MLS teams play a critical role in the growth of the U.S. soccer market. Pedro Araujo, SVP of Marketing and Brand at Orlando City SC (MLS) and the Orlando Pride (NWSL), tells Portada about the different elements of his marketing and advertising strategy. The executive’s views also provide insights into how local team marketing complements the MLS’s overall marketing initiatives.
Three Target Personas
Araujo notes that his marketing initiatives have three primary target audiences. First, the soccer enthusiast. Second, people who like sports in general, who, for example, may watch basketball and college football. Finally, people with robust civic pride look for events to celebrate their Orlando identity. Marketing for Orlando City, SC, will skew more toward males, while initiatives for the Orlando Pride will be inclined more toward women. Araujo adds that the LGBT group is also a significant target audience.
Regarding the geographic orientation of his marketing and advertising initiatives, Araujo states that it is primarily hyperlocal, particularly compared to European soccer teams like Real Madrid or Manchester United. “Central Florida is our main marketing area,” Araujo states.
The media Araujo uses to engage his target audience includes digital (primarily programmatic for ticket sales conversions) and OOH. For the top of the funnel, “We do visual billboards and neon flags,” Araujo maintains. “We also have a radio partnership with iHeart Media and traditional cable partnerships. Grassroots events at bars and restaurants resonate with local fans,” says Araujo. A grassroots program Araujo mentions is Orlando Made , which brings hospitality partners to sell food in the stadium.
Marketing to Maximize Orlando SC’s Revenue
As for most organizations, revenue maximization is the main objective of Orlando City, SC. Matchday revenue ticket, merchandise, and stadium concessions amount to 40% of overall revenues. Sponsorships, including the Stadium naming rights by fintech company Inter & Co., total an additional 40%. The remaining 20% comprises miscellaneous revenues, including stadium rental, hosting friendlies, licensing, soccer clinics, and camps.
Match ticket sales are not only about revenues, Araujo notes. “We need to have the stadium sold out; it is also a matter of perception.”
“We need to have the stadium sold out, it is also a matter of perception.”
MLS Marketing vs Orlando City SC Marketing
The marketing of MLS team is complemented by national MLS marketing and advertising out of MLS headquarters in NYC. The “league focuses on national stories and national platforms and outlets,” says Araujo. MLS teams, like Orlando City SC, can only market their teams within a 100-mile radius. Similarly, their sponsors activate in a 100-mile radius. That is why Orlando City SC brand partners are regionally focused. According to Araujo, the key categories are finance, health care, retail (including Publix), automotive (Ford and Audi dealerships), alcoholic Beverages (Heineken local distributors), beverages (Pepsi local distributors), and entertainment (e.g., Disney theme parks). Araujo sees high growth potential in the betting category due to its recent legalization.
Orlando SC sponsors activate in a 100-mile radius.
Team vs. Player Sponsorships
Brands interested in leveraging the passion point soccer have many options, including league sponsorships, team sponsorship, and player endorsements). What are the critical elements for brands when evaluating a team versus a player sponsorship? Generally, Araujo says if the brand is interested in a specific region where the team is located, it will partner with the team and benefit from its intellectual property. If that is not the case, but a player has an appealing profile related to the brand’s target audience, e.g., nationality, a player sponsorship is more likely to happen.
Araujo expects MLS team and league sponsorships and player endorsements to grow significantly after the 2026 men’s Fifa World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, as the sport will increase in popularity. “They will get the tailwind after the World Cup,” he notes. According to Portada’s recent report, the Transformative Impact of Soccer on U.S. Sports Marketing team sponsorships for the U.S. market are expected to increase to US $ 1.14 billion by 2030, while player endorsements will reach US $193 million.
Orlando City FC Agency Partners and Sponsor Partners
Orlando City SC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as the league’s 21st franchise in November 2013, becoming the first MLS team in the Southeast. As the team was formerly called, the Lions began league play in March 2015 and 2017, moved into its privately owned downtown soccer stadium. In 2022, Orlando City SC re-launched Orlando City B as a founding member of MLS NEXT Pro to bridge the gap between its successful youth development academy and the First Team.
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