Northeast Ohio marketing firm lands deal with US soccer standout - Crain's Cleveland Business

By the time Tim Martin decided to go all in on his sports marketing agency, he had spent more than a decade in the industry.

He knew the space was crowded and it was only going to get worse. That left Martin with a simple, albeit nerve-wracking choice: If he was going to leave his job as vice president of sponsorship investments for PNC Bank, he had to find his niche in a "very global field."

For Martin, a 41-year-old Mentor native who started Gallagher Sports as a side business in 2007, that field was soccer — a sport about which he is really passionate. Martin made the full-time leap to Gallagher Sports (which gets its moniker from the maiden name of his late mother, Kathie) in 2012. There were some rough early years, he admitted, but the business has grown in each of the past few years and Martin said he thinks 2020 could be the best yet.

The year got off to a productive start when Gallagher Sports, which consists of Martin and a group of interns and outside agencies, struck a deal with Tyler Boyd, a winger for the U.S. men's national soccer team.

Boyd signed an exclusive marketing representation agreement with Gallagher Sports. The agency, according to the promising forward, can help him "further engage with American brands who possess similar values to my own."

Boyd, who was born in New Zealand to an American mother and a Kiwi father, was allowed by FIFA to make a one-time switch to the U.S. men's team. He made his debut for the Americans in 2019, and he scored a pair of goals in a group-stage opener against Guyana in the Gold Cup.

In July, Turkish power Besiktas paid a Portuguese club $2.2 million for Boyd's services and signed the winger to a four-year deal.

At 25, Boyd is entering his prime soccer years, and Martin is hopeful he'll be part of U.S. clubs that could compete in the 2022 and '26 World Cups. The Americans, whose run of seven consecutive World Cup appearances ended with a flameout prior to the 2018 showcase, will begin play in the qualifying round for the 2022 World Cup in September.

"Most people don't realize what a big year this is for U.S. Soccer," Martin said.

The same description could hold true for Boyd and, in turn, Martin.

Martin said some companies have already shown an interest in working with Boyd, but finding the right fit will be key. Martin, who works out of his home in Cleveland Heights, said about 80% of his business stems from his extensive ties in soccer.

He serves as a sponsorship broker between European clubs and U.S. companies, and helps brands build marketing campaigns.

Ryan Heuser, the director of field marketing for Mark Anthony Brands, which produces the popular Mike's Hard Lemonade and White Claw Hard Seltzer products, enlisted Martin's help for promotions that were centered around the Americans' run to the championship of the 2019 Women's World Cup.

Heuser said Martin's connections with the American Outlaws, a rabid group of supporters for the men's and women's teams, were crucial in rounding up guests for White Claw-themed viewing parties in three target markets (Nashville, Orlando and Tampa) during the Women's World Cup.

"Everyone was happy. Our regional team was happy, and the accounts where we hosted (parties) were thrilled," Heuser said. "It was a great way to increase relationships."

The field marketing director said he's already trading ideas with Martin on possible promotions for this summer.

Martin has done work on the promotions side with the likes of ParkerStore (the retail arm of Parker Hannifin) and 2nd Skull. But the majority of his business stems from connecting U.S. firms with European soccer teams.

When he made Gallagher Sports his full-time job, Martin said few international clubs had sales teams in the U.S. That has changed, but the clubs tend to be understaffed and "open to working with a third party, provided they're experts in the space," Martin said.

The entrepreneur is confident he can stand out in that congested arena.