Jersey sponsors for Toronto, L.A.

[Tilla]

<H1></H1><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width=335><DIV class=byline>ByJonathan Nierman/MLSnet.com Staff</DIV></TD><TD align=right width=155><DIV class=storyTixAd></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD> <DIV class=articleCaption>Alan Gordon models the Galaxy's new Herbalife-sponsored jersey.(L.A. Galaxy)</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><DIV class=storyBody>Toronto FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy each announced jersey sponsorship deals Friday, unveiling new jerseys featuring corporate branding across the chest. The Canadian expansion side's jersey sponsor will be BMO Financial Group, which also owns the naming rights to that club's brand new soccer-specific stadium, while the Galaxy's shirts will be emblazoned with the logo for Herbalife Ltd., a global nutrition direct-selling company.

Major League Soccer became the first major American professional sports league to allow front jerseys sponsors this season. XanGo, an energy drink company, was the first jersey sponsor to sign on, buying the rights to Real Salt Lake's tops. The New York Red Bulls also have the logo of their parent company, another energy drink, displayed prominently on the front of their jerseys.

Toronto FC unveiled their new look at a media event held at BMO Bank of Montreal's First Canadian Place branch in downtown Toronto. Maurice Edu, the top pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft was on hand to model the new kits.

"Having a prominent jersey sponsor is unique to soccer teams around the world and keeps with the tradition of the sport," said Tom Anselmi, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Maple Leaf Sports &amp; Entertainment, which owns Toronto FC. "We're excited to extend our relationship with BMO Financial Group and to support them in exposing their services to a wider audience in Canada and beyond. BMO is a great Canadian brand and a strong supporter of sport and soccer."

Just minutes after Toronto's announcement, the Galaxy unveiled their deal with Herbalife. The five-year, multimillion dollar expansion of Herbalife's agreement with AEG, which owns the Galaxy, will put the company's logo front and center on the Galaxy jerseys. The jerseys are sure to be highly visible this season, especially when former England captain and international sensation David Beckham joins the club from Real Madrid this summer.

"Without a doubt, this is a milestone event in American sports marketing," said Shawn Hunter, president and chief marketing officer of AEG Sports. "With the tremendous amount of global exposure the Galaxy is expected to generate in the upcoming season, the time was clearly right for a professional league in the United States to create this branding platform."

The practice of jersey sponsorship has been prevalent in the soccer world for years with nearly all of the world's top clubs their jerseys as a unique advertising space.

"Soccer represents a great opportunity for us to deepen our relationship with customers and communities in Toronto and indeed right across Canada," said Frank Techar, president and chief executive officer of personal and commercial banking in Canada for BMO Financial Group. "We are thrilled that as an integral part of the jersey design, the BMO brand is prominently displayed so that our enthusiastic and ongoing support for the world's most popular sport will be plainly in sight at every game at BMO Field and Major League Soccer stadiums right across North America."

"The national and international appeal of soccer and of the Los Angeles Galaxy club in particular is a natural fit for our global philosophy of promoting a healthy, active lifestyle," said Herbalife chief executive officer Michael O. Johnson

[Mosiah]

RE: Jersey sponsors for Toronto, L.A.

<DIV>What is so novel about this idea? Am I missing something, Tilla? Is the MLS doing something different from what clubs around the world have been doing for ages?</DIV>

[Bruce]

RE: Jersey sponsors for Toronto, L.A.

The article said MLS is the first AMERICAN major pro sports league to allow full frontal advertising on jerseys.

The only other league that comes close is Arena Football League, which allows patches on the shoulder pads.

[Mosiah]

RE: Jersey sponsors for Toronto, L.A.

Is this an answer to my questions?

[Tilla]

RE: Jersey sponsors for Toronto, L.A.

Mosiah (3/24/2007)<DIV>What is so novel about this idea? Am I missing something, Tilla? Is the MLS doing something different from what clubs around the world have been doing for ages?</DIV>

Yes Mo, you are missing something. I have always asked why is it that the NPL teams cannot be allowed to wear a sponsor's name across the from of their jersey instead of the league sponsor's name. Anyway, the idea is novel to sports marketing in the USA. I was hoping that struggling clubs in Jamaica could have used this method to get some well need funds to keep their day-to-day runnings going.

Mo, you surprise me. You always have an eye for sarcasm. . .

[OJ]

RE: Jersey sponsors for Toronto, L.A.

<H1></H1><H1>I felt the same way when I saw this and then I realised this is foregin to North American Sports. Imagine the New York Knicks wering American Express on their jersey or the the Pitsburg steelers wearing Snickers. Its really a new revenue stream. Here in Toronto for example the owner of the mls entry has two teams the raptors and the maple leafs. Imagine if they could get 5 million for the fc. Then the leafs would proably worth 100 million. An executive looking at this now is looking a revenue potential vs tradition. I think in ten years North American teams will join Europe because its hard to turn down a fix revenue stream.</H1><H1></H1><H1></H1><H1>Toronto FC unveil jerseys for inaugural season </H1><H6>Top SuperDraft pick Edu shows off new threads at BMO Bank of Montreal in downtown Toronto</H6><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width=335><DIV class=byline>Toronto FC Media Relations</DIV></TD><TD align=right width=155></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV class=articleCaption>Toronto FC's Maurice Edu models the jerseys that the club unveiled on Friday.(Toronto FC)</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><DIV class=storyBody>TORONTO - Toronto FC unveiled their striking new jerseys Friday at a media event held at sponsor BMO Bank of Montreal's First Canadian Place branch in downtown Toronto. Maurice Edu, the first pick in the 2007 Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft and Toronto FC's first pick in team history, wore the new jersey for photographers, reporters and guests who attended a news media briefing at the corner of King and Bay Streets in the heart of the city's financial district.

The jersey is manufactured by adidas and features distinctly European styling. Toronto FC's home jersey is red with white, grey and dark onyx trim and their away jersey is grey with dark onyx and red trim. The distinctive team patch is positioned above the left breast while the familiar logo and roundel of the team's sponsor, BMO (pronounced bee-mo), is displayed across the chest.

Toronto FC becomes the third team in MLS to introduce a sponsor jersey behind the New York Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake.

"Having a prominent jersey sponsor is unique to soccer teams around the world and keeps with the tradition of the sport," said Tom Anselmi, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of Maple Leaf Sports &amp; Entertainment. "We're excited to extend our relationship with BMO Financial Group and to support them in exposing their services to a wider audience in Canada and beyond. BMO is a great Canadian brand and a strong supporter of sport and soccer."

"Soccer represents a great opportunity for us to deepen our relationships with customers and communities in Toronto and indeed right across Canada," said Frank Techar, President and Chief Executive Officer, Personal and Commercial Banking Canada, BMO Financial Group. "We are thrilled that as an integral part of the jersey design, the BMO brand is prominently displayed so that our enthusiastic and ongoing support for the world's most popular sport will be plainly in sight at every game at BMO Field and Major League Soccer stadiums right across North America."

The extensive partnership between BMO Financial Group and Toronto FC includes naming rights for the National Soccer Stadium, sponsorship of Toronto FC, a corporate suite and sponsorship of Play Soccer, a grassroots soccer program developed by the Ontario Soccer Association that will further grow the sport among youth. BMO is also a partnering sponsor of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors.

Toronto FC joined Major League