HARRISON, N.J., Oct. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic, a global
leader in high definition and Full HD 3D technologies, U.S. Soccer,
and Major League Soccer (MLS) announced today a multi-faceted,
three-year sponsorship agreement which will make Panasonic the
"Official Consumer Electronics Partner" of U.S. Soccer as well the
"Official/Proud Sponsor" of the U.S. Men's and Women's National
Teams and renews these same designations with Major League Soccer.
Panasonic has been involved in the sport of soccer in the US
for almost 10 years.
Tomorrow, the U.S. Men's National Team will play Ecuador at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. Red Bull Arena is one of a
number of MLS facilities that have chosen Panasonic as a technology
partner whose products including digital scoreboard displays,
LED main video displays, field level and fascia LED signage,
security systems and VIERA plasma HDTVs 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, Kan.
The relationships with U.S. Soccer and MLS 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 (VIERA),
Blu-ray Disc, cameras and camcorders (LUMIX), LED signage, TV
broadcast equipment, and point of sale systems (excluding payment
services systems), solar and eco systems (MLS only), mobile &
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 &
CEO. "Soccer is a brand on the rise in the US 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
Full HD 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. Red Bull Arena, the site of tomorrow's game between
the United States and Ecuador, is a great showcase facility for
Panasonic and illustrates how they have helped our League grow over
the years. It is great to see them expand their relationship
with the sport by supporting U.S. Soccer and we look forward to
building upon our partnership for years to come."
About Panasonic Corporation of North America
Currently based in Secaucus,
NJ, Panasonic Corporation of North
America provides a broad line of digital and other
electronics products for consumer, business and industrial use.
The company is the principal North American subsidiary of
Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic
Corporation (NYSE: PC), and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. branding,
marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic
is pledged to practice prudent, sustainable use of the earth's
natural resources and protect our environment through the company's
Eco Ideas programs. Panasonic was the only Consumer Electronics
company to be listed in the top ten brands on the Interbrand Best
Global Green Brands 2011 ranking (Interbrand Best Global Green
Brands 2011). Information about Panasonic Eco Ideas
initiatives is available at http://panasonic.net/eco/ecoideas/.
Information about Panasonic and its products is available at
www.panasonic.com and its Full HD 3D site at www.panasonic.com/3D.
Additional company information for journalists is also
available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.
About U.S. Soccer
Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer has helped chart the course for
soccer in the USA for more than 95
years as the governing body of the sport. In this time, the
Federation's mission statement has been clear and simple: to make
soccer, in all its forms, a pre-eminent sport in the United States and to continue the
development of soccer at all recreational and competitive levels.
To that end, the sport's growth in the past two decades has been
nothing short of remarkable as U.S. Soccer's National Teams have
continually succeeded on the world stage while also growing the
game here in the United States
with the support of its members. For more information, visit
ussoccer.com.
About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City,
Major League Soccer is the top-flight professional soccer league in
the United States and Canada. MLS features many stars from the U.S.,
Canada, and around the world.
Major League Soccer's 16th season will feature 18 clubs each
playing 34 regular season matches. Those clubs include Chicago Fire; Chivas USA; 2010 MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids;
Columbus Crew; D.C. United; FC
Dallas; Houston Dynamo; LA Galaxy; New York Red Bulls; New England
Revolution; Philadelphia Union; Real Salt Lake; San Jose
Earthquakes; Seattle Sounders FC; Sporting Kansas City; Toronto FC;
and, in their inaugural seasons, Portland Timbers and Vancouver
Whitecaps FC. An expansion team in Montreal will debut in 2012. For more
information about MLS, log on to the League's official website at
www.MLSsoccer.com.
SOURCE Panasonic