The relationship between CONCACAF and Soccer United Marketing is set to move even further.
CONCACAF, the governing body of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, announced Tuesday that it has selected SUM to market and service its worldwide sponsorship rights, CONCACAF announced in a press release.
The agreement ends a five-month period in which a detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) was conducted. The deal is set to run through the end of 2021.
SUM, the marketing arm of Major League Soccer, serves as the distinguished commercial soccer enterprise in North America, overseeing the marketing, promotion and operational execution of the region’s most successful soccer entities. The organization holds exclusive rights to MLS, U.S. Soccer and Mexican National team games played in the U.S., while SUM has also had rights to the past six Gold Cups as well as this summer’s Copa America.
“CONCACAF is delighted to have reached this agreement with SUM, one of the most highly recognized marketing companies within the sport,” CONCACAF Acting General Secretary Ted Howard said. “We are confident that SUM’s global network and expertise will play a vital role in negotiating innovative sponsorship opportunities for our tournaments and events. This partnership will bring the Confederation’s major competitions closer to fans, while expanding the reach of CONCACAF football throughout the region and the world.”
According to the release, the Confederation circulated the RFP to 24 international, experienced and reputable firms, based on criteria that included: responsiveness, capabilities, resources, proposed financial models, the bidder’s reputation, experience in the field, and preparedness to move quickly to market and service the rights.
“We are proud to be awarded the opportunity to represent CONCACAF’s global sponsorship rights,” Kathy Carter, President, Soccer United Marketing, said. “Gold Cup, the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League and all of the other CONCACAF events are valuable properties that garner worldwide attention. There is a tremendous amount of value for brands looking to engage with the soccer fan in this diverse region.”
The representation for the Confederation’s worldwide sponsorship rights includes the following events:
National Team Championships
• CONCACAF Gold Cup
• CONCACAF Cup
• CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying Championship
• CONCACAF Futsal Championship
• CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship
Youth Championships
• CONCACAF Under-20 Championship
• CONCACAF Under-17 Championship
• CONCACAF Under-15 Championship
• CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship
• CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship
• CONCACAF Under-15 Girls’ Championship
Club Championships
• Scotiabank™ CONCACAF Champions League
• Scotiabank™ CONCACAF U-13 Champions League Tournament
• CONCACAF Futsal Club Championship
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