Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the commercial arm of Major League Soccer (MLS), has extended its sponsorship agreement with Continental Tire, reports SportsPro. The multi-year deal sees Continental remain an official partner and the official tyre of MLS in the United States and Canada, covering events such as the MLS All-Star Game and the MLS Cup.
The company will have branding and hospitality at those and other matches, as well as receiving exposure on the MLS' official website.
"Our partnership with MLS has been very beneficial," said Travis Roffler, the director of marketing at Continental Tire.
"We have been able to expose our Continental brand and its array of high-quality, long-lasting tires to the passionate MLS audience. Soccer fans are like no other type of sports fan and we are pleased that they've been very receptive to our message."
The new partnership, which extends an association that began in 2010, also covers US Soccer, the national governing body of the sport which SUM also represents.
Continental Tire becomes an official sponsor and the official tyre of the US men's, women's and youth national teams under the deal, which covers the 2014 Fifa World Cup, the 2015 edition of the women's equivalent the following year, the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and a host of other games and tournaments at various age levels.
"By adding US Soccer and the US National Teams to our partnership, we will be able to speak to an even larger audience which is extremely positive for our brand," added Roffler.
"Continental Tire has a rich history in soccer globally and we're thrilled to continue that tradition here in the US with MLS and US Soccer."
David Wright, senior vice president for SUM, said: "In support of their overarching FIFA partnership, Continental Tire has realised tremendous success as a strategic partner of MLS since coming on board in 2010."
"That success, coupled with Continental Tire's desire to drive a deeper connection with our passionate fan base, has resulted in a long-term renewal that also includes the addition of U.S. Soccer.
