When D.C. United announced its partnership with English club Sunderland AFC last year, there didn't seem to be too much behind it. No money exchanged hands, both clubs received some free transatlantic advertising and there was suddenly potential for an exhibition between the two teams down the road. Not much more than ceremony, really.
This week, at a reception hosted by the British Embassy recognizing the partnership, representatives from both clubs suggested the alliance is growing into something more — and it could have some influence on United's new $300 million Buzzard Point stadium project.
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"We'll be advising the guys with the new stadium development and what worked for us when we moved to the Stadium of Light [in 1997]," said Gary Hutchinson, Sunderland's commercial director.
Tom Hunt, D.C. United's chief operating officer, said the clubs have spent some time identifying joint commercial opportunities to expand the brands of both clubs in foreign lands. He even floated the idea of a joint stadium naming-rights deal.
The Stadium of Light, a moniker that is a nod to Sunderland's mining history, does not hold a naming-rights deal. In the English Premier League, stadium name deals can be incredibly lucrative— Forbes suggests a deal for league power Manchester United's Old Trafford could be worth $1 billion. With the new stadium at Buzzard Point (expected to arrive in 2017, once some final hurdles are cleared), United will have its first opportunity to sell naming rights.
"Never before been done in sports, but how about a joint naming-rights opportunity that gives you a global footprint?" Hunt said. "There's talk about going to Asia and other countries. [Sunderland has] an unbelievable following across the globe, we like that so we want to leverage that."
While the Black Cats have settled into their soccer ground for more than a decade, Hutchinson said there's continuous work to upgrade the fan experience and build new amenities. The club is working toward building a new 150-key Hilton hotel next to the stadium by 2016.
Hutchinson said he's looked at United's rough plans for the public realm outside its new stadium and, in the months ahead, Hunt and others will travel to England to see how their counterparts have laid out. Hunt said there's discussion of a focus on beer and interactive gaming experiences at Buzzard Point to lure the millennial market.
"That's our big challenge, to convert the casual soccer fan and those people who love the EPL product, get them to become our fans and make MLS their league of choice and DCU their team of choice," Hunt said.
On the pitch, the partnership should yield a friendly on U.S. soil this year or next — perhaps sometime in July if schedules permit — and it could extend to player loans and other personnel matters. The technical directors of both clubs have open lines to each other.
Sunderland also hopes to make some inroads into the U.S. market through the alliance. Greater Washington consistently yields some of the highest television ratings for English Premier League and international soccer matches in the U.S. And United saw its crest and name displayed on the LED advertising boards surrounding Sunderland's field during an internationally televised match between the Cats and Manchester United last year.
Hutchinson, then representing Sunderland's chamber of commerce, laid the seed for the partnership on a cultural exchange a few years ago. Despite some vast differences, Washington and Sunderland are, in fact, sister cities. And Sunderland is the ancestral home of George Washington, D.C.'s namesake (sparking some permanent player loan jokes at Wednesday's reception).
Hutchinson, liking the synergy, circled back last year to sew up the deal.
"We won't be partnering with any other club here in America. That's part of the agreement that we aim to build," Hutchinson said. "We think the partnership is an example of where we are putting some feet on the ground in what is a sister city to Sunderland — this is our perfect landing spot to make that growth possible."
This week, at a reception hosted by the British Embassy recognizing the partnership, representatives from both clubs suggested the alliance is growing into something more — and it could have some influence on United's new $300 million Buzzard Point stadium project.
Image Gallery
D.C. United stadium
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See All 4 Photos
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"We'll be advising the guys with the new stadium development and what worked for us when we moved to the Stadium of Light [in 1997]," said Gary Hutchinson, Sunderland's commercial director.
Tom Hunt, D.C. United's chief operating officer, said the clubs have spent some time identifying joint commercial opportunities to expand the brands of both clubs in foreign lands. He even floated the idea of a joint stadium naming-rights deal.
The Stadium of Light, a moniker that is a nod to Sunderland's mining history, does not hold a naming-rights deal. In the English Premier League, stadium name deals can be incredibly lucrative— Forbes suggests a deal for league power Manchester United's Old Trafford could be worth $1 billion. With the new stadium at Buzzard Point (expected to arrive in 2017, once some final hurdles are cleared), United will have its first opportunity to sell naming rights.
"Never before been done in sports, but how about a joint naming-rights opportunity that gives you a global footprint?" Hunt said. "There's talk about going to Asia and other countries. [Sunderland has] an unbelievable following across the globe, we like that so we want to leverage that."
While the Black Cats have settled into their soccer ground for more than a decade, Hutchinson said there's continuous work to upgrade the fan experience and build new amenities. The club is working toward building a new 150-key Hilton hotel next to the stadium by 2016.
Hutchinson said he's looked at United's rough plans for the public realm outside its new stadium and, in the months ahead, Hunt and others will travel to England to see how their counterparts have laid out. Hunt said there's discussion of a focus on beer and interactive gaming experiences at Buzzard Point to lure the millennial market.
"That's our big challenge, to convert the casual soccer fan and those people who love the EPL product, get them to become our fans and make MLS their league of choice and DCU their team of choice," Hunt said.
On the pitch, the partnership should yield a friendly on U.S. soil this year or next — perhaps sometime in July if schedules permit — and it could extend to player loans and other personnel matters. The technical directors of both clubs have open lines to each other.
Sunderland also hopes to make some inroads into the U.S. market through the alliance. Greater Washington consistently yields some of the highest television ratings for English Premier League and international soccer matches in the U.S. And United saw its crest and name displayed on the LED advertising boards surrounding Sunderland's field during an internationally televised match between the Cats and Manchester United last year.
Hutchinson, then representing Sunderland's chamber of commerce, laid the seed for the partnership on a cultural exchange a few years ago. Despite some vast differences, Washington and Sunderland are, in fact, sister cities. And Sunderland is the ancestral home of George Washington, D.C.'s namesake (sparking some permanent player loan jokes at Wednesday's reception).
Hutchinson, liking the synergy, circled back last year to sew up the deal.
"We won't be partnering with any other club here in America. That's part of the agreement that we aim to build," Hutchinson said. "We think the partnership is an example of where we are putting some feet on the ground in what is a sister city to Sunderland — this is our perfect landing spot to make that growth possible."
