With DC United's recent announcement of a front-jersey sponsor, I got to thinking. Will DC fans support Volkswagen now that the German automaker will have its logo splashed across DC shirts for the next four years? Or will it not have that affect on the United faithful?
I've always tended to support companies who support the things I like, especially in soccer terms. For instance, I always buy Gold n' Soft margarine because they were Galaxy sponsors for several years, though I don't think they still sponsor the Galaxy. But they are the only margarine brand I know off hand and certainly the only one I recognize by sight. I tend to go to Home Depot over Lowe's for the same reasons. That, and there's a Home Depot right down the street from me. And I'm partial to Corona beer and Coca Cola probably because I've seen those logos for years on Mexican soccer jerseys.
Anyway, as an MLS fan, will you tend to support Best Buy over Circuit City, Volkswagen over Audi, Sierra Mist over Sprite or whatever other companies sponsor MLS over those that don't? Does that make a difference or factor into your purchasing decisions?
15 comments:
Absolutely makes a difference to me. More so in MLS than any of the other sports I follow. I always look for the MLS sponsors over the non-sponsors when I can make a choice (except with Home Depot because of horrid customer service). So, my paint/electronics shopping may have an MLS flavor
LB-
VW owns Audi. So choosing one over the other is moot.
How about supporting VW over Honda, since they bailed on MLS?
Also, I've always been partial to United's kits (and I'm an RBNY fan), but the huge circular VW logo looks like a target. Not fresh.
Honestly I never pay attention to the sponsorships ever. I just want to watch the games.
Hahahahahahaha!
Are you suggesting that my choice of what to buy is based on one multi-billion dollar corporation choosing to sponsor an entity owned by investors worth multi-billions?
They are just transferring money between corporate elites.
If I have to make a choice I buy products based on things like whether or not they are produced using slave labor, the environmental impacts, and, for things like soda, what's healthier (if you can imaging sugar water being healthy).
And if I'm going to buy a car, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to choose the one with the best gas mileage for my needs and ability to pay.
Finally, I choose retail establishments based on a series of factors that include customer service, local ownership, distance from my house (ie. do I have to battle the craptacular LA traffic and waste gas in so doing).
The idea that because a company sponsors a major enterprise like a futbol league I'm going to buy their products just doesn't reflect my values as a person living in a global and interconnected economy.
Now, if they were to sponsor my local elementary school, or a community organization like CHIRLA or ACORN or KIWA or Legal Aid, then I might weigh that more heavily than some of the other criteria I listed above.
The Gold-n-Soft margarine tub is cool. It's handy for putting all sorts of little leftovers or small storage things like paper clips.
Plus, I remember when the Galaxy would have th Gold-n-Soft guy (a giant mascot tub) come out for the halftime penalty shot. There was no head to the uniform, it was just a yellow tub with legs. It was so ridiculous. I loved it, and it still makes me smile whenever I buy some.
It'd be impossible for me to gauge the amount of herbal supplements I've take in the past couple years all thanks to the Galaxy.
The sponsors don't really make a difference to me. Since sponsors come and go, it's hard for me to build up any loyalty to one in particular. As a DC United supporter, it's true that I'll grow accustomed to seeing that logo on the jersey, but it won't make me buy a VW car. But then, I've kind of always liked VW cars, so I might buy one eventually anyway. Hmm...I think I've decided that the answer to your question is "yesno".
briguy,
Thanks for clarifying the Audi and VW link. I obviously wouldn't make it as a writer for Road & Track magazine.
And I've gotta admit, I'm not too keen on the jerseys either. Some VW-sponsored kits are way cool, like Puebla of Mexico's old kits or Wolfsburg as well but the DC ones don't have the same coolness factor. I don't know, maybe they'll grow on me.
Andrea, I think it is great that people support their teams to such a degree, but I think sponsors put the Logos there more for the subliminal effect than a conscious decision to go with that product.
Interesting, I hate Budweiser and have no interest in using any Herbalife products.....What gives?
Pure hilarity that time the Gold-n-Soft guy started deflating while trying to defend a penalty kick at half time.
I make it a point to buy products from MLS sponsors, unless the product is very bad or service is horrid. I see this as my own little way of supporting the league. I also make sure to fill out surveys (when asked)as to why I buy their products. I of course would not buy a car based on sponsorship. Even I have my limits.
I wouldn't say definitively that I buy things because of sponsorship deals, but I can say that I view some companies more favorably than other's because of their decision to support, through advertising, a team I support.
More like, all other things being equal, I would favor an MLS supporting company. But rarely are all other things equal.
Thanks for the blog...
I've been known to write an email or two every once and a while to some companies telling them I buy their stuff only because they support soccer or MLS, but I dont really.
Regarding the looks of the new DCU kit....from the one picture I have seen it kinda looks like the crappy mid-season, iron on patch job that the Galaxy had when herbalife first came onboard as the front-of-shirt sponsor. Of course a new kit design was in the works with the Galaxy rebrand, but even so...it looked bush league and IMHO, so do the DCU-VW kit I have seen.
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