America’s top-flight football body, Major League Soccer (MLS) and adidas announced on Wednesday the extension of their long-term partnership through 2024. Marking adidas’ largest-ever investment in North American soccer, the six-year contract makes adidas the official supplier for the league, its clubs, MLS youth academies and youth affiliated clubs.
According to the deal, Adidas will outfit every major league team and their affiliates with uniforms, footwear, training gear and sideline apparel and will also provide the league’s official match ball.
•Largest commercial partnership in MLS history (Bloomberg)
•adidas’ King: MLS is the most compelling pro league to be part of (Yahoo Finance)
•Garber: MLS poised for positive, energized future (Forbes)
“Major League Soccer has built a legacy with adidas that has been essential in the rise of our league,” the league’s Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement. “Adidas has been a major collaborator with us since the inception of MLS, and we are proud that our partnership with this globally-respected brand will continue to enhance the growth of the game in North America for many more years. We will work with adidas on innovative concepts to showcase the sport and our elite athletes, and we will intensify our mission to develop top North American soccer players for generations to come.”
The new agreement emphasizes additional investment in youth development, and will see the major league soccer create a socially-powered and localized content experience with adidas. Dubbed the “Creator’s Network,” the content approach will allow for in-depth storytelling through local and national content from supporters and influencers.
Major league soccer and adidas began their relationship at the league’s inception in 1996. The organizations announced an exclusive league-wide partnership that made adidas the official outfitter of every MLS team in 2004, extending and amplifying that deal in 2010.
Adidas AG is a German multinational corporation, headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the world.
