Target To Partner With Major League Soccer, Make Big Push Into The Sport

Target Corp. will be the official partner of Major League Soccer, marking its largest push into team sports, the company said Thursday. The multi-year partnership includes airtime during broadcasts and in-stadium experiences. Additionally, Target said it will become a partner of the Minnesota United soccer team and will have its logo on the team's official jersey. Target will also support youth soccer programs. "There are so many things that drew us to soccer -- it's multicultural, watched and played by families and is growing immensely in popularity," said Rick Gomez, a senior vice president at Target, in the press release. Shares of Target were down 1% in premarket trade Thursday. Shares of Target have fallen 3.4% in the past 12 months, compared to the S&P 500's gain of 21%.