Real Salt Lake Announces LifeVantage Will Supplant Xango As Jersey Sponsor

MLS Real Salt Lake yesterday officially unveiled Salt Lake City-based nutritional network marketing company LifeVantage as its new jersey sponsor. The partnership goes into effect on Jan. 1, with the company's logo appearing on the team's jersey starting next season. The agreement marks an end to the jersey deal between RSL and Xango, which in '06 became the first company to sponsor jerseys for a U.S.-based major-league team (RSL). In this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, Terry Lefton cites sources as saying that the 10-year, $30M deal is "one of the league's largest" and was completed "in just over a month." The value of the deal is about $1.3M more per year than the team’s naming-rights deal to Rio Tinto Stadium, and "three times more per year than what was being paid by Xango." LifeVantage "becomes the latest 'nutraceutical' marketer to align itself with MLS." Herbalife has been on Galaxy jerseys since '07, while AdvoCare has been on FC Dallas uniforms since last season. RSL's jerseys will "get the advantage of a uniform redesign from Adidas," and with a sales network of independent distributors, LifeVantage "plans to leverage this deal wherever RSL plays." This is the company's first sports marketing expenditure (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/28 issue).