Soccer in North America: The Tipping Point is Here Shelina Taki
1 SHELINA TAKI 2 Outranking the Biebs
127 million 119 million 3 More than triple LeBron
183 million 52 million 4 Outranking Pikachu and friends
183 million 144 million 5 “As long as there was a ball, we played football.” Why Now?
Tipping point // USWNT won their first World Cup in 15 years at 2015 WC in Canada
// 2019 Women’s World Cup took place this year in France
// 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup was Hosted primarily in the US
Setting the // UEFA Euro 2020 will take place Stage next summer across Europe // Next Men’s World Cup is set to take place in Qatar in 2022
// The Women’s World Cup in 2023
// 2026 Men’s World Cup to take place in North America in 2026 8 // USWNT is a hot topic of conversation following two consecutive World Cup wins
// Inaugural seasons for Atlanta United FC and Minnesota United FC in 2017
// Past season was inaugural season Gaining For FC Cincinnati Ground // LAFC came into the league in 2018 as second team for the city
// Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC will come into play in 2020
// Austin FC announced its first season
will take place in 2021 9 MLS has experienced a The 27% increase in interest Success of since 2012 Cable viewership has increased in each of the MLS last six seasons
Ad inventory for the league has sold out for the past three seasons
2018 saw the league’s highest paid attendance in history at 7.4 million - averaging 19K paid tickets per game
10 Consecutive World Cup wins after amazing The tournament play
The most watched soccer Women match in English- language television per Fox Sports, apart form the 2015 Women’s World Cup final
Megan Rapinoe as a symbol and in politics
A very public fight for equal pay Nike x Off-White
Versace
Pop Soundtrack Culture
Celebrity The FIFA Effect
• FIFA Video Game in the Guiness Book of World Records • FIFA 20 released September 24, 2019 • Hits 10 million players within one month of release • Gen Z is the most ethnically and racially diverse cohort in US Gen history. • Value inclusion and Next individuality
• Technologically inclined • Gen Z males prefer nontraditional sports America’s
Pastime? What is your favorite sport to watch?
0.4 40% 39%
0.3 30%
0.2
14% 12% 0.1 11% 11% 11% 10% 7% 6% 1% 0 55+ 35-54 18-34
Source: Gallop, December 2017 The Summer of Soccer
CONCACAF Gold Cup FIFA Women’s World Cup
16 2019 Gold Cup 17 Net Mentions
Peaks: June 30th - Quarter Finals (USA vs. Curacao, Mexico played the night before) July 3rd - Semifinals (USA vs. Jamaica, Mexico played the night before) July 7th - Finals (USA vs. Mexico)
18 Demographics
19 2019 Women’s World Cup 20 Net Mentions
Peaks: June 28th - Quarter Finals (USA vs. France) July 2nd - Semifinals (USA vs. England) July 7th - Finals (USA vs. Netherlands)
21 Demographics
22 The Opportunity 23 Why invest now?
• Soccer fans are passionate • Credibility is key • The space is not crowded…yet • Opportunity to capture a consumer that will grow with you
24 Brands that are Already Benefiting: Nike
25 Nike - General 30% Net Sentiment July 7 USWNT Wins 56% Feb 24 June 1 “Dream Crazier” “Dream Further” 52% 64%
May 12 “Dream with Us” 42%
26 Nike - Soccer July 7 42% Net Sentiment June 1 USWNT Wins “Dream Further” 56% 64%
Feb 24 “Dream Crazier” 52% May 12 “Dream with Us” 42%
27 Dream Response
28 Brands that are Already Benefitting: Visa
29 Visa - General 25% Net Sentiment
Women’s World Cup May 3 Sponsor “One Moment Can Change the Game” 42%
30 Visa - Soccer Women’s World Cup 52% Net Sentiment Sponsor
May 3 “One Moment Can Change the Game” 42%
31 Sponsorship Response
32 The Perfect Storm • Success of USWNT • Rapid growth and popularity of MLS • Permeation of soccer in fashion, music, gaming, and celebrity • Changing demographic of the nation, and the inherent diversity of the sport • Series of global soccer events • 2026 World Cup on US soil Soccer for the Win Questions?
[email protected] appendix The Future: US High School Soccer Participation
37 The Data MLS has experienced a 27% increase in interest since 2012
Says Cable viewership has increased in each of the last six seasons of the MLS and ad inventory for the league has sold out in the past three
The number of participants in US high school soccer programs recorded an all time high in the 2016/2017 season (over 800,000), and has continued to increase since then
38 Source: Pew Research Center, 2018 SHELINA TAKI 40