MLS Jumps on Jersey Sponsorship Bandwagon

Major League Soccer teams will offer sponsored sleeve patches on club uniforms beginning with the 2020 season, following a similar move by the NBA.

The patch will replace and measure roughly the same size as the existing MLS logo (approximately 2.5 by 2.5 inches) and be available for a four-year pilot program for clubs that have already secured a primary jersey sponsor.

“The sleeve patch is a premium opportunity for brands to be connected with our League and clubs in mutually beneficial ways,” said Gary Stevenson, President and Managing Director, MLS Business Ventures. “As our League continues to expand, and with more fans in the U.S. and Canada viewing our matches, attending our games, and engaging on social media, the visibility of the sleeve patches will be substantial."

The new sponsorship opportunity is estimated to offer teams excess revenue of more than $1 million a year. Since allowing NBA teams to offer similar jersey patches in April 2016, 27 of 30 NBA teams have signed deals with most valued between $5-20 million per year.