WHITESTONE, NY. (September 17, 2019) – BODYARMOR Sports Drink today announced a multi-year partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS) to become the league’s Official Sports Drink partner in the United States. BODYARMOR will be featured at the inaugural Leagues Cup Final on Sept. 18 with the formal partnership commencing in January 2020.
As part of the agreement, BODYARMOR will hydrate MLS players with its BODYARMOR Sports Drink on sidelines at matches and practices, in locker rooms and in training facilities. BODYARMOR’s logo and branding will be featured on coolers, cups, squirt bottles and towels on MLS sidelines within the territory starting in 2020. BODYARMOR and MLS will also collaborate on exclusive custom content and key media integrations featuring top MLS players and BODYARMOR athlete partners.
“Given the impressive growth that BODYARMOR has seen recently, it’s an exciting time for the brand to team up with Major League Soccer,” said Michael Fedele, Vice President of Marketing, BODYARMOR. “A partnership with Major League Soccer – one of the most engaging and fastest-growing professional sports leagues – creates a tremendous opportunity for BODYARMOR to play a vital role in the hydration needs of some of the best athletes in the world.”
The wide-ranging partnership extends BODYARMOR’s presence beyond MLS to Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup, annual competitions pitting the two best soccer Leagues in North America against each other on an annual basis. BODYARMOR’s commitment to soccer will be on display when the brand activates during the first edition of the Leagues Cup final. Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup represent exciting new initiatives for MLS and Liga MX, which are dedicated to delivering exciting matches that unite fanbases and increase the rivalry between the leagues.
"BODYARMOR is America’s new leader in sports hydration and they are a great fit for Major League Soccer – the League for a new North America," said Carter Ladd, SVP of Business Development at MLS. “BODYARMOR believes in the future of Major League Soccer and is committed to joining us in our ongoing efforts to elevate soccer’s popularity to even higher levels in North America. BODYARMOR’s rise and momentum mirrors that of MLS, and we are excited to kick off the partnership at the Leagues Cup Final and look forward to working with them for many years to come.”
The MLS partnership comes at a pivotal time for BODYARMOR, as the brand’s growth continues to accelerate and challenge the market leaders within the category. Now the #2 sports drink sold in convenience stores nationwide, BODYARMOR has incredible momentum at retail and is on track to eclipse $700 million in retail sales by the end of 2019.
BODYARMOR is a premium sports drink with potassium-packed electrolytes, antioxidants and coconut water and is made with no artificial flavors, sweeteners and no colors from artificial sources. Consumer demand for a better-for-you sports drink has made BODYARMOR the number three sports drink in the U.S. and it has been the hydration option of choice for many professional athletes and millions of high school and college athletes since its launch in 2011. BODYARMOR is also the official sports drink of UFC and boasts an impressive athlete partner roster including Mike Trout, James Harden, Megan Rapinoe, Dustin Johnson, Donovan Mitchell, Ryan Blaney, Anthony Rizzo, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Mookie Betts, and Diana Taurasi. Just recently, BODYARMOR announced Baker Mayfield and Naomi Osaka as the brand’s newest athlete partners and shareholders.
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About BODYARMOR Sports Drink
BODYARMOR is a premium, sports drink that provides superior hydration. It is packed with electrolytes, coconut water and vitamins and is low in sodium and high in potassium. Created in 2011 by Mike Repole, BODYARMOR contains natural flavors and sweeteners and no colors from artificial sources. In 2013, Kobe Bryant joined the BODYARMOR team as one of the top shareholders in the company. In 2017, BODYARMOR launched BODYARMOR LYTE, which has all the same nutrients as BODYARMOR Sports Drink but is naturally sweetened and has only 20 calories per serving; and BODYARMOR SportWater, a premium sport water designed by athletes, for athletes with a performance pH 8+ and electrolytes for sport. In August 2018, The Coca-Cola Company purchased a minority stake in BODYARMOR, making them the second largest shareholder behind Repole.
About MLS
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer features 28 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, including future expansion teams in Austin, Miami, Nashville and St. Louis. The League plans to have 30 clubs in the coming years. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com.
