Dick's Sporting Goods entered into a new agreement with ESPN for its soccer broadcasts with the 'Dick's Sporting Goods Halftime Report,' featuring game highlights, scores and soccer news from around the world. The halftime report will be the centerpiece of 42 Major League Soccer and United States Soccer games broadcast on ESPN and ABC. The Dick's Sporting Goods name will be prominently displayed during each halftime report, mentioned frequently during each game's broadcast and featured in other ways during each game. The sponsorship launches on February 7, 2007 with the U.S. Men's team's match against Mexico.
“Our agreement with ESPN is the next logical step in our overall commitment to the game of soccer in America,” said Jeffrey R. Hennion, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer of Dick's Sporting Goods. “Soccer's popularity throughout the rest of the world is unrivaled. As soccer participation and recognition has been increasing in communities and high schools across America, professional soccer has rapidly been gaining the attention of American audiences the way some other sports do. With the addition of David Beckham and other global stars to the already-strong MLS rosters, we believe that soccer's time has come, and we're making it a priority to promote and invest in the success of the sport.”
In November 2006, Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. signed a 20-year naming rights agreement with Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE), the owner and operator of an 18,000-seat outdoor stadium and 24 full-sized outdoor fields — the world's largest soccer complex — located in Commerce City, Colorado. Opening in April 2007 as the home of the MLS Colorado Rapids, Colorado Youth Soccer and NDP Lacrosse, Dick's Sporting Goods Park will also play host to a number of other sports teams, special events and concerts.
Highlights on this year's schedule for DICK'S Sporting Goods Park and the Dick's Sporting Goods ESPN agreement include the MLS season opener on Saturday, April 7th and the 2007 MLS All-Star Game on Thursday, July 19th.
