MLS Shirt Question

[Krona]

Any confirmation on whether or not the sponsors will show up on replica shirts. i imagine they would be with the price that comes with sponsorship and its status quo on shirts from abroad.

[Alphabet Man]

I would assume so. In every pther sport and league they do.

[Gothamite]

I susect so, but MLS hasn't included the previous sponsor patches. And the sponsors they're getting aren't exactly blue chip, so the automatic muscle isn't there.

Would they be the first league in the US to do so?? The only other example I can think of is minor-league hockey, and AFAIK those jerseys are all sold without the sponsor logos.

[jman077]

I can only assume they will be. They aren't yet. The new addidas site shows up on April 7th, so we'll find out then.

[Saturn]

I think replicas will have the script across the front while authentics will have the sponsor. Not 100% sure on this though.

[Discrim]

I susect so, but MLS hasn't included the previous sponsor patches. And the sponsors they're getting aren't exactly blue chip, so the automatic muscle isn't there.

Would they be the first league in the US to do so?? The only other example I can think of is minor-league hockey, and AFAIK those jerseys are all sold without the sponsor logos.

IIRC Arena league replicas don't carry sponsor logos either.

[SouthSidePride]

I would assume so, because they are so central to the jersey. The Arena league has little patches that look foreign to the uniform, so they exclude them.

Also, is there a list of each team's sponsor?

[gordie_delini]

Here is your answer

[Mingjai]

Here is your answer

If this site is reliable, the 2007 "authentics" don't have sponsor's logos as well.

MLS Shop -- Authentic Jerseys

[Gothamite]

Here is your answer

If this site is reliable, the 2007 "authentics" don't have sponsor's logos as well.

MLS Shop -- Authentic Jerseys

I think those are placeholder graphics, until the sponsors are released. Remember, MLS isn't exactly prompt with its merchandising....

Also, is there a list of each team's sponsor?

So far as I know, only three have announced the sponsorships:

LA Galaxy - Herbalife

Toronto FC - Bank of Montreal Financial Group (BMO)

Real Salt Lake - XanGo

[Bouj]

I know that in Houston, the local shop that does all the merchandise sales for the Dynamo said they would be selling the sponsor-emblazoned jersey should the Dynamo get one. He had heard that the Dynamo were probably going to wait until '08 to get a sponsor, but that the team had told him they would be selling the new stuff to the general public as soon as a sponsor was added.

The store manager was telling someone who was interested in buying the new '07 shirt. The manager told him there was a 30/70 chance it would be obsolete after a few weeks because of the new sponsor, so he should wait until April to decide.

I do remember someone (I think Eurosport, maybe TSI Soccer) selling MLS replicas with the option of paying extra ($15 or $25) to have the old back patch sponsor logo added. Like the big Snickers logo that one of the teams wore back when the league first started.

[Krona]

Here is your answer

I saw these. thats what got me thinking about this. as jman posted above, the new site doesnt come for a couple of weeks. one of the major selling points for sponsors is fans outside the stadium wearing their name. i wouldnt be shocked to see the team name on replicas though. im not so sure the shirts on the site are proof, though.

[harperdc]

I would imagine they will be once all the dust settles. Keep in mind, the past sponsors were league-level sponsors - so appearing on replicas may not have been as important to Pepsi, Budweiser, etc. as some other factors (in-park advertising, TV ad inventory, etc.) a company looks at when making such a large deal.

however, as the new sponsorships are being sold by the individual teams, I would imagine that includes replica shirt sponsorship space. Herbalife or BMO aren't trying to be league-wide sponsors, so they're aiming to get as much as they can out of the team sponsorship, so getting on the replicas would be of primary importance I'd imagine.

Also keep in mind the old non-sponsor style was before the "Euro-fication," especially in the past few years, when they still thought names like the Wiz would sell soccer in the US. Different direction now could certainly open up the sponsorship possibility.

[Gothamite]

I disagree.

I'm stunned that the LA Galaxy went with a low-rent sponsor. I cannot believe that Pepsi or Sprint or another major corporation was disinterested in having their logo on all the David Beckham shirts the kids will be wearing.

Shocking. Wow.

[iowahoo]

I know that the Charleston Battery in USL-1 sell authentics and replicas with their shirt sponsor on them.

[jman077]

I would imagine they will be once all the dust settles. Keep in mind, the past sponsors were league-level sponsors - so appearing on replicas may not have been as important to Pepsi, Budweiser, etc. as some other factors (in-park advertising, TV ad inventory, etc.) a company looks at when making such a large deal.

however, as the new sponsorships are being sold by the individual teams, I would imagine that includes replica shirt sponsorship space. Herbalife or BMO aren't trying to be league-wide sponsors, so they're aiming to get as much as they can out of the team sponsorship, so getting on the replicas would be of primary importance I'd imagine.

Also keep in mind the old non-sponsor style was before the "Euro-fication," especially in the past few years, when they still thought names like the Wiz would sell soccer in the US. Different direction now could certainly open up the sponsorship possibility.

The idea of Budweiser sponsoring is interesting, because, chances are, they could not put their logo on any children's replicas. That's how it works in NASCAR. Alcohol sponsors can not appear on anything marketed to children (video games, driver merch). They then replace it with the driver logo or team logo or signature (refer to the product I linked to). I assume with alcohol sponsors, they'd use the team script logo.

[Gothamite]

But pyramid schemes are okay?

[MJWalker45]

The shirts shown are all last year's models. LA Galaxy aren't even wearing that uniform anymore, though all their new training gear is still green and gold. When are they breaking out the new kits? Opening day?

[Gothamite]

No idea.

Looking at the press release, we do have a question answered:

The Herbalife name will appear in conjunction with the team name on all official team wear and replica jerseys and other select team merchandise.

Well, there you have it. I will buy a Beckham jersey (to support the League's new direction), but I sure as heck won't wear it. Not with a pyramid scheme splashed across the front.

[harperdc]

I agree with that statement, Gotham - why are they going with such a low-rent sponsor? its strange.

I still believe, though, that companies who are in there primarily for individual teams as shirt sponsors will want their sponsorship reflected in the replicas. Isn't that part of the deal with being a shirt sponsor in the EPL, La Liga, Serie A...everywhere else? Why would the US be any different from this standpoint?