The San Jose Earthquakes have completed a three-year deal with Amway to have the company be it's jersey sponsor. The deal is believed to be worth between $2 and $3 million a year.
San Jose joins clubs such as Los Angeles, Chivas USA, Real Salt Lake, Houston, Chicago, Columbus and D.C. United who have secured jersey sponsorships. The Earthquakes' deal is even more impressive considering the state of the global and national economy.
What do you think of San Jose having Amway as a sponsor? Are you glad to see a company have enough faith in MLS to invest millions? Which team do you think will be next to find a sponsor? Are you already cooking up your Earthquakes/Amway jokes?
Share your thoughts below.
“One more thing, Amway sponsors the Orlando Magic’s arena”
Rich DeVos, cofounder of Amway, OWNS the Orlando Magic. You bet they’ve got their logo all over the place. for goodness sake, it’s HIS team. I’d put my business’s logo all over my NBA team, too.
What level of the Amway pyramid scheme would they fit in?
“Umm…The Red Bulls have a shirt sponsorship as well. I’m positive they paid for that”
PCFC, they paid for the whole team, not just the shirts, duh.
technically, it’s an *ownership* badge, not sponsor badge.
This is fine news. It is true that there are more distinguished sponsors in the world, but for a medium/low revenue league, the hard cash for a space on a jersey is fantastic. 40,000 people lost their jobs yesterday; any additional money pulled in to domestic soccer is a major reaping. I love the MLS, don’t mind if most Americans don’t (they’re missing out), and am constantly intrigued by its growth.
Finally, and I know this never accomplishes its well-meaning intent (and I know THIS from discussing politics and life with Americans the passed 8 years), but I wish people would breathe, relax, and contemplate the positive elements of these developments first. People were wrong about Beckham to Milan, Donovan to Bayern, and Beckham to LA for that matter, among many other things. We should welcome life’s (soccer’s) surprises, and be excited for the next conquests in the MLS. Acquiring 3 mil for a space on a jersey is how the Huckerbys of the world are pulled to our sphere. Go Quakes. Awesome.
I am a die-hard Quakes supporter, likely buyer of 2-3 jerseys over the next 2-3 years, but I will not be seen dead in a ditch with an Amway shirt. I can’t believe the Quakes chose them, considering their highly-educated and significantly liberal fan base.
What is even weirder is why Amway would part with $2-3 M to have their brand emblazoned on shirts in this market – following the usual stereotypes, it might have made more sense to make deals with FC Dallas or Houston Dynamo or KC Wizards.
LOL, KingSnake, you think you smell a rat?
The lore of the company has obviously produced a variety of opinions–and that may hurt jersey sales. But there is no disputing the company itself (a part from distributors who have a checkered reputation) is upstanding and legit, not illegal.
As for other sponsors, holy cow, I have had to look up several myself. Comex? Xango? and Herbalife? FOund out those last two were MLM’s but I still know little about them. But that has not stopped me from buying jerseys from both of them, (as well as a half dozen other teams). I support the sport and the league.
If you are secure in who you are, and you love soccer, and support the MLS, the name of a sponsor really shouldn’t matter. I think I saw an ad somewhere with Ronaldinho had a partnership of some kind with Amway. Is that cool, or not? Does it really matter? If you are caught up in image because of what somebody says is cool or not cool, who is really the fool? Be your own man . . . or woman . . .
Hi Guys,
By the way, AC Milan (do you know the club??) has Nutrilite as Sponsor. Nutrilite is one of the main Amway Global brands. Nutrilite and Herbalife compete in the Supplements and Vitamins world.
One of the founders family for Amway (the deVos) is Orlando Magic owner.
Nothing against the jersey sponsorship in general, but AMWAY is a pyramid scheme organization that preys on the desperate and destroys the lives of many members.
http://www.mlmsurvivor.com/
The Earthquakes have just sold their soul. Someone with an interest should really organize a boycott.
Brett
There is no explaining this away. “Every major corporation” does not have ex-employees describing the company as a cult, a scam, soul-wasting, etc.
