MLS makes new lower back-of-shirt ad slot available to clubs

  

 

Major League Soccer will allow clubs to sell a new sponsorship position on the lower back of jerseys starting this season, adding a fourth commercial placement on each kit and creating another source of revenue for teams across the league.

The move, which takes effect after the 2026 All-Star Break, is part of what commissioner Don Garber has described as ‘MLS 3.0’. That next phase includes increased investment in player development, new stadium openings, schedule changes, and the anticipated lift from the US co-hosting the men’s World Cup.

“We feel like this is the right moment in time to unlock a new asset for our clubs to capture the attention coming out of the World Cup,” MLS chief revenue officer Carter Ladd said. “The next era for our league is on the horizon.”

The new placement sits below the player’s number and measures roughly 80% of the size of the front-of-jersey sponsor. Logos can be up to nine inches wide and four inches tall. While values will vary by market, the inventory could be worth more than $1 million annually for some clubs.

“Our club sponsorship business continues to deliver double-digit growth annually, with both the front-of-jersey and sleeve positions seeing unprecedented partner interest,” Ladd said. “We view the addition of the lower back placement as a strategic opportunity for many clubs to join those across the league now generating eight-figure annual jersey partnership revenue.”

With the league opening up its TV paywall through free match windows and broader distribution alongside its Apple partnership, greater visibility typically translates into stronger sponsorship appeal, particularly for jersey assets that live across broadcasts, highlights, and social media.

According to Sportico, the average MLS club is now valued at $767 million, with annual revenues ranging from $215 million at Inter Miami to $47 million at CF Montréal and the Colorado Rapids.

MLS’s relationship with uniform sponsorship has evolved steadily. When the league launched in 1996, kits were largely ad-free. It wasn’t until 2007 that front-of-jersey sponsorships were fully opened up, with The New York Times reporting a minimum annual cost of $500,000 at the time. Sleeve patches followed in 2020, with a second sleeve position sold league-wide to Apple as part of its media partnership.

“Demand has increased as our relevance has increased,” Ladd said. “We’ve wanted to be very thoughtful in how we unlock new inventory, and demand with limited inventory was one of the key considerations in us doing this now.”