Toronto, ON (March 3, 2020) – Captain Morgan is coming to Canada via the grand stage of Major League Soccer (MLS), joining the league’s teams, players and dynamic match-day atmosphere at stadiums and MLS national broadcast partners.
At a time of incredible growth for Major League Soccer, Captain Morgan today announced a multi-year partnership to become the official rum partner of MLS Canada. Captain Morgan wants the millions of passionate soccer fans of legal drinking age across Canada to rally their crews and get ready for what will be an extraordinary 25th MLS season.
As part of a wide-ranging partnership, building on Captain Morgan’s existing partnership with Toronto FC, MLS and Captain Morgan will collaborate on a multi-touchpoint marketing campaign. The campaign will extend to MLS venues through field-signage at MLS Canada’s three clubs.. Captain Morgan will also be featured in broadcast ads on TSN and TVA sports, as well as MLS digital platforms.
“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with MLS to Canadian soccer fans of legal drinking age, further connecting crews across Canada to their favourite soccer teams and rallying together to create exciting fan experiences,” said Mark Phillips, Director of Marketing, Diageo Canada. “We know soccer has a passionate and growing fan base here in Canada and we want to recognize that by bringing fans together to celebrate responsibly with Captain Morgan. Our partnership with MLS is a true testament to Captain Morgan’s commitment to providing soccer fans of legal drinking age with exciting experiences, whether they take in a match at home, in their local bar or celebrate a win in-arena.”
A true, spirited mix between Captain Morgan and MLS developed last year, when the two first announced their partnership in the U.S. and with five American MLS teams. The global soccer league and Captain Morgan have always stood for infectious fun for the crews of legal drinking age that take in a match or celebrate good times with a cocktail. MLS is a league on an unprecedented growth streak, with teams in Miami and Nashville beginning play in 2020 and four more to come in the near future. A beloved and growing sport, soccer in Canada and the U.S. has tripled in popularity in the last decade and is tied for second-most popular to watch among all spectator sports, making this an exciting and timely partnership expansion for both MLS and Captain Morgan.
“We are excited to welcome Captain Morgan to our lineup of partners” said Diego Moratorio, General Manager of MLS Canada. “Captain Morgan has already demonstrated how much it believes in MLS and the growth of the sport in North America and is now extending its commitment to Canada, where we will collaborate to raise the popularity of our league to even higher levels. This will be a fun and innovative partnership for many years to come.”
Beginning this month, legal drinking age fans will also see the national TV commercial from Captain Morgan celebrating this new partnership. Whether you’re taking in a match at the stadium or watching it from the pub with friends, always enjoy Captain Morgan responsibly. Captain’s orders!
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About Captain Morgan
Captain Morgan is the largest rum brand in Canada* and offers a wide variety of rum options. The Captain Morgan portfolio includes CAPTAIN MORGAN Original Spiced Rum, CAPTAIN MORGAN Dark Rum and CAPTAIN MORGAN Gold Rum, CAPTAIN MORGAN Black Spiced Rum, CAPTAIN MORGAN White Rum, CAPTAIN MORGAN Private Stock, CAPTAIN MORGAN Pineapple, CAPTAIN MORGAN Coconut. Captain Morgan is the perfect addition to your next celebration and with a range of flavours available; there is no better time to rally your crew together to celebrate good times. For more information, visit www.CaptainMorgan.com.
About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness. Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives and ways to share best practice. Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA. Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer – celebrating its 25th Season in 2020 – features 26 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, in addition to future expansion teams in Austin, St. Louis, Sacramento, and Charlotte. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Angela Alfano
Major League Soccer
Angela.Alfano@MLSsoccer.com
Rachael Montgomery
North Strategic (for Diageo Canada)
Rachael.montgomery@northstrategic.com
*ACD Data MAT Volume ending January 2020
