chelsea and a host MLS club.

The alliance with AEG will also include a club-to-club relationship between Chelsea and MLS champions LA Galaxy, an agreement to enhance and market the Chelsea brand in the US and promotion of grass roots football activity.

Kenyon explained: “This is a unique, ground-breaking relationship that not only demonstrates our commitment to the development of US soccer, but will also help Chelsea work towards its aim of becoming the most popular European club in the US, one of our key target markets.”

Chelsea’s business affairs director, Paul Smith, added: “Chelsea’s involvement in US football will be from top to bottom. We will not just fly in and fly out for the tournaments.

“By building the profile and interest in Chelsea in this way we are confident we can expand our business and build a platform for increasing our fan base, merchandising and sponsorship opportunities.”

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