AdvoCare had previously been FC Dallas' main kit sponsor since '12 through a series of dealsGETTY IMAGES
Between regular Zoom meetings and a number of phone calls amid the coronavirus pandemic, FC Dallas finally closed a jersey sleeve sponsorship deal last month with dietary supplement company AdvoCare, which has been the team’s main kit sponsor since '12 through a series of deals. The parties signed a three-year, multimillion-dollar agreement, which begins in '21, according to FC Dallas President Dan Hunt. Now, Hunt is hoping the club can have similar success -- albeit maybe more via future in-person meetings -- as it continues with ongoing conversations to fill the front-of-kit space. “It is a whole new world from a business negotiation standpoint,” said Hunt, who added the team’s been in-market for a new jersey sponsor since January. “Yes, it has been incredibly challenging." Typically, he and his sales staff, which is led in part by VP/Business Development Melissa Jannetta and VP/Partnership Marketing Megan Miller would present in-person a prospective sponsor’s branding and logo on Dallas’ kit. To date, though, some of those unveilings have been virtually through Zoom and GoToMeeting, arguably not having the same intended effect as handing over a tangible product to a senior marketing exec.
SHUTDOWN SLOWS DOWN MOMENTUM: Hunt said that heading into the COVID-19 crisis, the club had more momentum with its conversations, with those now being slowed down by 30-45 days, he estimated. Though Hunt could not divulge specific ongoing discussions or what sponsorship categories might be hotter than others, he did say that the team has a “handful of meaningful conversations right now across multiple industries.” According to the senior exec, beyond the main kit, a jersey sponsor could receive any combination of assets, including signage at Toyota Stadium, digital billboards, television commercials, radio spots and youth camps, among other possibilities. Hunt did not say how much the team is seeking in any new agreement.
GETTING PERSONALLY INVOLVED: Hunt said he normally gets involved in kit sponsorship dialogue with a prospective brand from the midway point forward as those talks progress. In the initial stages of the process, Hunt said he will advise his sales staff -- which is selling on its own and not working with a sponsorship sales agency -- if a company might be a good fit, what assets could be integrated into a potential sponsorship and how a deal could be loosely structured. “Having real estate on a soccer jersey is arguably one of the most impactful of any sports sponsorship around the world,” said Hunt, adding that “the sooner, the better” for a timeline on securing a new kit partner this summer. “This is a great asset.”
