The city of Charlotte in North Carolina has received a boost in its hopes of securing its own Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise after securing a deal with Ally Financial, which will see the bank holding company become the new team's sponsor if it joins the league, reports, www.sportspromedia.com/.

As well as getting front-of-shirt branding on the proposed club's kit, Ally plans to leverage its partnership with the city's bid team to highlight its commitment to the community, specifically around economic mobility, employee engagement and financial literacy.

The company is already involved in soccer as a sponsor for the International Champions Cup (ICC), the pre-season tournament featuring some of the game's biggest teams.

Charlotte's push for an MLS team is being spearheaded by David Tepper, the owner of the Carolina Panthers National Football League (NFL) franchise, and is one of several vying to join the league as it plans to expand to 30 teams.

Panthers officials told the Charlotte Business Journal last week that 60 local companies have committed to purchasing luxury suites at the Bank of America Stadium, the proposed team's home venue.

Jeffrey Brown, Ally chief executive, said of the sponsorship deal: "This new partnership signals an exciting time for both Ally and the Charlotte region. We're humbled to be the first partner alongside David Tepper in his quest, and in addition to expanding our presence in the market, we're excited about the positive economic impact an MLS team will have in the region."

Tepper added: "We couldn't be more excited about our partnership with Ally. Soccer in the Carolinas is buzzing with excitement and we know that bringing another pro sports team to Charlotte will benefit fans, the city, region and wider community."