Major League Soccer extends reach in substantial marketing push

Dive Brief:

Major League Soccer is looking to expand soccer’s popularity and cultural relevance ahead of the FIFA World Cup with a yearlong marketing plan that launched Feb. 12, according to information shared with Marketing Dive.
“MLS Is Back” unites the league and its clubs under one banner with aligned national and local efforts to grow the sport. There are three campaigns: “The Call,” “Where the Drama Lives” and “Sundays Are Made for This.” The effort was produced by the league’s agency of record, Ogilvy, which it hired in January.
To maximize global interest, MLS is structuring its 2026 season around the World Cup, which is coming to the U.S. for the first time since 1994. The marketing push will include player spotlights, media elements, nationwide fan activations and a new Apple TV platform.

Dive Insight:

MLS wants to maximize national and global interest ahead of the World Cup with one of the largest marketing efforts in its history, according to press materials. “MLS Is Back” leverages celebrity owners, star players and social media influencers to capitalize on growing interest in the sport and draw attention to the American-based league in a space dominated by international players.

The push is composed of three separate campaigns, each with its own aims and strategy. “The Call,” which kicks off Feb. 12, is social-first and is largely intended to reach fans of the league as a whole. A 30-second video of the same name shows Los Angeles Football Club owner Magic Johnson getting on a video call with MLS stars Son Heung-Min (Los Angeles FC), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake) and Joseph Paintsil (LA Galaxy). Soccer-focused social media creator Céline Dept, who has over 77 million subscribers across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, also makes an appearance. Custom social content tailored to individual players will be shared across platforms.

“Where Drama Lives” launches Feb. 16, the Monday before opening weekend. It introduces the Walmart Saturday Showdown platform on Apple TV, headlined by the Inter Miami CF at Los Angeles FC on Feb. 21. The campaign will roll out across paid media, out-of-home, broadcast and digital channels. On Feb. 20, Walmart will host a fan activation at Nya Studios in Hollywood, featuring players, celebrity hosts, prizes, games and other experiences.

“Sunday’s Are Made For This” also promotes an Apple TV platform, Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire. The platform will kick off Feb. 22 with New York City FC at LA Galaxy. A mobile fan activation, the Sunday Night Soccer Couch, will travel throughout Los Angeles on Feb. 19 and 20. The activation is meant to combine the comfort of watching a match at home with the excitement of being at the stadium itself.

While one of the most popular youth sports in America, professional soccer hasn’t reached the same level of cultural significance in the U.S. as it has around the world. However, American interest in the sport has steadily grown in the last few years, in no small part due to the global dominance of the U.S. Women’s National Team. The upcoming World Cup, which will be held in June and July in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, could further consumer curiosity.

A large marketing push could help the MLS draw attention amid tough competition with international organizations, such as the Premier League, whose opening weekend had a per-game viewership average of 850,000 on NBCUniversal. MLS averaged just 120,000 viewers in July on Apple TV. While a 50% increase from the year prior, the league averaged 343,000 viewers in 2022, the last season broadcast on ESPN and ABC. In 2022, MLS entered into a four-year deal with Fox Sports to air 34 regular-season games per year, along with eight playoff matches and the MLS Cup.