As the Chicago Fire enters a new business time, the team has turned to an net used car dealer to fuel growth.
The Major League Soccer ( MLS ) team and Carvana have entered into a multiyear shirt partnership. The auto-e-commerce business will be integrated into ticketing, willing advertising, and community engagement initiatives in addition to being branded on the front of the package as part of a deal.
The Fire has revamped its business partnership team over the past year under the leadership of Dave Baldwin, the club’s first-year president of business operations, and this is the largest deal in the 26- year club history.
Baldwin stated in an interview,” We’ve been approached by some potential partners for front-of-kit opportunity, and for us it was really important to partner with a company that not only supports the Flames but also one with aligned vision and goals.” ” Their customer-first knowledge truly aligns with what we’re trying to do, if you look at it.”

By forming its first partnership with an MLS team, Carvana ( NYSE: CVNA ), which has been operating in Illinois since 2014, is putting more effort into regaining market share in the Chicago region. The agreement was made just a few weeks after Illinois legislators passed policy allowing automakers like Carvana to deliver their vehicles to their homes.
The e-commerce business, whose dealer license was half suspended by the condition last year according to registration and transfer violations, is in a full circle at this point. After the protracted regulatory debate, Carvana, which earlier this year reached a negotiated negotiation with the condition, then intends to resume regular activities.
Because Apple, a rival, was given exclusive rights to MLS games, Motorola, which did n’t extend its kit partnership with the Fire before this season, is being replaced by Caravana. The Tempe-based auto retailer is even starting its sixth year of sponsorship with Phoenix Rising FC of the USL.
While Lionel Messi’s arrival gave the Fire a significant economic boost, the team is still developing its business plan despite missing the playoffs for seven years running. According to the group, ticketing and funding revenue has more than doubled while total revenue is up 80 % year over year. The team is expected to have about 60 partners on table next year, a significant improvement from having fewer than 40 last year, after originally being near the bottom of the league in partner count.
The Fire are the last MLS team to complete their front-of-shirt category when they return to their original crimson kit the following year. The Properties section of Excel Sports Management facilitated the Carvana transaction.
Baldwin continued,” It was crucial for us to find the right business that wanted to work with us but also one where we felt we could add a lot of price.”