Panasonic Extends Soccer Sponsorships

TWICE Staff -- TWICE, 10/12/2011

Harrison, N.J. - Panasonic announced a three-year extension of its sponsorship of Major League Soccer (MLS), and added a sponsorship program with U.S. Soccer and the U.S. men's and women's national teams.

Red Bull Arena is one of several MLS facilities that Panasonic has partnered with to supply technology products such as video boards and signage.

Panasonic will be the "Official Consumer Electronics Partner" of the U.S. Soccer Federation as well the "Official/Proud Sponsor" of the U.S. Men's and Women's national teams, and renews those same designations with MLS.

The relationships will extend through the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the end of the 2014 MLS season. The sponsorship will give Panasonic category exclusivity across the U.S. Soccer and MLS properties for a wide range of consumer, professional, and B2B products including HDTV, Blu-ray Disc, cameras and camcorders, LED signage, TV broadcast equipment, and point-of-sale systems (excluding payment services systems), solar and eco systems (MLS only), mobile and tablet computers, and select personal care products.

"Panasonic is proud to extend our sponsorship of Major League Soccer and to expand our horizons to support the U.S. Soccer Federation and the men's and women's national teams," said Joe Taylor, Panasonic Corporation of North America's chairman and CEO.  "Soccer is a brand on the rise in the U.S. with a broad, global appeal and a target audience aligned with our own brand goals. This relationship is a perfect match with Panasonic's wide range of critically-acclaimed consumer and professional products. We already have many technology partnerships in MLS and we hope to expand on that with our end-to-end solutions from video production and professional digital stadium displays to stunning FullHD 3D Viera TVs and Lumix cameras to take the great game of soccer to a new level of enjoyment for fans both at home and in the arenas."

"Panasonic has been a strategic partner of MLS for close to a decade," said Kathy Carter, President of Soccer United Marketing, MLS' marketing arm. "They have been at the forefront of development during the opening of new soccer-specific stadiums, many of which feature great Panasonic technology."

Panasonic held a press event at Red Bull Arena, here, last night, before a game between the U.S. men's national team and Ecuador, to showcase its technology partnership. The arena is one of several MLS facilities that Panasonic has partnered with on technology products, supplying digital scoreboard displays, LED main video displays, field level and fascia LED signage, security systems and Viera plasma HDTVs that are used throughout the facility.

Other MLS facilities featuring Panasonic products include PPL Park, home of the Philadelphia Union, in Chester, Pa., and Livestrong Sporting Park, home of Sporting Kansas City, in Kansas City.

Panasonic said it has been involved in the sponsorship of soccer in the U.S. for almost 10 years.