MLS Merchandise - $300 million in annual sales
2009-12-19 23:55:00
Via Footiebusiness a couple weeks ago, an Oregon Live article that sets annual adidas MLS merchandise revenue at over $300 million annually:To build its U.S. soccer edge, Adidas paid a reported $150 million over 10 years to sponsor and outfit men's Major League Soccer, which is expanding to 18 teams and drew 3.6 million spectators this year. Stu Crystal, MLS vice president of consumer products, said annual sales of league-licensed merchandise has grown more than 600 percent, to $300 million, since the Adidas partnership began in 2005. "Being connected to Major League Soccer gives Adidas exposure to millions of soccer fans and reinforces its position with the sport," he said.
[EDIT: Check out this comment below, which posits that the adidas deal does NOT preclude MLS from receiving a percentage cut from all merchandise sold in addition to the rights adidas paid for in the announced deal. I think that makes sense, and as such, the above comment by me is probably wrong. My apologies for the sloppiness. See also this followup.-FS]
This is also awesome:
That's helped with women customers too. Though the men's soccer products market is much larger than the women's market, women's soccer is growing in the U.S., particularly in high schools and colleges. Women make up about 40 percent of Major League Soccer spectators and it doesn't hurt that the league has glamorous stars such as the Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham; Adidas sold 300,000 Beckham jerseys when he joined the league in 2007. "I have two 13-year-old daughters who are Beckham fans," Crystal said. "They know he's cute."
Yeah, like I'm so sure MLS's women fans follow the league more because the players happen to be cute.
relampago: lolol this actually took me like 2 seconds to find. but yeah.
whatsername104: mmmmm
Oh now come on, it's not the only reason.
-FS
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