Major League Soccer expansion franchise Los Angeles Football Club has agreed a jersey sponsorship deal with YouTube TV in a landmark agreement that also sees the cable-free live television service of video-sharing company YouTube take local broadcast rights to the team.
Under the multi-year deal, the YouTube TV logo will be prominently displayed on the LAFC jersey when the team makes its MLS debut in March.
YouTube TV joins Banc of California, Delta Air Lines/Aeromexico, Heineken and Toyota as LAFC’s Golden Boot Club Founding Partners. The Golden Boot Club provides exclusive access, visibility and experiences for LAFC’s most elite level of partnership.
Legends Global Sales represented LAFC in securing and negotiating the club’s deal with YouTube TV. Legends involvement in selling LAFC’s jersey-front partner kit and first streaming broadcast deal with YouTube TV comes on the heels of securing the historic naming rights agreement for Banc of California Stadium.
In August 2016, LAFC entered into a strategic partnership with Banc of California, under which the financial services company took on naming rights to the 22,000-capacity stadium in what was reported to be a 15-year deal.
YouTube TV will serve as the official live television partner and official video partner of LAFC, becoming the exclusive home to watch all locally televised English-language LAFC matches. YouTube TV will also carry all nationally televised LAFC matches on ESPN, Fox and FS1.
LAFC has hailed the deal as the first partnership of its kind in North American professional sports where all locally televised matches are on a live television streaming provider.
“This truly is a historic day for our club,” LAFC owner and president, Tom Penn, said. “YouTube TV is an ambitious and innovative brand that we are proud to showcase on the front of our jersey and in our community. We are excited to provide our fans with a new and creative way to watch all of LAFC’s matches in one place during our inaugural season.”