The Sounders have announced that the Providence front shirt sponsor will change after the conclusion of the 2027 MLS season, letting the deal expire. However, the club will continue the Providence partnership beyond 2027, just not in the form of a front shirt sponsorship.
The original deal with Providence was initially signed for ten years at the beginning of 2023, though it included a five-year opt-out clause, which appears to be triggered. The partnership was met with widespread criticism around the fanbase, where a strongly worded statement by the Emerald City Supporters made the fan disapproval of the deal more widely known.
This change will happen in between the MLS calendar transition, where the league will have a 14-week MLS regular season and playoffs from February to May 2027. In other words, the Sounders will start that calendar year with the Providence shirt sponsorship and end it with a new entity. The full-length 2027/28 season will then begin in July 2027 and will conclude in May 2028.
In the press release by the club, “The transition reflects an amicable decision that was built on an option in the original agreement and reached through mutual long-term planning.”
Also stated in the press release is the continued partnership between the Seattle Sounders and Providence, where they will maintain the collaborated efforts in the “the Puget Sound community and Providence Swedish’s best-in-class player care will continue.”
You can read the full official announcement here.
Many supporters have been longing for the return of the iconic Xbox sponsorship, and given there are endless possibilities for future sponsorships, it’s currently unknown what the club’s next move will be.
Cover photo: Sounders FC Communications
