The Major League Soccer club, New York City FC, has signed a deal with prominent UK-based sports-partnerships pioneer, Eleven Sports Media. Following this deal, both will work together to launch a new platform for brand exposure and growth for small businesses across New York City.
The deal will see Eleven Sports Media becoming the official jersey partner for the NYCFC Academy teams. Eleven’s investment in the NYCFC Academy will be helping the club continue developing top local homegrown talent, building on the successes of James Sands, Joe Scally, Justin Haak, Tayvon Gray, Andres Jasson, and Christian McFarlane – all of the NYCFC homegrown players.
NYCFC has had a strong relationship with its local, national, and international partners since 2015, and with the current partnership, the club plans to develop a new program to provide opportunities to the small business present in those regions.
Small businesses are considered the lifeblood of New York City but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these businesses have been heavily affected. To repair that damage, NYCFC and Eleven Sports Media will create a portfolio of accessible partnership and branding opportunities while the team plays its home games at Yankee Stadium.
Speaking at the occasion, Matt Goodman, Chief Commercial Officer, and COO at NYCFC, said: “We are the soccer team of the five boroughs. Our role is two-fold: to connect with the local communities that we are proud to represent and to empower better lives through soccer. We want to do everything we can to help pick up the small businesses. They are the fabric of New York City.
“The most exciting part about partnering with Eleven is that shared focus on small business and on investing in young local talent. Eleven’s history with global soccer, coupled with an emphasis on community and youth soccer, is the most unique part of how Eleven operates.
“This partnership will give NYCFC a larger platform to speak to more fans and give more local, small businesses a bigger platform for success. And that to us is the most important part.”
Adding to it, Matt Cairns, Founder, and CEO of Eleven Sports Media, said: “We were founded on the principle of linking clubs with the businesses in the communities that are so important to them and their fans. We are one of those businesses ourselves.
“The larger a club gets, the harder it can often be to divert resources away from the headline-grabbing main sponsors to focus on all those smaller businesses that form the bedrock of the communities they serve. We exist to create that bridge.
“Our partnership with NYCFC will allow SMEs across New York to affordably benefit from the huge exposure the club can give them and the hands-on activation and experiential services we provide. Meanwhile, our investment in the club’s Academy means we can make a real difference to the club’s mission in its community.
“We have a long history supporting clubs in the Premier League and throughout the football pyramid in the UK. It’s really exciting to now begin our journey in the MLS in New York, one of the world’s great sporting cities, and with a club that so closely shares our community-focused purpose.”
New York City FC playing at MLS, are currently sitting 4th in the league table, collecting 50 points from their last 33 games. The club is now getting ready to face Philadelphia Union on 8th November.