TCL Communication expands MLS club partnerships with Atlanta United FC, LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls and Seattle Sounders FC

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Feb 28, 2019, 09:00 ET

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL Communication, the third-largest mobile phone manufacturer in North America¹ and maker of Alcatel and BlackBerry smartphones, is expanding its club partnerships through Major League Soccer (MLS). This includes extending the existing brand partnerships with five-time MLS Cup Champions LA Galaxy and 2016 MLS Cup Champion Seattle Sounders FC, while adding new brand partnerships with the reigning MLS Cup Champion Atlanta United FC and reigning MLS Supporters' Shield holder New York Red Bulls. These multi-year brand partnerships secure TCL's position as the Official Smartphone and Tablet Partner for all four clubs.

Since first partnering with MLS clubs in 2015, TCL Communication has brought its Alcatel and BlackBerry Mobile brand and device experiences to thousands of MLS fans throughout North America. This has included unique pre-match fan experiences, in-game fan engagement, social media and digital campaigns, in-game brand advertising, in-market promotions and community engagement.

"The clubs have been important partners for our mobile device business here in North America, providing us the opportunity to directly reach our customers and create engaging, meaningful fan experiences for them," said Eric Anderson, General Manager for TCL Communication, North America. "Renewing our partnerships with LA Galaxy and the Seattle Sounders FC is a validation of our relationship with both clubs, and we're very excited to work with both Atlanta United FC and New York Red Bulls beginning this season. All four clubs represent some of the most passionate fanbases in the league, giving us new opportunities to reach fans."

"We're excited to partner with Alcatel as the Official Smartphone and Consumer Tablet of Atlanta United," said Tim Zulawski, AMB Sports and Entertainment Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer. "Our club is constantly looking for strategic opportunities to further engage with our growing fanbase and our partnership with Alcatel, an innovative leader in the industry, exemplifies that."

"The LA Galaxy are extremely proud of our longstanding partnership and continued work with TCL Communication," said Robert Vartan, Senior Director of Global Partnerships, LA Galaxy. "Engaging our fans is a core priority of the club and working alongside TCL Communication has allowed us to offer numerous unique and beneficial opportunities and experiences. TCL aligns with our values and we look forward to working closely together for many years to come."

For more information on Alcatel products, please visit us.alcatelmobile.com.

About TCL Communication

TCL Communication Technology Holdings Limited (TCL Communication) designs, manufactures and markets an expanding portfolio of mobile devices and services worldwide through a comprehensive, multi-brand portfolio that includes TCL, Alcatel, BlackBerry and Palm branded products. The company's portfolio of products are currently sold in over 160 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Incorporated in Hong Kong, TCL Communication operates its own manufacturing in China with additional R&D centers worldwide. For more information, please visit www.tclcom.com.

TCL is a registered trademark of TCL Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Alcatel is a trademark of Nokia used under license by TCL Communication.

Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and EMBLEM Design are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, used under license, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.

Palm is a trademark owned by TCL Communication and under license by Palm Ventures Group through Wide Progress Global.

About Atlanta United

Atlanta United joined Major League Soccer in 2017 and won the 2018 MLS Cup in just its second season of existence, the earliest an expansion team has won the title since 1998. During its inaugural season, Atlanta also became just the fourth team in league history to qualify for MLS Cup Playoffs in its first year. The club has set multiple league records including season tickets sales (36,000-plus), single-game attendance (72,243), single-season average (53,002) and total home attendance (901,033). Owned by one of the city's most influential businessmen and philanthropists, Arthur M. Blank, and led by club President Darren Eales, Atlanta United plays its home matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For more information about Atlanta United, including how to purchase season tickets, visit: www.atlutd.com and follow @ATLUTD.

About LA Galaxy

The LA Galaxy is an American professional soccer club, based in Los Angeles that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS). It is the league's most-decorated club, having won the MLS Cup a record five times (2002, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014) – the MLS Supporters' Shield four times (1998, 2002, 2010, 2011,) and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup twice (2001, 2005), and is one of just two MLS teams to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup (2000).

About New York Red Bulls

The New York Red Bulls are one of 24 teams in Major League Soccer (MLS). They are one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its founding in 1996. They currently play home matches at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. RBA, a state-of-the-art, 25,000-seat stadium, is widely regarded as the top soccer-specific stadium in North America. The Red Bulls are the reigning MLS Supporters' Shield Winners, the third time the club has finished with the best record in MLS in the last six seasons. The club is owned by the Austrian beverage company Red Bull GmbH for which the team is named.

About Seattle Sounders FC

Winner of the 2016 MLS Cup, 2014 MLS Supporters' Shield and four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championships (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014), Sounders FC is Seattle's Major League Soccer franchise. The club received an MLS charter on November 13, 2007 and has qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in every year of its existence. Sounders FC reached a milestone in 2016, as the franchise claimed its first MLS Cup championship with a road victory over Toronto FC, which was followed by a second consecutive berth in the league championship in 2017. Since the club's debut MLS season in 2009, Sounders FC has set the standard for soccer support in North America, leading the league in attendance for eight consecutive seasons (2009-2016) and routinely ranking in the top 30 in attendance among all professional teams internationally. Prior to joining MLS, the Seattle Sounders organization has been a part of the greater Seattle community and U.S. Soccer professional scene since 1974.

¹ Based on IDC Mobile Phone Tracker – Q4 2018

SOURCE TCL Communication