Agreement with the Fastest-Growing Professional Sports League in North America Enables IHG Hotels & Resorts and Its 17 Brands and 6,000 Hotels to Engage with Passionate Soccer Fans and the New Generation of Travelers
IHG One Rewards Members Will Have Options to Redeem Their Points for Unique MLS Experiences, VIP Access at Premier Soccer Events, Exclusive Content, and More
NEW YORK, N.Y. (June 8, 2022) – In the midst of Major League Soccer’s (MLS) 27th season and at a time of tremendous optimism for the league and sport, MLS and IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), the global hospitality leader, announced today a multifaceted partnership. The agreement, which designates IHG as Official Hotel Partner of MLS, comes during a time of significant growth for the League and overall momentum for the sport, and builds off IHG’s recent launch of the all-new IHG One Rewards loyalty program in April.
The exciting partnership between MLS and IHG also capitalizes on the resurgence of travel and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. With a shared vision for creating unique experiences that bring people together, the IHG-MLS partnership will forge a deeper connection with a new generation of travelers and MLS fans alike, all while providing IHG One Rewards members opportunities to get the most out of their travels with exclusive MLS benefits.
“We are proud to partner with IHG to deliver exciting experiences for Major League Soccer’s passionate fanbase from global travelers to MLS Club supporters to all of the incredibly dedicated soccer families who travel for weekend tournaments,” said Carter Ladd, MLS EVP, Brand Alliances and Consumer Products. “At a time when MLS' growth and popularity in communities across the world continues to rise like never before, we look forward to collaborating with IHG to build engaging programs for many years to come.”
IHG and MLS are partnering to create unique experiences exclusively for IHG One Rewards members and MLS fans across the country. IHG One Rewards members can redeem IHG One Rewards points for MLS tickets, VIP access to premium soccer events and MLS experiences, exclusive League content, and more.
“We have hundreds of hotels that are located near the largest and best venues in the world, and our brands are uniquely positioned to help guests and fans experience their passions for these exciting events,” said Heather Balsley, IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Senior Vice President of Loyalty & Partnerships. “This partnership allows us to reward our most loyal guests with the opportunity to experience what the world has been missing in recent years – celebrating experiences that unite us with the universal love of sports.”
As part of the wide-ranging partnership, IHG branding will be featured at major MLS events including the MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup Playoffs, and MLS Cup.
This partnership will generate extensive awareness for IHG Hotels & Resorts while allowing some of its 17 brands and 6,000 hotels to build community in their cities and towns.
For more information on MLS and IHG partnership visit MLSsoccer.com. To learn how to redeem points for these exclusive IHG One Rewards soccer experiences, please visit auctions.ihg.com.
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ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer – celebrating its 27th season in 2022 – features 29 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, including 2022 expansion team Charlotte FC and St. Louis City SC, which debuts in 2023. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com.
ABOUT IHG HOTELS & RESORTS
IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.
With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has nearly 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 in the development pipeline.
- Luxury & Lifestyle: Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo
- Essentials: Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, avid hotels
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 325,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.
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Media Contacts:
For Major League Soccer
Angela Alfano
MLS
646-682-5313
