Sports Then and Now

Women’s Professional Soccer and Sahlen Packing Company, Inc. of Buffalo, NY, today announced a partnership that makes Sahlen’s the “Official Hot Dog of Women’s Professional Soccer.”

Joe Sahlen, third generation owner and CEO of the family meat packing business is also owner of WPS’s newest club, Western New York Flash. The announcement, released on the day his club made Alex Morgan the first pick in the league’s college draft, put Sahlen, his company and his Flash in dual roles on center stage in Women’s Professional Soccer.

Shalen has already created a unique and ingenious business model by which his team’s business operations will be run through the meat company’s front office, requiring only additional salaries for competitive aspects of team operations, while also using the team as part of his overall marketing strategy, has added further value to the Sahlen brand by becoming a sponsor of the league.

The deal, which includes a “Sahlen’s” logo patch on all WPS team uniforms throughout the 2011 season, was announced by WPS CEO Anne-Marie Eileraas prior to the 2011 WPS Draft at the NSCAA Convention in Baltimore, Maryland.

“We are pleased to add a premier brand like Sahlen’s to our sponsorship roster in the third year of play,” said Eileraas. “With the addition of Sahlen’s as another national sponsor, we are ahead of our plans to bring on new sponsors for the 2011 season – well in advance of pre-season.” As part of the deal, Sahlen’s will also receive placement on the WPS website.

“We are so proud to partner with Women’s Professional Soccer as the league’s official hot dog,” said Joe Sahlen. “The league reaches the targeted family demographic for our products and brand that makes it an attractive property.” The Sahlen brand is known for deli meats and hot dogs and is carried in all WPS markets. Sahlen is the owner of the Western New York Flash, a WPS expansion team in 2011.

Other national sponsors of Women’s Professional Soccer include PUMA, Citi, Playtex, the U.S. Coast Guard – sponsor of the past two WPS All-Star Games – and MedImmune.

The 2011 WPS Season will kick off with its first game on Saturday, April 9th as the Atlanta Beat host the Boston Breakers at KSU Soccer Stadium in Kennesaw, GA. The full 2011 WPS Season schedule will be announced in February. The league’s six clubs will contest 18 regular season games from April through August, which will be followed by a four-team playoff and the 2011 WPS Championship presented by Citi on August 27-28.