I happen to come across the sponsorship options for the U.S. national soccer team when I was searching for an image of the Home Depot Center, but I thought it was interesting to see the prices for some of these options–a bit out of my budget. Want to fulfill a dream of being associated with the U.S. national soccer team? U.S. Soccer gives you the chance to buy a sponsor the team:
Take a look at some of the campaign naming opportunities. I don’t think you can buy the rights to sponsor the actual soccer team jersey just yet though…imagine, buying an ad for the national soccer team jersey. How much would that be worth? And for how long could you have your ad on the jersey?
Is there a list somewhere of the people who have sponsored the U.S. national team in the past? It’s not like going to space or being able to suit up for the Yankees like Billy Crystal, it’s no adult fantasy soccer camp–more expensive to say the least. But you don’t have to dole out millions of dollars to be a space tourist. Then again, you don’t get to go to space and enjoy the effects of no gravity either.
But, if you’ve got piles of money lying around, it’s not a bad way to see some World Cup games in South Africa or get your company some exposure in the soccer world. Don’t know if they all accept corporate sponsorships for this though, seems more a charity type of thing, for now. However, there’s always a price for something you want, right. Even in soccer, just look at how FIFA has operated in the past.
I wonder if you could get creative and Onion like in your naming choice. I’m sure there could be some good ones for the locker rooms let’s say–you even get a sign on the door’s entrance. As they say, ‘Donor recognition will include a customized sign on the entrance door to the locker room (dimensions and locations TBA).’ Then some of the other options are a bit of a stretch as to who would want to purchase them. Who wants to get their name emblazoned on the equipment room for the U.S. National team? Why not, if you’ve got tons of money and love soccer.
Now, if there was the option of having the head coach of the national team wear your company logo on their shirt for a game, some people might pony up for this, this ain’t golf though. Another more enticing possibility, your name or company mentioned in a press conference. That’d be enough of an extra benefit to slush more funds into the coffers of the U.S. national team I’d say.
However, the U.S. national team is not in a dire or desperate state, they are not hurting for cash. There not saying Bob Bradley will say ‘such and such or so and so is the greatest’, in a live press conference if you give them $100K. There’s no sponsorship option where Landon will score a goal and then remove his shirt to reveal a greeting to your newborn daughter. Or Landon will shave his head if you donate a certain amount of money.
Yeah, maybe Landon will shave his head soon but for another reason that suffers many a man. But it’s not that kind of sponsorship, even though maybe it should be. There’s no wild card pick. Where, if such as such happens your company logo or message gets exposure.
I’m a bit worried though, soccer, often the stepchild of American sports, made fun of and chided by the uninitiated media, could get taken advantage of. I could see the national team getting preyed upon in a sense by offering some of these sponsorship options, see Jimmy Kimmel or Lettermen coming in and buying a placard on a U.S. soccer training facility.
It’d be pocket change to them. What name would you give one of the training fields? What’s are your top ten list of possible names? Actually, this might be good, what do they say, there’s no such thing as negative press. They might end up giving away these sponsorships to the likes of Letterman–they might pay him!
Here’s how you can help contribute to the legacy of U.S. Soccer from 2010:
- Name one of the five training fields used by our National Teams ($125,000/ea. – Donor recognition will include a 3′ X 10′ sign in a prominent and visible location);
- Purchase the rights to name the Men’s or Women’s National Team Locker Rooms ($75,000/ea. -Donor recognition will include a customized sign on the entrance door to the locker room (dimensions and locations TBA);
- Place the name of a loved one inside a locker space in either the Men’s or Women’s National Team Locker Rooms ($10,000/ea. – Donor recognition will include a customized sign on the locker (dimensions and locations TBA);
- Designate the U.S. National Team Coaches Locker Room in honor of a family member ($50,000/ea. – Donor recognition will include a customized sign on the entrance door to the locker room (dimensions and locations TBA);
- Name one of five offices inside U.S. Soccer’s NTC Office Suite ($25,000/ea. – Donor recognition will include a customized sign adjacent to the entrance of each office in the NTC Office Suite (dimensions and locations TBA);
- Name the U.S. Soccer Equipment Room ($50,000/ea. – Donor recognition will include a appropriate sign to be placed outside the room (dimensions and locations TBA);
- Name the U.S. Soccer NTC Office Suite ($150,000/ea. – Donor recognition will include customized signage adjacent to the entrance of the NTC Office Suite (dimensions and locations TBA);
- Bob Bradley will wear your favorite tie if you donate $200,000. (Just playing) THIS ISN’T REAL. And I don’t think Bob Bradley wears ties.
Donors who commit to gifts of $100,000 or more will also receive:
- Travel to a select World Cup qualifying match with the U.S. Men’s National Team (schedule permitting);
- Inclusion within U.S. Soccer’s “Friends & Family Program” at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which makes purchasing tickets and travel to South Africa simple.
