P&G likely to enter multi-year agreement with MLS as sports viewing habits shift and courting diverse consumer groups grows more important to marketers in categories like packaged goods.
The agreement, includes a sponsorship of the Mexican National Team’s U.S. Tour, could help the marketer connect with Hispanic consumers who weild increasing purchasing power but are often underserved in U.S. media. P&G will work with MLS to lower financial barriers for young athletes to pursue soccer. For MLS, the backing of one the world’s largest advertisers by media spend could help the league broaden its appeal amid an ambitious expansion plan. Soccer has gained an immense attraction with U.S. viewers over the years, while never taking off to match the level of engagement and cultural significance it receives elsewhere in the world. MLS hopes that strides made during the pandemic could serve as a bigger jumping off point. MLS made a splash last year with an MLS Is Back Tournament that ran as many other live sports remained on hold, filling a vacuum in appointment viewing caused by the pandemic. Gross viewership for the league was up 70% year-on-year in July 2020. Other than that P&G is also extending its Olympic Sponsorship focusing on equality drive. P&G is also launching an “Athletes for Good Fund” with the IOC and International Paralympic Committee to issue 52 grants over the next year to assist with the COVID-19 recovery in communities, environmental sustainability, and equality and inclusion. The firm is continuing as top tier global company for sponsorship of athletes and other sports related activities.
