FC Cincinnati begins play in MLS on Saturday, and it is "now in the big leagues when it comes to selling sponsorships," according to a cover story by Steve Watkins of the CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER. Club President & GM Jeff Berding said that the team's jersey sponsor deal with Bon Secours Mercy Health is "among the largest" in MLS. Neither side would provide specifics, but sources said that the deal could run about $5M per year. Sources said that FC Cincinnati is "aiming to get" four major deals that are a "notch below" their deal with Mercy Health. Sources added that "cornerstone deals" with the club will "run well above $500,000 a year." Many other sponsorships "cost $100,000 to $200,000." Neither FC Cincinnati nor any of its sponsors would "confirm the dollar amounts." However, Watkins notes they are "clearly much higher" than when the club was in the USL. Berding said that this year's sponsorship sales will "top" $10M, after totaling about $3M in '18. FC Cincinnati Senior VP/Partnerships & Broadcasting Vince Cicero said that the club has "signed up more than 30 corporate sponsors." He added about half of those are "returning sponsors," and about 20% are "national companies." Many sponsors "have multiyear deals and have talked with Cicero about doing certain things" at Nippert Stadium for the first two MLS seasons, then "ramping up to gain exposure at the new stadium" (CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER, 3/1 issue).
