American Airlines announced on Tuesday an exclusive multi-tiered sponsorship and marketing agreement that establishes the airline as the "Official Airline of Major League Soccer," the "Official Airline of MLS Cup," the "Official Airline of the MLS All-Star Game," and the "Official Airline of SuperLiga."

The agreement with Soccer United Marketing, Major League Soccer's marketing arm, provides American Airlines -- a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance -- a variety of promotional and marketing opportunities with both MLS and SuperLiga, a tournament series between the Mexican First Division and Major League Soccer in July and August 2008.

"We are thrilled to be associated with one of America's increasingly popular sports leagues," said Roger Frizzell, American Airlines Vice President -- Corporate Communications and Advertising. "We are especially pleased to have the opportunity to sponsor the SuperLiga tournament series, which in its first year attracted more than 10 million viewers in both Mexico and the U.S. We think this is a phenomenal opportunity to capitalize on the diversity of the MLS fan base."

The agreement includes on-site advertising, television advertising on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Espanol, promotional and marketing rights, on-site signage, and in-game promotional opportunities.

"With the MLS' recent additions of star players David Beckham, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Duilio Davino to its teams' rosters and plans for future expansion, we are proud to be a part of the league's continued growth and success," said Frizzell. "The fact that the MLS product continues to be increasingly popular within the Hispanic community also creates a great opportunity to showcase American Airlines' history of extensive service to Latin America and Mexico."

"We are excited about the new partnership with American Airlines," said Kathy Carter, Executive Vice President, Soccer United Marketing. "Together, we will provide our passionate fans with the opportunity to connect to their favorite teams. The sky is the limit when the world's most popular game aligns with the world's largest airline."

(Source: Yahoo.com)