SEASIDE >> The Seaside City Council will consider a potential partnership with Monterey Bay Football Club at its meeting Thursday, which could include sponsorship benefits for the city.

Monterey Bay Football Club is a professional soccer club based in Monterey County.

The city of Seaside has had previous engagements with the organization through community events, youth programs and economic development discussions, according to the city.

In 2021, the United Soccer League announced MBFC joined its Championship for the 2022 season. Since that time, Monterey Bay FC has helped elevate soccer in the Monterey Bay region where the sport has long been part of the community. MBFC matches are played at Cardinale Stadium on the Cal State Monterey Bay campus.

Potential areas of partnerships may include, but are notlimited to raising the team flag at Seaside City Hall or at the Oldemeyer Center after match wins, lighting the Seaside sign on Canyon Del Rey Boulevard with the Monterey Bay FC team colors after a win and sponsorship with the club for marketing and promotion of the city of Seaside.

A partnership between the city of Seaside and Monterey Bay Football Club would include partner designation, brand marketing and activation, and hospitality benefits.

The partnership would designate the city as a proud partner of MBFC and allow it to identify as such using the MBFC approved logo, and its use on marketing communications.

Brand marketing and activation would include one stadium LED field board rotation making it visible on ESPN+, inclusion on the partner section of the club website, one stadium static field board and the collaboration between MBFC and the city of Seaside on signage near Cardinale Stadium in the city.

The USL Championship has a national media partnership with ESPN which broadcasts all league matches on ESPN+ and across linear channels.

Hospitality would include five season tickets.

The proposal from the Monterey Bay Football Club says the partnership has a 2025 season value of $35,000, but the package for the city of Seaside would cost $20,000.

The idea for a partnership between the city of Seaside and Monterey Bay Football Club began at the Jan. 16, City Council meeting when Council Member Alex Miller requested that an item be placed on a future agenda to explore a potential collaboration between the city and MBFC.

Seaside city staff is seeking direction from the City Council regarding the desired scope of the collaboration, key objectives, and any specific areas of focus for engagement with Monterey Bay FC.

Discussion by the City Council and direction on the potential partnership will provide city staff with the necessary guidance to proceed with next steps in assessing a potential partnership with Monterey Bay Football Club.

City staff recommends that the Council provide specific input on priorities and expectations to ensure an effective and beneficial partnership.

If the City Council directs staff to enter into a partnership agreement the fiscal impact would be $20,000.