New York - MLS and Heineken have reached a deal making the European beer company the official beer sponsor of MLS. The deal is set to start in January 2015, and is set to run for five years. The deal rumored to be worth $50 million spread over the life of the contract, will replace the previous sponsorship deal with Budweiser. 

Heineken, being the official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, is a fitting choice to sponsor MLS as they are making their claim to being a premier soccer league. 

This deal coming not too far off of the heels of Major League Soccer’s recent TV deal with ESPN, FOX and Univision, is just another example of MLS head office capitalizing on recent success. 

MLS, however may become a victim of their own success. With the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring December 31, 2014, players will look to receive a piece of the now enlarged pie. 

This along with the TV rights deal will also bring some much needed stabilization to MLS. With New York City FC and Orlando City SC entering the league, and Chivas USA/LA2 going on an indefinite hiatus, the landscape of the league is changing very quickly. Not to mention the rumors of a New York Red Bulls sale

Although MLS may not be exactly where it wants to be, it does seem to be on track to become a top 10 soccer league by 2022.

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About the author
Jeziel Jimenez
Jeziel is a Senior at Purchase College in NY. He is pursuing a BA in Literature and Journalism. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, NBA, NFL, and currently writes for the Athletic Department at Purchase College.