Sunderland and Major League Soccer's (MLS) DC United have announced a new deal designed to create 'shared expertise, benefit and promotion for each club', reports, www.sportspromedia.com/. The deal was confirmed on Friday and will see the organisations collaborate on a range of promotional activities on either side of the Atlantic.
Sunderland, who count USA international striker Jozy Altidore among their players, are owned by US business mogul Ellis Short. They already had a 'friendship agreement' in place with the MLS franchise.
Under the deal, DC United will benefit from the Premier League's global reach - with an accumulative TV audience of 4.7 billion - to 'engage with a worldwide audience', while Sunderland will enjoy an increased presence in North America.
"We are very excited for the opportunity to partner with Sunderland AFC and its global fanbase," said DC United's chief operating officer, Tom Hunt. "Through this partnership we look to share best practices on both the technical and commercial side, while also helping Sunderland increase its brand recognition in the nation's capital and throughout the US."
"Interest in football is growing massively in the USA, and our partnership with DC United will provide both clubs with an excellent opportunity to grow and evolve in each other's market," said Sunderland AFC's commercial director Gary Hutchinson.
"This is a major step forward for Sunderland AFC and a really exciting development for us in the US marketplace. We are continually looking at new ways to develop our international profile and our partnership with DC United will help us to build closer links with this key territory."
