As we debate the necessity of our local governments investing taxpayer dollars into Memorial Stadium, it is easy to feel like the dream of MLS is a long shot. Every made-up poll lists us at or near the bottom. The internet thinks this battle will be won by retweets and likes. However, MLS and its owners could be more invested in a potential club in Charlotte than we as fans might be right now. Why, you ask? 

Sponsorship.

Yes, MLS is growing and yes the value of clubs is rising. A big portion of the growth comes from soccer-specific stadiums, but for in order for MLS to grow it needs larger sponsorship deals. Without more money coming in, our country’s best players will play overseas and the world’s best will stay off our shores. Major League Soccer’s future lives and dies on this fact. In truth, sponsorship is a big component to any league’s success, but for NASCAR and MLS sponsorship drives the growth.

The similarities between MLS and NASCAR are closer than you think when you look at it from a sponsorship perspective. Major League Soccer’s single-entity model also is comparable to Speedway Motorsports Inc., the company Marcus Smith is CEO of. SMI owns a handful of tracks that are given rights to events across the country. MLS owns a fistful of teams that are given rights to play in cities across the country.

SMI has sponsors that it shares across its facilities, but each event has its own sponsor. This is no different than MLS sponsors, and team kit sponsors managed by Soccer United Marketing.

Smith and his team are a group who could grow Major League Soccer's sponsorship revenue and put more money into the league and owners’ pockets.

The challenges facing both sports on TV are similar. Racing and soccer try to avoid TV commercials as much as possible during events. While racing has the advantage of cautions and lulls in action, soccer has none. Both sports have to maximize value for advertisers without the advantage of commercials. Unlike NASCAR and the Premier League, MLS isn't pulling in billion-dollar contracts yet. 

In the United Kingdom, the PL in 2016 signed a TV deal that was valued at $13.4 billion over three years. MLS, on the other hand, signed a deal in 2015 to run through 2022 for $720 million over eight years. League owners know that the Smith group has the experience and connections to sell sponsors on the league, and the more sponsors put down, the more sponsors will pay for advertisement on TV. That increases the value of the TV rights moving forward.

Just like the TV deal, MLS is lagging behind other leagues in kit sponsorship. PL deals average out at $14.2 million per year. MLS kit sponsors average about $2-5 million a year. A good bit of these deals are combined league and club deals like Advocare with FC Dallas, and Target with the expansion Minnesota United FC.

NASCAR events have sponsors that can get upwards of $18 million per event, as in the case of Indianapolis Motor Speedway (not a SMI facility) with Allstate in 2005. Unlike the kit deals, NASCAR event sponsorship is closely-held information. What can be looked at is SMI’s earning statement, where in 2016, it brought in $126 million in sponsorship money. This bodes well if Smith can leverage sponsors to invest in the league where they will get much more exposure than a three-day event. 

So while people on the outside continue to dismiss Charlotte as a candidate for expansion, MLS ownership could be foaming at the mouth at the experience Smith will bring to the table. Having a young marketing and promotions expert with connections at the table might just be what MLS needs to grow. However, the only way the owners get Smith to bring anything to that table is with a franchise here in Charlotte. 

David Dowell of Shelby is a Charlotte Independence and #MLS4CLT supporter.

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