Union soccer team wins sponsorship from Bimbo bakery

The Philadelphia Union is getting hitched to Bimbo.

No, the team has not signed a promiscuous, dull-witted semi-celebrity to play midfield.

The soccer club is poised to announce a major sponsorship deal that will stamp the routinely mispronounced name of the giant Mexico-based baker onto the front of the team jersey.

The four-year, roughly $12 million agreement with the U.S. arm of Grupo Bimbo S.A.B. de C.V. represents a victory for the Union, which has labored to sign a shirt sponsor that is iconic, well-financed, and regionally based.

Bimbo Bakeries USA has its headquarters in Horsham, operates 34 bakeries nationwide, and produces breads, cakes, and treats familiar to anyone who loads a cart at an Acme. Popular brands include Entenmann's pastries, Stroehmann bread, Old Country bread, Boboli pizza crust, and Thomas' English muffins.

In the agreement, Bimbo also becomes an official sponsor of Major League Soccer, joining a handful of firms that simultaneously support both a team and the league. That aspect of the agreement opens MLS stadiums and events to Bimbo signage and promotions.

An official announcement is scheduled for Tuesday at PPL Park in Chester. Team and company officials confirmed the outlines of the agreement to The Inquirer.

"A good strategic fit for them, and a good strategic fit for us," said Union chief executive officer Nick Sakiewicz. "Each one helps promote the other."

And, he added, "it's a cool name. It's a 'Wawa-like' name."

The correct pronunciation is "Beem-bo." But the misunderstanding is driving the company to try to persuade consumers that its name does not glorify dim blondes.

The dilemma has led Bimbo to place billboards along I-95 that instruct, "Say 'Beembo!'," and to trademark that phrase. The soccer deal is part of a push for accurate promotion and wide exposure - and greater sales.

"The big attraction for us is, we want to build the Bimbo brand in the U.S., and we think soccer is on the rise," said Vince Melchiorre, senior vice president of Bimbo USA.

He's confident the agreement will do more than build name recognition: "It builds sales and it builds profits."

The company runs its brands regionally, placing general managers in select cities across the country - which made the league component crucial, he said.

"I wanted to have the deal be broader than Philadelphia, because the brand is broader than Philadelphia," Melchiorre said. "A national element is really important to us."