A cursory web search comes up with site after negative site, e.g. http://swallowingthecamel.blogspot.com/2007/08/part-time-job-that-eats-your-soul.html
http://www.amquix.info/visitors/mh_page.html
That’s a lot of smoke for no fire.
The proof will be in the dismal jersey sales. (that is unless all the “associates” are required to buy one . . hmm, methinks I see a marketing plan)
brett:
I can give two craps if Amway is legit or not. I’m shallow. It’s all about the cool factor.
Bad Boy Bail Bonds? Cool!
Glidden Paint? Not so cool.
Volkswagen? Kinda cool.
Herbalife? Cool! (Thinly veiled drug reference!)
Xbox? Bit fan boyish, but cool.
Amway? Amway? About the same cool factor as Tupperware or Hallmark.
I don’t understand how MLS can do this. Don’t Herbalife and Xango have exclusive league rights on being the MLS pyramid-scheme sponsor?
@JoeQuake
a) You’re not a Quakes supporter if you own a LA Galaxy Beckham Jersey. That’s a sacrilege.
b) If you think this is okay, we don’t want you as a fan. You might as well continue liking the Beckham traveling circus.
@ Matt –
Think of me as the guy that is an A’s fan but doesn’t mind if the Giants do well as long as the A’s win when they play them. The Quakes need more non-core supporters like me that really follow soccer in Europe and not MLS if they are going to fill a new stadium. I don’t need to sit in the supporter’s section.
I would be embarrassed to wear the Amway jersey b/c of negative social connotations, but I never felt that way with the Beckham jersey and Herbalife.
Sure, BlueWhiteLion.
And what level are you?
Did you know that some people using Budweiser products have . . . and . . . and also . . . ??? And some of those selling it have . . .
It’s all how you approach it.
TGos- if you are basing your opinion on Amway simply on their reputation you are being misled…
Amway in the past has rubbed alot of people the wrong way… things have changed over the past decade… some people have bad experiences working as an IBO in their company, but i can guarantee you that i could find bad reviews on EVERY major corporation….
i know people who’ve been successful and have life altering experiences with the company… and i know people who’ve had a poor experience, left feeling bitter and distaste towards it…
again, there is nothing illegal nor immoral about their business… they are legit on all levels…
When DC United announced their deal with Volkswagon it was all over mlsnet.com. So far with this deal, not a mention anywhere on that site. I wonder if MLS is embarrassed?
I am all for teams trying to increase revenue this way, and can forgive a lot in that respect. But this sponsor is just horrible. I did not even know that Xango and Herbalife were pyramid schemes until I read it here. But Amway? Their (bad) reputation precedes them.
Tell me, Quakes fans, will you be happy wearing a kit with this sponsor? Don’t you think this might hurt jersey sales? I would not be caught dead with “AMWAY” splashed across my chest.
Really, really stupid.
KingSnake, Amway’s legitimacy is NOT open to question. That was settled long ago. What is open for discussion are people who might represent them in a way that is not sanctioned, or that they are idiots (like the local cashier, or dull-headed manager, or your cousin), or there are people who USED to be distributors, but now are bashers. I take things they have to say with a grain of salt. Often they are promoting their NEW company. Sometimes maybe they did get shafted, often, they just probably sucked.
But the point is that legally, Amway (and other credible businesses with multi-level marketing structure) is consistently shown to be legit. What makes them so is in part, a person who is “sponsored” into the business can make more money than the person who sponsored them. Unlike Madoff, or our social security system, or the recent/ongoing government bail out. . .
yeah, the last line was more of a rant, and is factually nuanced differently than what I was using it as.
Mary Kay, hahahaha.
Wait, I wonder how much Mary Kay would pay to not only have the logo on the shirt, but also to make the shirt pink…
Another potential sponsor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7vOPPXkqm4
The team name might be a bit … uh, hard … to come up with though.
Greifie, a ‘Go’ reference? Fantastic!
