Major League Soccer franchise the San Jose Earthquakes has signed a five-year founding partnership for its new stadium with the Bay Area BMW Centers automotive dealership chain.
The Earthquakes said the deal is worth a multi-million dollar sum and has four key elements. Firstly, the field club section at Avaya Stadium will now be branded as the ‘BMW Club.’
Additionally, vehicles from the Bay Area BMW Centers will be on site at each MLS game hosted by the Earthquakes. The agreement also includes a presenting sponsorship of test drive events that will feature Earthquakes players for meet and greets at dealerships around the Bay Area and a game presenting sponsorship for the club’s match at Levi’s Stadium, home of NFL American football team the San Francisco 49ers.
Last year, the club brought the Bay Area BMW Centers on board as the presenting sponsor for the inaugural game at Levi’s Stadium on August 2. The agreement also put BMW vehicles on display at Earthquakes home games throughout the 2014 season. Additionally, BMW dealerships around the Bay Area hosted 10 ticket test-drive events, which gave fans free tickets for test driving a BMW.
Communications technology company Avaya in November struck a 10-year naming rights deal for the Earthquakes’ new stadium, which is set to open in March.