Continental Tire North America Inc. is the official sponsor of Major League Soccer (MLS). Under terms of the new agreement, Continental becomes the exclusive tire of the MLS.
The sponsorship is part of a multi-year deal with the MLS, which will commence at the beginning of the 2010 MLS season.
“Continental Tire has been a long-time sponsor of FIFA World Cup Soccer, so this new sponsorship supports that effort while at the same time raising our profile here in the U.S.,” says Matthias Schoenberg, CEO of Continental Tire the Americas.
“Soccer is the world’s most-watched sport, and it is exploding in popularity here in the United States."
Under the agreement, Continental also:
* gains the right to use MLS league and team marks in its advertising and marketing materials;
* gets to post signage on all four corners of each stadium around the country, covering more than 240 games and nearly 300 television broadcasts during the season; and
* receives 30-second commercial units in national television broadcasts, visibility in game programs, a prominent presence on the MLS Web site and VIP hospitality suites in select markets.
"Continental is an international company that understands the language of soccer and recognizes what a special year 2010 is going to be for the sport, both in the United States, as MLS celebrates its 15th season, and also worldwide, as 32 countries compete in the largest sporting event in the world -- the FIFA World Cup," says Kathy Carter, executive vice president of Soccer United Marketing, MLS' marketing arm.
For more information on Continental Tire, visit www.continentaltire.com. For more information on the MSL, visit www.MLSnet.com.
