New York, NY - 1st April 2016 – Emirates announced today that it has signed a new multi-year global partnership deal with the North American Soccer League (NASL) reigning champions, the New York Cosmos. Emirates will continue as the club’s Founding Partner and jersey-front sponsor.
The contract renewal date begins April 1st and will extend for a period of three years. In addition to having Emirates’ world renowned ‘Fly Emirates’ logo emblazoned on the front of the Cosmos playing and training kits, the sponsorship also includes on and off field signage and branding, broadcast commercials on ONE World Sports, digital, social media and website visibility and ticket and hospitality inventory. Emirates will also have the rights to be the presenting sponsor of the next three editions of the Cosmos Copa, the largest amateur soccer tournament in the U.S.
Emirates and the New York Cosmos first teamed up in 2013 for the club’s North American Soccer League reboot season. Since then the team has been crowned as “Soccerbowl” champions in 2013 and again in 2015.
“Soccer is an international sport that unifies fans from all corners of the world,” said Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand. “Emirates takes pride, not only in its ability to deliver an award-winning travel experience to its passengers, but in its support for global sports teams that connect people from all walks of life via a shared passion. The New York Cosmos is an iconic club with a rich history that has brought fans together across generations. We look forward to continuing this partnership and joining the Cosmos along a journey of continued growth in Emirates’ first U.S. destination, New York City.”
“Being a member of Emirates Airline’s portfolio of international teams is an honor for the club, but one that reflects the unique history and huge global appeal of the Cosmos,” said New York Cosmos Chairman, Seamus O’Brien. “Since our reboot season we have already visited six countries, including our historic trip to Cuba last year. As America's global team, for the global game, we look forward to building on the success of our first three years together, both at home and overseas” he added.
The New York Cosmos will continue to be a part of Emirates’ dynamic roster of global sports sponsorships including some of the world’s most premier soccer clubs: AC Milan, Real Madrid, Arsenal FC, SL Benfica, Hamburger SV, Paris Saint-Germain, and Olympiacos FC. In recent years, Emirates has expanded its presence in tennis with a sponsorship portfolio that includes the US Open, the Emirates Airline US Open Series, the Australian Open, the Emirates Airline Australian Open Series as well as the French Open. Emirates is also the Premier Partner of the ATP which provides net branding at every men’s event globally and the Emirates Rankings. In the U.S., Emirates is the main sponsor of the USA Rugby Team and the San Francisco Symphony and most recently announced its first Major League Baseball sponsorships with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 2016 NASL season starts Sunday, April 3, when Cosmos will begin their title defense at home against Ottawa Fury FC. Once again the Fly Emirates logo will adorn the legendary Cosmos green and white kits.
In 2004, Emirates launched services to the U.S. with a non-stop flight between Emirates’ hub, Dubai International Airport (DXB) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Today, Emirates operates four daily flights from JFK including three daily flights to Dubai non-stop, as well as a daily flight to Milan and onwards to Dubai, all onboard Emirates’ flagship A380 aircraft.
Emirates and the U.S.
Founded in 1985, Emirates is a global connector of people, places and economies. Based in Dubai, the airline’s global network serves 150 destinations in 80 countries across six continents. Its luxurious amenities, regionally inspired gourmet cuisine, award-winning in-flight entertainment system – ice – and unmatched hospitality provided by its iconic multilingual Cabin Crew have made Emirates one of the world’s most recognized airline brands.
Emirates has carried more than 11 million passengers on U.S. flights since launching services to New York in 2004. The airline currently serves 10 U.S. gateways – Orlando (MCO), Chicago (ORD), Boston (BOS), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), Seattle (SEA), Dallas (DFW), Houston (IAH), Washington (IAD) and New York (JFK), as well as operating a trans-Atlantic route between JFK and Milan and a freighter service to Atlanta. Emirates SkyCargo transports up to 650 tons of U.S. exports each week – including auto parts from New York, apples and cherries from Seattle, and oil and gas equipment from Houston – stimulating trade and opening new markets for American businesses across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Follow @Emirates on Instagram and Twitter and find us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
About the Cosmos
The New York Cosmos are reigning champions of the North American Soccer League (NASL), having captured their second league title in three seasons and seventh overall on Nov. 15, 2015 with a 3-2 win over Ottawa Fury FC in The Championship Final at Hofstra University’s James M. Shuart Stadium.
The Cosmos began play in 1971, spending 14 seasons in the NASL, winning five Soccer Bowl trophies and bringing some of the biggest names in world soccer to the USA. This included Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia and Carlos Alberto. It had been nearly 30 years since the Cosmos, an iconic global soccer club, played in a professional league. Yet throughout their absence, the club maintained a loyal and dedicated fan following.
On Aug. 3, 2013, the New York Cosmos returned to the NASL with a sellout win at Shuart Stadium, before embarking on a season that would see the Cosmos win the 2013 Soccer Bowl with a 1-0 victory against the Atlanta Silverbacks on Nov. 9, 2013 at Atlanta Silverbacks Park.
Raúl and Marcos Senna, legends at famed Spanish sides Real Madrid and Villarreal CF, each suited up in Cosmos colors for modern era championship runs, adding their names to the impressive list of global soccer stars to feature at the club.
The Cosmos submitted a privately-funded economic development proposal in 2013 to the State of New York to build a world-class 25,000-seat professional soccer stadium at Belmont Park. More information about the proposal and renderings can be found at newcosmosstadium.com.
For more information on the New York Cosmos, please visit nycosmos.com, join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@NYCosmos). Tickets for the 2016 season are now available by calling 855-71-COSMOS or via the club’s official website at nycosmos.com/seasontickets.
