Newcomers to the NWSL, the Utah Royals, announced last week that they had agreed to a jersey sponsorship deal with Conservice, a utility company based in Logan, Utah. This sponsorship deal runs until 2020 and will feature Conservice logos on the front of the jersey in addition to the phrasing “The Utility Experts” on the back under the players’ numbers.
“We are approaching it in terms of not only what soccer does for our community, but what women in soccer, specifically, do, the positive impact on our community. Conservice is a pretty big supporter of women in the workforce so we saw it as a great partnership.” – Aimee Cox, Conservice COO
ICYMI: #URFC secured the largest jersey-front partnership in domestic women's ⚽ history with @Conservice
📝: https://t.co/BXfJQfCm4X
🗣️: https://t.co/VTLg8ZQe7m pic.twitter.com/5qREt9todJ— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) February 14, 2018
Reports suggest that this deal is worth $2 million over the life of the deal which would make this the largest jersey sponsorship deal in domestic women’s soccer history. Last season we saw the NWSL ink a national broadcast deal with Lifetime where the NWSL final averaged out at 132,000 viewers. Moreover, the NWSL posted a total attendance of about 608,000 in 2017.
All of this begs the question, is this a watershed moment for sponsorships in women’s soccer in this Country? It’s clear that there is significant interest in the women’s game here in the United States, so it may be worthwhile for brand marketers to explore more opportunities in the sport. It can be an especially useful opportunity for those brands trying to target the female market.
Either way, this sponsorship deal is a huge step forward for women’s soccer in the United States and continues to support the growth of women’s soccer professionally.
Categories: NWSL, Sponsorship