April 3 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) newcomers Bay FC have announced a flurry of sponsorship deals with Sixth Street, Visa, Meriwest Credit Union and Lyft as the club begins the NWSL season with a last-minute upset.
Sixth Street, Bay FC’s majority owner, has been named as a founding kit sponsor, which will see the investment firm’s logo appear on the back of the players’ jerseys during the club’s inaugural 2024 season.
The deal is described as a separate arrangement from Sixth Street’s investment in Bay FC, which has seen the firm invest $125 million in the club.
The back-of-shirt deal is reportedly worth upwards of $500,000 per season – making it the most lucrative deal of its kind in the NWSL.
“We want to thank the entire team at Sixth Street for their partnership and commitment to Bay FC,” said Bay FC chief executive Brady Stewart. “Beginning with the record-setting investment that got us started, Sixth Street has had our back. They share our vision for building a global sports franchise, and we’re proud to have such a supportive and enthusiastic force behind us as we embark on our first season.”
Alan Waxman, Sixth Street chief executive and co-chair of Bay FC, added: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support the Bay Area community has shown Bay FC in its young life, and, on behalf of every member of the Sixth Street team, we wanted to show ours too.
“Sixth Street is all about bringing different people and ideas together and working as a team to create and build great things. Bay FC is a club that is going to make the entire Bay Area proud. Game on.”
The deal coincides with back-to-back-to-back deals with Visa, Meriwest Credit Union and Lyft as the fledgling club looks to simultaneously establish and expand its sponsorship roster.
The first of the three deals to be completed Last week, Visa signed on as a founding partner and official payment services partner of Bay FC in a pact that also sees the company secure branding on the right sleeve of the club’s matchday jerseys, joining front-of-shirt sponsor Sutter Health and Sixth Street on the club’s kit this season.
Meanwhile, Meriwest Credit Union was unveiled as Bay FC’s official credit union partner and will work to promote gender equality in sports and create opportunities for aspiring women athletes in the Bay Area.
As the final piece of the roster, Lyft joined as an official partner, offering rideshare experiences for fans along with extra benefits for both supporters and players.
Despite scoring in the sponsorship market, Bay FC lost its debut outing in the NWSL, finishing on the wrong side of a 3-2 thriller versus Houston Dash at the sold-out 18,000-seater Paypal park.
The match saw football’s most expensive women’s player Racheal Kundananji make her NWSL debut after she transferred from Madrid CFF in February for a world-record $860,000.
Entering as a substitute in the 61st minute, Kundananji wasted no time getting on the scoresheet, scoring a 93rd minute equaliser which was quickly undone by Havana Solaun’s winner with the last kick of the game.
Not the dream start that Bay FC would’ve wanted, but the off-field interest certainly marks a big win for the NWSL newcomers.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1732330189labto1732330189ofdlr1732330189owedi1732330189sni@g1732330189niwe.1732330189yrrah1732330189