NYC FC has signed a new partnership with PepsiCo despite the company's 19-year league-wide partnership with MLS ending this year. PepsiCo's portfolio of food and beverages will serve as NYC FC's official and exclusive carbonated soft drink, bottled water, ready-to-drink iced tea, chips and salty snack partner. The company already has existing signage within NYC FC’s temporary home of Yankee Stadium, but it also will activate around games with its Pepsi and Doritos brands, awarding tours, player meet-and-greets, field-side access and seat upgrades all sponsored by the brands. Additional LED displays and on-field signage will be showcased during the club's home matches. Pepsi lost its league-level exclusivity in the soft drink, bottled water and sports drink categories to Coca-Cola prior to the start of the '15 season. The company had been aligned with the league since its inaugural season in '96. However, the NYC FC-Pepsi agreement was made possible by a change made in an '11 extension of the league deal. Pepsi and Soccer United Marketing at that time agreed not to include exclusive local rights to MLS teams as it had been done previously. That was repeated with Coca-Cola this year, allowing Pepsi to now strike such a deal with NYC FC, already one of the league's most visible and popular teams just in its first season. PepsiCo Sports Marketing Dir Justin Toman said while the deal is rather unique to the company as it includes both snacks and beverages, it is a perfect fit with the company’s goals in soccer marketing. He said, “When we look across the soccer landscape, including our new deal with the UEFA Champions League, we’re taking more of a team and athlete focused approach in the U.S. as it makes the most sense for our system and brand.” Toman also noted that NYC FC’s current practice facility at SUNY Purchase also has existing PepsiCo signage, given its proximity to the company’s world headquarters in Purchase, N.Y. “It’s a nice twist of fate,” he said.
