Major League Soccer has a reason to celebrate when its annual all-star game kicks off Saturday in Columbus, OH. The league said a record-setting level of sponsorship activation would take place at the game— is presented by Sierra Mist— around the city.
With nine sponsors activating around the Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game, it is also the largest amount of sponsorship activation surrounding any league event, MLS executive VP Doug Quinn said.
“We have more and more partners leveraging their assets with each event,” Quinn said. “This year’s All-Star Game has seen an unprecedented number of partners. We think it tells a great story of how our sport is now a significant part of corporate America’s marketing plans.”
PepsiCo’s Sierra Mist is using 1.1 million can panels, 100 truck back panels, on-pack stickers, posters at local businesses and light post banners in Columbus to promote its presenting sponsor status. Pepsi also ran an online sweepstakes that gave a fan a grand-prize trip to a soccer game anywhere in the world.
RadioShack is running a promotion in 36 Columbus-area stores, in which consumers receive a free MLS All-Star/RadioShack soccer ball with a purchase of $40 or more. The promotion runs through July 31, and employees in those stores are dressed in limited-edition adidas RadioShack soccer jerseys to further promote the game.
For the three days leading up to the game, Budweiser is hosting in-store happy hours at local retailers. Consumers can win tickets to the All-Star Game and the Budweiser Beer Garden, which will be set up outside Crew Stadium. Bud is also hosting 16 guests in a party suite during the game.
Honda is providing eight Honda Odysseys for weekend transportation of teams and VIPs. Toolmaker Makita will be demonstrating products out of two pickup trucks outside the stadium for the adults, and will entertain kids with a penalty kick challenge. Kraft will host a similar kicking contest, and sample various products on site.
At three Columbus-area soccer retailers, adidas will give consumers a $5-off ticket to the game and a free hat with a $50 adidas purchase.
RingPop will host the first-prize winner of its Hands On Soccer sweepstakes, and that person will also serve as a ball boy at the game. During a break in the action, the sweepstakes winner will get a chance to kick a goal and win season tickets for an MLS team.
In addition, six U.S. and two Brazilian youth teams will be competing in the Jetix Kids Cup National Finals, sponsored by Walt Disney Co. and held at the Crew Stadium complex. Disney will also air All-Star Game tune-in promotions across its family of networks.
“With each passing year, the numbers are growing exponentially,” Quinn said. “This year we are seeing many All-Star centric promotional giveaways, and for our upcoming MLS Cup in Dallas (league championship game, Nov. 13), the bar will be set even higher.”
In Saturday’s game, instead of a traditional league-vs.-league All-Star game, a team of MLS All-Stars will take on English Premier League Club Fulham FC.
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