Charlotte FC extends founding Ally partnership
Charlotte FC has extended its founding partnership with Ally Financial into the next decade, retaining the company as its front-of-shirt sponsor and official banking partner.
Charlotte FC has agreed a multi-year extension with Ally Financial, continuing a sponsorship that helped underpin the club’s successful bid to join Major League Soccer.The agreement keeps Ally on the front of Charlotte’s shirts and extends its role as official banking partner, alongside community programmes and matchday activities for supporters and customers.Eric Sudol, chief revenue officer of Tepper Sports & Entertainment, said: “Ally’s belief and support in Charlotte FC has been an integral part of our club’s journey, and we’re excited to build upon one of the strongest partnerships in all of Major League Soccer.“Ally’s continued commitment reflects a shared belief in the growth of our club, the passion of our fan base, and the future of our communities. Extending our partnership with Ally is a milestone worth celebrating, and we look forward to continuing to invest in the next generation while building a legacy that will endure far beyond the pitch.”Ally committed as founding and lead partner in July 2019, before Charlotte had been awarded an MLS franchise, giving the financial services company a connection to the club from its earliest development.The company has a substantial corporate presence in Uptown Charlotte, while the club has ranked among MLS’s top five for attendance in every season since beginning play.Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and PR officer at Ally Financial, said: “Seeing what this club has become, the passion it has inspired and the impact we’ve created together made this an easy decision.“We believed in Charlotte FC before there was even a team, and we’ve been deeply invested in its success ever since. We’re proud to double down on that commitment and keep building together, showing up for supporters and making a difference across the Charlotte region.”Community activity has become a substantial part of the partnership, including the Pitches for Progress initiative, which opened its seventh mini-pitch in September.Ally also presents Greater Goals, Charlotte’s free after-school football and literacy programme for pupils at elementary schools receiving federal support for children from low-income families.Since launching in 2022, the programme has reached more than 40 schools and distributed nearly 70,000 books, with almost 500 Ally employees volunteering across the club’s community activities.The partners will mark the extension at Charlotte’s final regular-season home match on October 31, with a pre-match celebration and a commemorative patch recalling the inaugural season.Ally customers will receive benefits including access to stadium activities, pre-match pitch passes and concession credits, connecting the sponsorship with the company’s banking audience.Charlotte FC is owned by David Tepper and forms part of Tepper Sports & Entertainment, alongside the Carolina Panthers and Bank of America Stadium.