The Saudi Pro League (SPL) domestic soccer league has entered into a commercial deal with soft drinks and snack foods giant PepsiCo.
Through a tie-up lasting for the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign and through the 2024-25 season, PepsiCo is now a top-tier gold partner of the 18-team league.
From PepsiCo’s range of products, Aquafina is now the league’s water partner, Pepsi is the competition’s soft drinks partner, while the sports drinks partner slot is taken by Gatorade, and Lays has come on board as the potato chips partner.
All parties will be involved in “a series of activations and events aimed at enhancing fan engagement and enjoyment on match days,” the SPL has said.
The deal sees PepsiCo add to its already significant presence in Saudi soccer, with Lays already the title sponsor of the Saudi Women’s Premier League (SWPL). That tie-up, unveiled in October, forms part of a relationship between PepsiCo and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
Lays became the first title partner of the SWPL as a result of that deal.
Carlo Nohra, chief operating officer at the Saudi Pro League, has said: “This partnership aligns with our mission to offer fans innovative and engaging experiences. PepsiCo's commitment to soccer and its global reputation for quality will undoubtedly enhance our league's appeal and the overall fan experience.”
The SPL is this month beginning a relationship with a new match ball supplier, after striking a deal with Adidas in January.
SPL teams will play with the adidas Oceaunz ball for the rest of the 2023-24 season, which runs until May. Adidas will then provide an exclusive match ball for the 2024-25 season, starting in August.
In November, meanwhile, the league announced a partnership with the Mediterranean and Gulf Insurance and Reinsurance Group, an insurance company based in the region.
Real estate firm Roshn, fully owned by the state-backed Public Investment Fund which also controls four SPL teams, has been the league's title sponsor since 2022.
During mid-2023, the SPL embarked on a player acquisition spree, with its member clubs signing a significant profile of foreign players in an attempt to grow the competition.
