Published on March 13th, 2023
Location: USA
USL and SPORTFIVE Expand Partnership To Grow Media and Sports Betting Business Internationally
The United Soccer League (USL) and global sports marketing agency SPORTFIVE have reached a new, long-term, expansive partnership to help the league grow its business globally.
Under the agreement, SPORTFIVE will continue to secure key international media distribution partnerships across television and digital platforms for USL’s professional leagues, including the USL Championship and USL League One men’s competitions and the USL’s new professional women’s competition, the USL Super League, which will launch in August 2024. SPORTFIVE will also help expand USL’s sports betting streaming and data partnerships globally.
SPORTFIVE and USL originally partnered in early 2020 when the agency was tasked with marketing the international broadcasting rights for the USL Championship and USL League.
”The USL brand of soccer has arrived, and we are proud to expand our partnership with SPORTFIVE to take that brand to the world.”
Court Jeske, USL Chief Commercial Officer
”The USL brand of soccer has arrived, and we are proud to expand our partnership with SPORTFIVE to take that brand to the world,” said USL Chief Commercial Officer Court Jeske. “This long-term agreement allows us to be very intentional about our global growth and exposure while doing so with a partner we know and trust.”
“American Soccer continues to make an impact on the sports global landscape, so we are proud to partner with the USL to bring more of their exciting content to more international markets,” said Thomas Klingebiel, President Media at SPORTFIVE. “Fans are increasingly interested in consuming sports they love that are played anywhere around the world, and being able to help USL reach more international fans through expanding content distribution and sports betting partnerships globally is a very exciting opportunity.”
“American Soccer continues to make an impact on the sports global landscape, so we are proud to partner with the USL to bring more of their exciting content to more international markets."
Thomas Klingebiel, President Media at SPORTFIVE
In 2023, the USL Championship (24 clubs) and USL League One (12 clubs) will play a combined 620 professional soccer matches in the United States. The Championship’s 34-game regular season runs from March 11 to Oct. 14, followed by playoffs and the Final slated for Nov. 12. In League One, each club plays 32 games between March 17 and Oct. 14 with the subsequent playoffs culminating in the Final on Nov. 5.
SPORTFIVE has an experienced and robust international workforce providing cutting edge services to sports rightsholders around the world. The agency manages rights and delivers premium events across more than 30 different sports, some of which include Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Boston Athletic Association (Boston Marathon), the Bundesliga, English Football Association (FA), English Premier League, Flamengo, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers, LPGA, New York Jets, and PGA TOUR, among many others. On average, SPORTFIVE generates over $1 billion in gross sales per year, on behalf of its valued rightsholder clients.
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About SPORTFIVE
SPORTFIVE is a global sports marketing agency that delivers customer-centric solutions based on trust and transparency, deep industry experience and global relationships, digital intelligence and innovation. SPORTFIVE strategically and creatively connects brands, rightsholders, media platforms and fans to create and enable contemporary partnerships in sports.
While creating and growing long-term value for all, SPORTFIVE often leads the sports business into the future through innovative digital solutions and strives to be the most progressive and respected partner in sports.
Being at the centre of professional sport SPORTFIVE will use its unique position, in order to make a positive contribution to sustainability and to live up to the social and economic duty and responsibility, which sport and consequently all parties involved, also have. SPORTFIVE operates with a global mindset and network of over 1,200 local experts based in 15 countries around the world, active in Football, Golf, Esports, Motorsport, Handball, Tennis, American Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Rugby, Olympics and Multi-Sport Events and many more.
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About USL
Impacting more than 200 communities, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest professional soccer organization in North America. The USL is the first and only soccer organization in the United States to build a youth-to-professional pathway for both women and men within one ecosystem. That structure includes three professional leagues: USL Championship (men), USL Super League (women), and USL League One (men); two national pre-professional leagues: USL League Two (men) and USL W League (women): and two national youth leagues: USL Academy and Super Y League.
Press contacts
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Carmine Tiso
Vice President U.S. Communications
carmine.tiso@sportfive.com