I’d say Amway’s legitimacy is open to question: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amway (so is wikipedia’s for that matter …)
@JoeQuake
“I won’t be buying a jersey with Amway on it. I do have a Beckham jersey, but I’m so unfamiliar with Herbalife that I don’t associate it with creepy pyramid schemes. I’m actually rather embarrassed to be a Quakes supporter.”
a) You’re not a Quakes supporter if you own a LA Galaxy Beckham Jersey. That’s a sacrilege.
b) If you think this is okay, we don’t want you as a fan. You might as well continue liking the Beckham traveling circus.
c) Herbalife is a Pyramid Scheme too.
I still dont understand people discrediting the company itself…. it is a legit MULTI-BILLION dollar company… they have their hand in EVERYTHING…. no stores with overhead…. only time they pay the IBO’s is when they push volume…
the fact that Amway is willing to invest in the MLS should please MLS fans…. its money the league and SJ did not have a week ago… accept it for what it is… a multi-billionaire company investing in our league… we need more of those…
Maybe Dallas can get Bo-Peeps for their jersey!
I think MLS should get this guy for their next sponsor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mubCkCAEiDQ
“Wait! You want us to sell Amway?”
“It’s Confederated Products. It’s a… It’s a different company. It’s a different quality of product.”
Btw, if Red Bull get to rename New York in their likeness, can Amway rename San Jose? I suggest “Diamond Distributors” …
First HerbaLife. Then Amway. What next, 69earn.com?
Hey folks, I wasn’t trying to ignore teams from my list of clubs with shirt sponsors. This story broke just before I was heading out to Red Bulls practice so I threw together a list off the top of my head (which is why I wrote “such as”).
Amway??? Ha ha ha ha ha. That is what Canon was waiting for to resign with SJ.
I hear Dallas is this close to having “Bernie Madoff Enterprises” sponsor them.
Well Aaron… if no one has ever heard of Cerner, wouldn’t that make a shirt deal good business for them? After all, these sponsorships are intended to benefit both parties. The team with some sweet sponsorship money and the sponsor with a good advertising platform, especially if people learn more about them. Lately I’ve been thinking of Herbalife as a legitimate company. I snicker when I hear Amway too but maybe this deal will bring them in to the mainstream. Who knows?
I hope to god KC stays away from a sponsor, but if they have to succumb it better be someone local like Boulevard Beer, Sprint, Garmin, or even the owner’s company, Cerner. Though I doubt anyone outside of the medical community has heard of or cares about one of the biggest medical software companies in the world.
don’t forget about seattle… the small matter of that $20MM Xbox 360 shirt deal.
Tony, I’d have to agree. 🙂
Regarding Garber’s comment – I think Bad Boy Bail Bonds might look kind of cool on the front of a shirt. It would make our defense look scarier, at least.
I like Spam.
Mike Fine- “The only problem with this sponsor is that to buy the kit, they have to sell two kits to someone else first.”
while this is quite funny, its not exactly accurate to the business plan…
geesh, never thought id have to defend Amway O.o
If you investigate anything about Amway, you will see they are essentially an international marketing and distribution powerhouse, offering all kinds of products and services. People think nothing of walking into a Sears, or JC Penneys, or Wal-Mart, or Macy’s, in fact they do it every day. Essentially that is what Amway is. But unlike those giants, they give normal people the option to be consumers, sellers, distributors. You don’t have to lay out millions to get a franchise store. Some suck at it, and some do well. It may not be something you or I want to pursue, but it is not a bad business. In fact, it is a very good business, both as a corporation, and for the distributors themselves.
No, I really wouldn’t want Mary Kay on my shirt, unless my wife left it there after a moment of passion. 🙂
amway is a company that has been around for a long time, and its an american company. yes, pyramid schemes are about as lame as it gets but who cares, san jose was over 2 million in the red last year. now they have a new guaranteed source of revenue. i can think of a bunch of companies/products that i would prefer less than amway… how about spam? maxi pads? waste management?