http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2014 ... t-sponsor/
Sometimes when you put two and two together, you make four. And this is one of those occasions.
Etihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, where Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed al Nahyan is deputy prime minister, and it is Sheikh Mansour who is buying and setting up Major League Soccer’s 21st franchise, New York City FC, Connecting the dots, it now seems as though his country’s airline will be pumping plenty of money into the league for the foreseeable future.
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, MLS will announce on Tuesday that a deal has been struck with Etihad to became the league’s newest sponsor. The terms and conditions of the deal have yet to be unveiled but the picture, above right, of Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Tim Cahill and Eddie Johnson standing next to a member of Etihad’s cabin crew with the slogan “Together, we’ll go places” is pretty telling.
That photo was taken from MLSsoccer.com, the league’s website and seems to suggest the deal will be announced shortly. But what does it mean for MLS to partner with Eithad?
It certainly means the league will benefit financially from any deal, which is paramount to the development of not only MLS but also soccer in North America overall. Also, it strengthens the bond between Mansour and the league, and it proves that the man who owns three other soccer clubs, Manchester City, Melbourne Heart and Al Jazira, is keen to pour money into the league as well as benefiting from NYC FC’s creation.
It is a win, win for everyone concerned, as Mansour’s glowing portfolio aims to reach more markets across the globe. Bringing a second MLS side to New York and more investment into the league is likely to make other MLS owners extremely happy, and get the franchise up and running on everyone’s good side.
Is this just the start of MLS driving its outreach to attract huge global brands?
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