MLS Sounders GM & minority Owner Adrian Hanauer said he hopes the team's one-year renewal of its Xbox jersey sponsorship "leads to something even longer term," according to Joshua Mayers of the SEATTLE TIMES. The deal was set to expire at the end of this season, but was renewed through '14. The Sounders last August announced that they were "exploring other options for a jersey sponsor, leading some to wonder if the relationship had soured or that the sides were far apart in a new agreement." Hanauer: "We wanted to explore the marketplace, but at the same time we always wanted to be with Xbox and Microsoft. I mean they’re the perfect partner. We stayed in contact and ultimately it made sense for both parties, at least on a short-term basis." The new "Xbox One" console will have labeling on the Sounders' interview backdrops, but Hanauer said that he "wasn't sure what the exact marketing plan was for the jersey" (SEATTLETIMES.com, 9/11). GEEKWIRE.com's Taylor Soper wrote, "You’d imagine Microsoft would want to slap 'Xbox One' on the front of the jerseys for the 2014 season with the next-gen console set to hit shelves this November" (GEEKWIRE.com, 9/11).
