NYCFC and Mastercard, a team sponsor since '15, have launched a new club initiative to give one small business a fully-integrated free team sponsorship for the upcoming '21 season. The "City Assist" program is centered around Mastercard’s “emphasis on small businesses” and the club’s “desire to try and empower better lives through soccer,” according to the two properties. "That’s the ethos of our club," NYCFC COO & Chief Commercial Officer Matt Goodman told THE DAILY. The winning business will be dubbed the official small business of NYCFC, receiving TV-visible in-stadium branding, a custom content series, branding on the club’s website, exposure across NYCFC’s digital channels, team merchandise and tickets. "The impact that we can have on a small business in a normal environment, let alone a pandemic environment ... this to me in talking to our group it made total sense,” Goodman said. He added that the winning small business will also have access to club networking opportunities with other NYCFC sponsors, including a recurring partner forum. The virtual and eventual live sessions will provide engagement with other sponsors in an environment that they might not otherwise have had, Goodman said. Applications are due by midnight on Feb. 14, and the winner will be announced March 15.
