Target enters multi-year deal with Major League Soccer

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
Jan 19, 2017

Target on Thursday announced a multi-year deal with Major League Soccer as part of its largest-ever push into team sports.

 
The Minneapolis-based retailer’s deal with MLS includes airtime during broadcasts on Fox Sports, ESPN, and Univision, in-stadium experiences, player appearances, and ownership of certain major MLS platforms, which will be unveiled on a later date.
 
In addition to the MLS partnership, Target will become an official partner of Minnesota United FC and the team’s official sponsor. The team jersey, which will be unveiled in February, will feature the Target bullseye logo.

“There are so many things that drew us to soccer – it’s multicultural, watched and played by families and is growing immensely in popularity,” said Rick Gomez, senior vice president, Marketing, Target. “We’ve partnered with several incredible organizations and vendors to invite soccer fans everywhere to engage with the Target brand in new ways.”
 
Target is also partnering with US Youth Soccer, a leader among youth-sports organizations in the country, and the US Soccer Foundation to further youth soccer’s US growth. The retailer will become the Official Retailer of US Youth Soccer and an Official Partner and presenting sponsor of the Target United Cup, the largest recreational soccer tournament in the country that will visit 30 to 40 cities. The company will also be featured within several other US Youth Soccer programs, including digital media integrations and event activations.
 
Finally, Target provided a $75,000 grant to the US Soccer Foundation to support national expansion of the organization’s Soccer for Success program.