ESPNsoccernet - MLS - Martin: San Jose's deal with Amway a significant one

ESPNsoccernet - MLS - Martin: San Jose's deal with Amway a significant one: "Amway deal significant in current economic climate

By Tim Martin

February 1, 2009

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The San Jose Earthquakes recently announced Amway Global will become their first jersey sponsor, widely reported as a $2 million to $3 million annual investment for three years. In itself, it's an impressive number that will positively impact on the Quakes' finances, but the significance of such a partnership amid the current economic times is even more important.

Sara Wolfram/GettyImages

The San Jose Earthquakes will carry the Amway brand on their shirts for the next three years.
Although the amounts that Herbalife ($4 million to $5 million per year for Los Angeles) and Microsoft ($4 million per year for Seattle) are paying for similar pieces of inventory clearly are larger figures, they can be directly linked to specific factors that can be considered one-of-a-kind marketing outliers.

In Herbalife's case, the strategy is to promote the brand via the worldwide David Beckham infatuation. In Microsoft's case, the sponsorship can be considered as something of a philanthropic gesture from a local company that was co-founded by a member (Paul Allen) of the Sounders' impressive ownership group. This is not to discount such reasoning for"