Soccer United Marketing
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Advertising, marketing, sports |
| Founded | 2002 |
Area served | North America |
Key people | Don Garber, Chief Executive Officer Gary R. Stevenson, Deputy Commissioner and President Camilo Durana, Executive Vice President Radhika Duggal, Chief Marketing Officer |
| Parent | Major League Soccer |
| Website | Official website |
Soccer United Marketing is the for-profit marketing arm of Major League Soccer[1] which primarily deals with the commercialization, marketing, promotion and operational execution of professional soccer in the United States.[2] The promotion also owns both the Mexican Men’s and Women’s National Teams and their respective broadcast rights.[3]
In 2016, Soccer United Marketing was also chosen as the exclusive worldwide marketing partner of CONCACAF and CONMEBOL, which included commercial rights to the 2016 Copa America Centenario, which was played in the United States.[4] SUM also holds the commercial rights to Major League Soccer matches and Mexican Men’s and Women’s National Teams games played in the United States.[5]
Soccer United Marketing has also assisted in the organization of several international soccer events with North American involvement, including the North American SuperLiga, the Pan-Pacific Championship, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the CONCACAF Nations League.[6]
Since 2018, SUM also holds the rights to Campeones Cup, an annual cup between the MLS and LIGA MX champions.[7]
In 2023, SUM also launched Leagues Cup, the first in-season club tournament in North America across all men’s sports, pitting clubs from Major League Soccer and LIGA MX.[8]
Affiliations with USSF and its leadership
[edit]Soccer United Marketing is affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation.[9] Regarding the relationship between Soccer United Marketing and United States Soccer Federation, Roger Pielke writes that the United States Soccer Federation "exempts from its conflict of interest policy 'any constituent or affiliated member entities of U.S. Soccer'", which includes Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing.[9]
Pielke writes, sourcing the New York Daily News, that this conflict of interest exemption allowed Sunil Gulati to become President of the United States Soccer Federation while also being a founder, board member, and deputy commissioner of Major League Soccer, and a member of Soccer United Marketing's board of directors.[9][10]
Describing the relationship between Major League Soccer and the United States Soccer Federation, MLS Commissioner and Soccer United Marketing CEO Don Garber told Sports Illustrated, "Sunil and Dan (Flynn) had this view that as the governing body of the sport they would make commitments on the commercial side and on the competitive side to have MLS be the leader of the sport." He continued to say, "That's not something that exists in other parts of the world. I believe that Sunil could have made a different decision when he came in as president (in 2006) and had he made that decision MLS isn't be what it is today. Because we are joined at the hip.”
Similarly describing the relationship between Soccer United Marketing and the United States Soccer Federation, USSF President Sunil Gulati said, "The growth of the game goes hand in hand with what the league has done over the last 16 years and the growth of so much of what's going on in U.S. Soccer. The working relationship between the two is extraordinary and my guess is there aren’t many in the world that are like that. We don’t have the sorts of conflicts you see between leagues and federations – that's a plus."[11]
Soccer United Marketing and the United States Soccer Federation have played important roles in establishing Major League Soccer as the top professional closed-league system for soccer in America. MLS has this structure, as described by the Professional Council of the United States Soccer Federation as "a unique ownership and operating structure, based on a 'single entity' concept." The Professional Council goes on to explain that "MLS" 'single entity' structure allows investors to own an interest in the league, as well as individual teams."[12]
In 2022, the U.S. Soccer Federation and Soccer United Marketing ended their commercial rights partnership. Despite the ending of the partnership, both organizations committed to continue working together.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ "MLS Digital Properties & Soccer United Marketing". mlssoccer.com. MLS Digital. 2016-12-05. Archived from the original on 2016-12-13. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
- ^ "CONCACAF and CONMEBOL Award IMG and Soccer United Marketing Copa America Centenario 2016 Commercial Rights". conmebol.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2016-12-06.
- ^ "When was the last time that Mexico scored against the United States?". en.as.com. 2024-03-25. Archived from the original on 2024-07-01. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
- ^ "IMG, SUM awarded commercial rights for Copa America Centenario". soccerwire.com. 2015-12-02. Archived from the original on 2024-08-24. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
- ^ "Mexican Football Federation and Soccer United Marketing extend sales partnership until 2028". sportspromedia.com. 2022-05-24. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ "CONCACAF Selects SUM to Market and Service Worldwide Sponsorship Rights". Concacaf. 2021-02-15. Archived from the original on 2024-08-24. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
- ^ "MLS, Liga MX unveil Campeones Cup; first edition to be played in September | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer. Archived from the original on 2024-07-01. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
- ^ "How Leagues Cup supercharged soccer and its advertising partners". Retrieved 2024-08-16.
- ^ a b c "Soccernomics Agency: Consultancy, Research, Ideas » US Soccer and Conflicts of Interest". www.soccernomics-agency.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-12. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
- ^ "How US Soccer mistreats World Cup-winning Women's National Team". interactive.nydailynews.com. Archived from the original on 2016-10-01. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
- ^ Boehm, Charles (2016-06-07). "Sunil Gulati's steady rise, with the biggest challenge still to come". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
- ^ "Professional Council". www.ussoccer.com. Archived from the original on 2014-09-23. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
- ^ "U.S. Soccer parting ways with MLS-owned SUM". ESPN.com. 2021-05-23. Archived from the original on 2024-07-01. Retrieved 2024-08-16.