NORWALK, Conn.: Continuing what has already been a huge summer for football, Major League Soccer (MLS) announced Captain Morgan as the league’s official spiced rum and exclusive spirits partner through 2022.
The new deal names Captain Morgan as an official sponsor of MLS All-Star – taking place in Orlando – Campeones Cup (August 14) and MLS Cup (November 10).
The rum brand also becomes an official sponsor of the following clubs: Chicago Fire Soccer Club, DC United, New York City FC, Philadelphia Union and Seattle Sounders FC.
Additionally, fans of legal drinking age will soon be able to purchase custom labeled bottles of Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum featuring official team colors.
While financial terms of the contract have not been released, Forbes, quoting a source with knowledge of the deal reports that between the league and team partnerships, Captain Morgan parent Diageo is making an eight-figure commitment across the term of the deal.
In 2017, adidas agreed to pay $117 million per year for its apparel deal, and in the few years since, MLS has added or renewed deals with the likes of Audi, Heineken, MGM Resorts, Home Depot and meditation app Headspace.
“From New York to Seattle to Los Angeles, everything about Major League Soccer, its intensely passionate fanbase, the atmosphere at each match, and the exciting growth of the sport in the US mirrors the energy that Captain Morgan stands for,” said Christina Choi, DIAGEO senior vice president, Rum, Gin & Tequila. “Our goal is to reward that dedicated fanbase, and the crews that get together to support their clubs each and every week, with the fun only Captain can bring because we know there is more fun to be had. We’ll kick off the fun later this month when we’re on the ground at All-Star Week in Orlando, and we can’t wait to see the fan fervor firsthand.”
“For so many years, soccer has been billed as the sport of the future in the U.S.,” said Ed Pilkington, CMO, Diageo North America. “With every new soccer-specific stadium that opens, every new attendance record set and every major milestone that Major League Soccer surpasses, I’m confident that it’s not quite as much of a distant future as we once thought. At Captain Morgan, we are proud to partner with Major League Soccer and look forward to all that we’ll accomplish together.”
“We are pleased to welcome Captain Morgan to our roster of partners,” said Carter Ladd, Major League Soccer SVP of Business Development. “Captain Morgan believes in the future of MLS and is committed to joining us in our ongoing efforts to elevate soccer’s popularity to even higher levels in North America. We look forward to working with Captain Morgan to authentically engage fans in fun and innovative ways for many years to come.”
Beginning this month, fans will also see several national TV commercials from Captain Morgan celebrating the new partnership, as well as digital content from @CaptainMorganUSA on Instagram and @CaptainMorganUS on Twitter. Additionally, out-of-home ads will be live in select cities around the US.
