Lega Serie A USA has partnered with Allied Sports to support the Italian top-flight’s commercial expansion plans in the US market.
Allied Sports will lead Serie A’s US commercial strategy and sales efforts, as the league seeks to capitalise on the opportunities of the vast and high value US sports space.
The New York-based company will focus on corporate partnership revenues, growing the league’s US fanbase and aligning with “like-minded” brands. The company will therefore be responsible for coordinating any US sponsorship efforts the league may envision.
Sean Barror, Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Allied Sports, said: “Global football is rapidly gaining traction here in North America, and we believe that Lega Serie A is poised for explosive growth, boosted by the burgeoning American influence both on and off the field.
“Allied Sports sees a distinctive opportunity for brands to connect with North American audiences by associating with Italian excellence at the dynamic crossroads of sports, culture, and entertainment.”
Serie A is one of the 10 most valuable sports leagues in the world, alongside four other European national leagues – England’s Premier League, SPain’s LaLiga, Germany’s Bundesliga and France’s Ligue 1 – and the five US major leagues – NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS.
The league, like others, is increasingly seeing the value in the US football (soccer) space, where the MLS has been experiencing rising viewing figures, attendances and commercial revenue, including from sponsorships.
Serie A has also noted international connections between its clubs and American sports and business. Fiorentina, Genoa, AC Milan, Roma and 2024 Europa League winners Atalanta B.C are all owned by American companies.
The league claims to have 518 million fans globally, 95% of which live outside Italy. It also believes there is promise in data showing that the largest percentage (30%) of its North American followers are Gen Z.
Allied Sports’ deal with the league comes just a month after an agreement was etched with Minute Media, which has become the league’s official content partner. Individual clubs have also been pursuing US commercial growth ambitions, as explained by Tania Moreno, the club’s Chief Marketing Officer.
Andy Mitchell, Lega Serie A’s North America CEO, added: “In Allied Sports, we have a partner that shares our vision on how we can bring brands closer to our 30 million fans in North America.
“Our North American fan base is young, affluent and strongly connected with Italian culture. This will enable us to tap into cultural intersections that will bring our unique brand and heritage to life for new audiences.”
