The NWSL Seattle Reign announced Microsoft "will serve as its presenting partner" for the '16 season, and the company logo "will appear on" the team's new '16 home and alternate kits from Nike, according to Don Ruiz of the Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE. Reign Owner Bill Predmore said, "Our collaboration with Microsoft exemplifies what we believe our partnerships can and should be: an opportunity to leverage our unique assets and experiences to add meaningful value to our partner’s business." Ruiz notes the Reign will "utilize Surface Pro 4 devices to manage training sessions, Microsoft Azure for the Reign website and custom-developed .NET ticketing system." The home kits will be worn "for the first time" on Saturday. Meanwhile, the club on Thursday also announced it has "entered into a three-year partnership" with Seattle-based art center Chihuly Studio to "launch the Legends Campaign." The campaign is an "opportunity to celebrate and honor the women in the Pacific Northwest who have set an example of excellence in our region and beyond" (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 4/8).
SEATTLE'S BEST: GEEKWIRE's Taylor Soper noted Microsoft is "becoming the de-facto jersey sponsor for professional soccer teams based in Seattle." The company also "has a separate deal" with the Sounders, partnering with the MLS team since '09 to "have its 'Xbox' logo printed on player jerseys." Terms of the Reign deal with Mircosoft "were not disclosed." Moda Health "was the team's previous jersey sponsor." Soper noted Microsoft is "arguably now the highest profile jersey sponsor" in the NWSL. Microsoft in '10 inked a deal with the WNBA Storm to have its Bing logo appear on the player's jerseys, but "that ended" in '14. Microsoft and the Reign previously worked together "with the tech company offering up its sports science and analytics platform to help Reign players and coaches improve their training regime." That "will continue as part of this new deal" (GEEKWIRE.com, 4/7).
