Kit & Club: San Jose Earthquakes and Intermedia Cloud Communications

The San Jose Earthquakes, a founding member of Major League Soccer since the league’s inception in 1996, have been a prominent fixture in the innovative Silicon Valley scene throughout the team’s history. When the soccer-specific Earthquakes Stadium opened in early 2015, San Jose had proven once again they were ahead of the technological curve. 2-time MLS winners in 2001 and 2003. The 2019 MLS Digital Team of the Year. The club had the pedigree to match the innovation. And this year, they found a kit sponsor to match that persona.

Enter Intermedia Cloud Communications. A new partner for the Quakes, Intermedia Cloud Communications signed on in January of this year to serve as the team’s kit sponsor. Additionally, the deal includes the exclusive use of Intermedia’s technology for all club communications within the Earthquakes organization. They also have branding presence renaming the suites area at Earthquakes Stadium to the Intermedia Suites.

Being in the mecca of emerging technologies, it was a natural fit for San Jose’s professional soccer team to partner with an organization that was founded one year before the Quakes’ inaugural season.

“The jersey sponsor at any club is special and our fans take pride in understanding the new addition to the club,” said Courtney Ksiazek, Director of Partnership Marketing for the Earthquakes. “It’s a natural fit especially being locally based out of Sunnyvale. They truly have a visible presence, front and center with our team on matchdays both at home and on the road.”

The kit sponsorship is helping Intermedia treat clients and support their sales team with gameday hospitality. With a multi-year deal in the books, the cloud business applications provider has already been a large influence on the matchdays thus far in the Quakes’ season.

“The kit sponsorship is a massively visible part of our partnership and it’s been great to see the Intermedia team embrace soccer culture,” said Ksiazek. “Their owned suite as part of the deal is completely decorated with signed jerseys, logo branding, and game photos. They’ve really made it their own so that their guests have an incredible experience.”

With the team adorning the kits during all home and away matches throughout the season, the increased exposure syncs up well for the tech organization as they are being rooted in the Bay but elevated across the country. In addition to TV, OTT, and online broadcasts, Intermedia receives additional exposure in all visuals with the jersey being captured on the Quakes’ official channels, MLS channels, additional sports platforms, and by fans in attendance amongst others.

“It is very telling of a kit sponsor when the players and fans have a desire to understand and welcome this new partner to the Quakes family,” said Ksiazek. “The beauty of our fan base is that they feel one with the club leading to a true care about our kit sponsor as part of our growth.”

So what led the two organizations to partner with one another?

“We want to be in it together, we want to build something special together,” said Ksiazek. “Both of our organizations are hungry. We are able to deliver gameday experiences and be a megaphone for their business and share their story. In return, they help to reinforce our bond. Whoever they are talking to, they are using our name, using the association of our partnership. For this market, being in tech, they see the value in our platform.”

Much like Intermedia, their partnership with the Quakes operates on a broad spectrum utilizing many assets that helps bring out the best for both organizations. Once the MLS season resumes, the partnership culminating in Silicon Valley will be one to keep in contact with.