Mastercard Continues Focus to Champion Women with New Additions to Global Sponsorship Portfolio
LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mastercard?src=hash” target=”_blank”gt;#Mastercardlt;/agt;–Mastercard, one of the world’s most active sponsors of major sporting
events, is strengthening its commitment to women’s football. The move
sends a powerful signal for gender equality in sports and demonstrates a
continued focus on gender balanced marketing. Mastercard has been a
long-standing advocate of the importance of diversity, inclusion and
partnering to promote good governance and integrity in sport.
For 25 years, Mastercard has been a major sponsor of women’s football.
As the game becomes more professional and competitive, Mastercard
believes it is an opportune moment to invest in clubs and players, as
this is the most direct way of putting much needed resources into
women’s sports. Designed to help to grow the clubs and players while
raising visibility and appeal to a broader range of fans and
enthusiasts, Mastercard’s latest investment recognises the women who
play and supports the clubs they play for.
Women’s football is now the leading participation sport among young
women and is projected to continue to grow through the success of the
club game and the emergence of “super talents” on the world stage.
The latest global sponsorships in women’s football are trailblazers in
this process and feature a combination of clubs and players: Arsenal
Football Club and Olympique Lyonnais together with a series
of team brand ambassadors.
Olympique
Lyonnais has just become European Women’s Champions for a record
sixth time in their eighth consecutive league final. The club also
completed the French domestic double, their 13th league title in
succession.
Leading the Olympique Lyonnais Mastercard women’s football ambassador
charge is Ada Hegerberg, Olympique Lyonnais striker and the first
ever Ballon d’Or Feminine Recipient in 2018. The Ballon d’Or is
historically an annual award given to the best male player in the world.
It was started in 1956. Hegerberg is joined by teammates Kadeisha
Buchanan, Olympique Lyonnais defender, Canada National Team captain; Saki
Kumagai, Olympique Lyonnais defender, Japan National Team captain;
and Wendie Renard, Olympique Lyonnais captain and former French
National Team captain who has played in all six of the club’s European
championships.
Arsenal
Women FC is the reigning Women’s Super League (WSL) champions and
have won the league a record 12 times out of a potential total of 17
contests.
With her historic ties to Arsenal, Alex Scott, retired captain
for Arsenal & English National Team, Financial Times Woman of the Year,
MBE, pioneering broadcaster and the first female analyst for men’s
football will be Mastercard’s lead female football ambassador.
“I am honoured to join Mastercard in supporting and advocating for women
athletes in their quest for greatness and their pursuit of careers in
all areas of professional sport. Together with Mastercard, I am thrilled
to help make a difference in growing women’s football,” said Scott.
Both teams’ success is a model for women’s football and has been built
on a progressive vision conceived many years ago of having fully
professional teams.
Joining this strong and influential roster are team captains Pernille
Harder, VfL Wolfsburg striker, Danish National Team captain; and Sam
Kerr, Chicago Red Stars forward, Australia National Team captain.
“We believe that brands that connect to the passions of their audience
become more relevant, trusted and integrated into people’s lives. As we
move from moments to movements, our focus is on ensuring that both are
activities and our sponsorship properties represent the passions and
beliefs of those we serve,” said Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and
communications officer, Mastercard. “By investing significantly in
women’s football, as a professional and influential sport, we have an
opportunity to directly impact the lives of athletes and help build
sustainable programs to which girls and women around the world can
aspire.”
Mastercard’s premier circle of sports sponsorship includes many of the
world’s marque sporting events and organizations such as the
Roland-Garros, The Australian Open, UEFA Champions League, PGA TOUR®,
Major League Baseball, Rugby World Cup, The Open, Copa América, and
League of Legends Esports among others. Mastercard uses it partnerships
and assets to create Priceless
experiences and Priceless
surprises to help cardholders get closer to the games and athletes
they love.
– ENDS –
Note to editors:
About Mastercard
Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com,
is a technology company in the global payments industry. Our global
payments processing network connects consumers, financial institutions,
merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and
territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce
activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and
managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for
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Contacts
Mastercard
Rose Beaumont at rose.beaumont@mastercard.com
Kara
Condon at kara.condon@mastercard.com
Jennifer
Stalzer at jennifer.stalzer@mastercard.com