Heineken has extended its long-term partnership with Major League Soccer, announcing on Tuesday a five-year renewal as the Official Beer of MLS.
The partnership kicked off in 2014 and has included 40 memorable MLS Heineken Rivalry Week matches, more than one million pints sold at MLS games annually, 11 team sponsorships and countless fan viewing parties, tailgate sponsorships and stadium giveaways.
“We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with Heineken,” MLS vice president of partnership marketing Jennifer Cramer said in a statement. “Heineken has a natural and global connection to the sport of soccer and continues to build deep relationships with fans through celebratory moments and their love of the beautiful game. We are excited to grow the sport of soccer together for many years to come.”
There was also the 2016 “Soccer Is Here” campaign with the 2016 Landon Donovan MLS MVP David Villa of New York City FC highlighting the game’s rich history in the U.S. and the energy and passion surrounding the sport.
As part of the renewal, Heineken will continue to sponsor Rivalry Week, which runs from August 22-26 and included national broadcasts of major rivalry games including NYCFC-New York Red Bulls, LA Galaxy-LAFC, Houston Dynamo-FC Dallas, Orlando City SC-Atlanta United and Portland Timbers-Seattle Sounders FC.
“Soccer has been a crucial platform for Heineken across the globe with multiple league, team and championship game sponsorships. In the U.S., our partnership with MLS has helped drive the sport’s rapid expansion and growing popularity,” Heineken senior vice president of marketing Felix Palau said in a statement. “Our partners at MLS are some of our most important globally, and we can’t wait to continue bringing fans closer to the game they love, with a Heineken in hand.”
