By Mark Baber
March 26 – Major League Soccer (MLS) has announced a multi-year partnership deal with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, with Etihad becoming the official airline partner of MLS in the United States.
As part of the deal negotiated by Soccer United Marketing, MLS’ commercial arm, Etihad Airways and MLS will work together on a number of initiatives including community programmes and promotions for flights and holidays for MLS fans. Etihad Airways’ logo and messages will be included in pitch-side advertising during televised MLS matches and across MLS Digital Properties.
James Hogan, president and chief executive officer of Etihad Airways, said: “The MLS partnership will enable Etihad Airways to continue to build its brand in the United States, a key market for us, and offers an ideal platform to interact with the millions of sports fans and communities across the country and showcase the airline and services.”
Don Garber, commissioner of MLS, said: “We are excited to welcome Etihad Airways as the official airline partner of Major League Soccer in the United States and are proud to be the first major sports association in the U.S. for such a prestigious global company. On behalf of our clubs, our players and our millions of fans, we welcome Etihad Airways to the MLS family and look forward to working with them to help grow their business in this region.”
Etihad Airways operates daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. with daily flights to Los Angeles starting in June.
Meanwhile, in Miami, David Beckham has announced plans to base his Major League Soccer team in a new 25,000-seat stadium on the waterfront next to the Miami Heat basketball arena.
According to Beckham’s team, funding is in place and it is hoped the stadium will open in 2016. However, the plans, which include shops, hotels and offices on a 36-acre site are expected to meet criticism and back-up locations for the new stadium near the airport and university have been identified.
Beckham said: “There’ll be criticism. There’ll be certain things that come up, but we’re ready to handle everything that’ll be thrown at us.”
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