Landmark Agreement with the Fastest-Growing Professional Sports League in North America Enables P&G Brands to Engage with Passionate Soccer Fans
Wide-Ranging Deal Includes Major League Soccer, the Mexican National Team’s U.S. Tour, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup
NEW YORK, N.Y. and CINCINNATI, OH. (April 13, 2021) – As Major League Soccer (MLS) kicks off its 26th season this week, Procter & Gamble [NYSE:PG] is proud to announce a multifaceted partnership with MLS. Consistent with its other major sports partnerships, P&G looks forward to engaging passionate fans and also collaborating with MLS on efforts to support local communities and increase equity in sports and society. The agreement comes during a time of significant growth for the League, and overall momentum for the sport, as fans look forward to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in North America.
Powered by young, multicultural fans and dynamic players, there is incredible energy behind the 2021 MLS season. The partnership enables P&G brands such as Gillette®, Old Spice®, Crest®, Oral B®, Dawn®, Charmin®, and Bounty® to tap into and support the passionate fandom for the world’s game.
“Major League Soccer is one of the most dynamic sports leagues in North America,” said P&G Chief Brand Officer, Marc Pritchard. “We’re excited for our brands to participate in a sport so beloved by millions of families, while also investing in the future with an organization committed to utilizing sport as a vehicle for positive social change.”
As part of the agreement, P&G will also sponsor the Mexican National Team’s U.S. Tour (Mex Tour), Leagues Cup, Campeones Cup and the MLS All-Star Game. Fútbol and the passionate fandom of both the Mexican National Team and MLS teams transcend generations as a source of cultural identity and pride throughout Hispanic communities across America. P&G is excited to celebrate and honor the cultural significance of fútbol for all of its diverse fans through this new partnership.
Over the next several years, P&G and MLS look forward to collaborating on efforts to support local communities and bring even greater equity and inclusion to the sport. While soccer is one of the most accessible sports for youth, unfortunately there are barriers that make it difficult for some of these talented young men and women to progress to the collegiate level and beyond. P&G will work with MLS and other partners to help families overcome barriers like cost and travel to ensure more equal access to the game at all levels.
“We are proud to partner with P&G and its storied brands to deliver exciting and engaging activations for Major League Soccer’s diverse and dedicated fan base of millions of supporters around the world, while also positively impacting the communities where we live and play our matches.” said Gary Stevenson, MLS Deputy Commissioner, and President and Managing Director of MLS Business Ventures. “The sport is on the rise like never before, and adding P&G as a key strategic partner with incredible marketing and consumer engagement expertise will undoubtedly help us accelerate our growth. There has never been a more promising time for soccer, and we look forward to partnering with P&G for many years to come.”
Major League Soccer, along with the Mexican National Team’s U.S. Tour, joins P&G’s long-standing sports partnerships with the National Football League, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and others.
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ABOUT PROCTER & GAMBLE
At P&G, fostering equality and inclusion, supporting our communities and protecting the planet is embedded in how we do business. We believe we have a responsibility to make the world better — through the products we create and the positive impact our brands and Company can have. Under our Lead with Love campaign, P&G and its brands like Gillette®, Old Spice®, Crest®, Oral B®, Dawn®, Charmin®, and Bounty® have committed to 2,021 acts of good this year. In the U.S., consumers can do even more through P&G Good Everyday, a new consumer rewards program that helps turn everyday actions into acts of good. Activity on the website earns points that can be redeemed for rewards; as consumers report their own acts of good, P&G makes donations to causes consumers care about. Please visit https://pggoodeveryday.com to learn more and join us. Please visit https://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.
ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer features 27 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, in addition to future expansion teams in St. Louis and Charlotte. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com.
