Month: June 2022

Long-term agreement set to accelerate USL’s growth strategy and
support aggressive business objectives

The United Soccer League (USL) and Legends, a leading global premium experiences company, announced today a multi-faceted, 10-year partnership that will accelerate the USL’s already-unprecedented growth and drive the next evolution of the USL’s business.

Through a strategic, data-first approach, Legends will bolster national sponsorship sales, provide actionable fan insights, and unlock innovative business solutions for the USL’s unique suite of men’s and women’s soccer properties, including the USL Championship, USL Super League, and USL League One. Legends also will help USL clubs increase their local presence and business growth through stadium planning, development and operations, ticketing strategy, stadium naming rights and sales, merchandise, and technology and digital solutions.

“The USL is perfectly positioned to shape the future of soccer in America at all levels, for both men and women, and this long-term partnership with Legends will help us take advantage of the tremendous opportunity ahead of us,” said USL CEO Alec Papadakis. “We are aligning more closely with the global game than any other American soccer property, and as we enter a critical, new growth phase for our commercial business, Legends’ unmatched expertise in both global football and the domestic sports landscape will help us achieve our key business objectives, while continuing to honor the passion of our fans, the dedication of our players, and the commitment of our owners.”

The USL is the largest and fastest-growing professional soccer organization in North America with more than 200 professional and pre-professional clubs across the United States. This transformative partnership with Legends comes at a time when the USL is in rapid expansion mode, looking to add more than 25 professional clubs over the next five years, highlighted by the launch of the USL Super League, a new professional women’s soccer league that will kick off in August 2023.

As an emerging commercial property with a young, diverse fan base, the USL offers collaborative flexibility to brands looking to invest in soccer ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.  

“The USL is poised for exponential business growth and has a forward-thinking leadership team that sees the incredible potential for men’s and women’s soccer in the United States,” said Mike Tomon, Co-President and COO, Legends. “Legends is proud to partner with the USL long-term to leverage our holistic expertise working with leagues, rights holders and stadiums around the globe utilizing data-driven solutions to maximize revenue. With the launch of the USL Super League, aggressive expansion plans across all USL properties, a deep commitment to stadium development, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, interest and excitement around soccer will only continue to grow.”

Legends has provided its unique 360-degree service solution to some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment around the globe. The company’s expansive experience in worldwide football includes A.C. Milan, FC Barcelona, Liverpool F.C., Manchester City F.C., Manchester United F.C., Real Madrid and U.S. Soccer, among others.

The American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL), the largest professional Ultimate disc league in the world, and Legends, a data-intelligence fueled global premium experiences company, announced today a long-term strategic partnership that will accelerate the growth of the AUDL. As part of this partnership, Legends has aligned its interests with the owners of the AUDL by making a minority investment in the league.

Through this comprehensive service partnership, Legends will manage sponsorships, omnichannel merchandise, media strategy and buying for the AUDL by leveraging the company’s technology solutions division to deliver innovative, data-driven actionable insights and solutions across each service. In addition, the AUDL will have access to all areas of Legends’ intelligence-fueled 360-degree service solutions, including planning, sales and hospitality, as the league expands.

“This partnership with Legends significantly accelerates our business plan and increases the trajectory of our awareness by the general community,” said Steve Hall, CEO of the AUDL. “Legends brings a broad set of expert services and a network in the professional sports world that will allow us to deliver a better experience for our fans and to compete for more attention.”

The AUDL is Legends’ latest partnership with a high-growth property since launching its Growth Enterprises division in February. Legends Growth Enterprises focuses on leveraging the company’s 360° service solution to support sports and entertainment properties, attractions, events, and platforms that are positioned for accelerated growth.

“The leadership at the AUDL is incredibly passionate and has established a strong foundation and vision for the future of the league,” said Gabby Roe, President, Legends Growth Enterprises. “Legends will work closely with the AUDL to drive business and enhance the sponsor and fan experience, while also creating new revenue-generating opportunities that will help accelerate growth and further the league’s long-term goals.”

The AUDL was formed in 2012 with eight teams, and in the following 10 seasons, the league has grown to 25 teams across the United States and Canada. The AUDL is innovating solutions for the modern pro sports experience through its majority-owned entity, UltiX Technology (UltiX). UltiX was created in 2019 to create a platform that creates new revenue streams through the gamification of data and NIL.