Rome in the USA
Roma are slowly but surely increasing their presence in America
Tucked away in the press release for Toronto’s announcement of the signing of Michael Bradley was a piece of information that most people will have totally overlooked. As part of the deal taking Bradley to Toronto a partnership has been set up between Roma and Toronto. Hardly earth-shattering stuff, but when you start to scratch away at the surface this link-up is part of a growing trend of Roma’s attempts to slowly seep into the American football culture.
This deal isn’t the first of its kind, its not even the first partnership between an MLS team and an Italian team. In the wake of Eric Thohir’s takeover of Inter Milan a partnership was announced between Inter and DC United. In the summer of 2012 Thohir became co-owner of DC United and this was the driving force behind the two clubs forging a relationship. In the announcement for the partnership it was said that both teams would share ‘organisational and competitive best practices’. The first steps towards this taking effect took place when 17 year old striker Michael Seaton joined Inter Milan’s youth team in a kind of trial scenario where Seaton will train with the Inter Milan youth team and possibly play a few games, but then return to DC United for pre-season training.
Similar links between Tottenham and the San Jose Earthquakes and Chivas Guadalajara and Chivas USA have seen the parent club send players on loan to the MLS club in order to gain experience. Its not too far-fetched to envisage Inter Milan and Roma using their partnerships in a similar vein. As part of the Toronto / Roma partnership a ‘player development’ agreement will take place whereby Toronto players will go for post-season training with Roma. This serves to benefit both Toronto and Roma, on one hand Toronto’s better youngsters will gain the experience of training with a top European club and on the other Roma will be able to get a closer look at a few of the more exciting prospects on offer from Toronto.
The deal will also see Roma play two friendlies at Toronto’s home ground in the next six years, these won’t be Roma’s first games in America, or even against Toronto. Last summer Roma took on the MLS All-Star team and came out as 3-1 victors and a crowd of over 18,000 turned out this August in Toronto to witness Roma defeat the hosts 4-1. Roma will be able to further familiarise itself with fans across the America and continue their attempts to slowly infiltrate the American market. Ever since American born investor James Pallotta gained a controlling stake of Roma he has strived to improve the club’s business prospects in America.
Roma have signed two major deals with globally known US companies. Firstly a six year deal with Disney was announced whereby Roma would use the ESPN sports complex at the Walt Disney World Resort as a winter training base. Secondly Roma announced that starting from the 2014-2015 season a ten year agreement with Nike would begin. This agreement will see Nike become the official Roma kit manufacturer. Roma broke off their previous deal with Italian kit manufacturer Kappa four years earlier than the agreed contract in order to seal an American manufacturer. The main advantage that Nike can offer over Kappa is the stocking of Roma replica kits in Nike stores across America.
James Pallotta has a lot of faith in both the Roma ‘brand’ and the potential of the MLS and football in America. Pallotta was quoted as saying ‘You’re going to be shocked in five years what happens in soccer both worldwide in the United States’. He is exactly the kind of figure that the MLS needs associated with the league. He is driven, ambitious and believes in what Don Garber, the MLS Commissioner, is trying to achieve. Pallotta’s attempts to help Roma grow in America will not only obviously benefit Roma but also the MLS in general.
This isn’t a half-hearted attempt to bulldoze entry into the American market. Pallotta is an American businessman with experience of the American sports market due to his involvement with the Boston Celtics. Pallotta is slowly trying to introduce the Roma brand to American fans, he is taking a very organic approach. Pallotta doesn’t want fans just showing up for Roma games whenever they are in town, he wants them buying Roma merchandise all year round and watching Roma games weekly. He knows that he can’t just turn up on American shores with the Roma squad in tow and expect Americans to fawn. Just ask Lionel Messi how that approach worked out for him last summer.
