Coca-Cola makes Powerade transfer in US in bid to regain market share from Gatorade

February 20 – Coca-Cola has confirmed it’ll change BodyArmor with Powerade because the official sports activities drink of Main League Soccer (MLS) and U.S. Soccer. The beverage large, a long-standing companion of soccer’s largest tournaments, is backing Powerade’s resurgence to draw youthful customers whereas aiming to wrestle again market share from Gatorade.  

In MLS, Coca-Cola has secured Powerade’s place because the league’s official sports activities drink by means of the 2029 season, signing a recent five-year deal. BodyArmor initially assumed that function in 2019, changing AdvoCare ReHydrate, however when the 2025 MLS season kicks off this weekend, Powerade will take over. The model may even characteristic at 10 MLS golf equipment, together with Atlanta United, Austin FC and Sporting Kansas Metropolis.  

In the meantime, Coca-Cola can be holding its floor with U.S. Soccer. The corporate’s five-year settlement with the federation, signed in 2023, had initially put in BodyArmor because the official sports activities drink by means of 2028. That contract stays intact, however with Powerade taking its place. An analogous shift is anticipated amongst U.S. nationwide workforce endorsers, with stars like Alex Morgan and the Thompson sisters (Alyssa and Gisele) prone to transition from BodyArmor to Powerade. 

On the worldwide stage, Coca-Cola’s long-standing partnership with FIFA ensures that Powerade will get pleasure from prime publicity at each the 2025 Membership World Cup in america and the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The model additionally plans to unveil new male soccer ambassadors forward of this summer time’s expanded Membership World Cup, though particulars stay underneath wraps.  

The true battle, nevertheless, is towards Gatorade. PepsiCo’s sports activities drink powerhouse nonetheless dominates the U.S. market, commanding 62.8% of gross sales income within the first 9 months of 2024. In distinction, Coca-Cola’s mixed sports activities drink portfolio of Powerade and BodyArmor accounts for 19.9%, with Powerade’s 10.8% share making it a distant second. With renewed funding in soccer, although, alongside its presence within the NCAA and the U.S. Olympic setup, Coca-Cola is signalling its intent to shut the hole. 

“One of many largest alternatives now we have with Powerade is to essentially begin to age down our client, as a result of our customers have aged because the model has aged,” mentioned Thomas Gargiulo, CMO of Coca-Cola’s BodyArmor Sports activities Vitamin division (which has overseen Powerade since 2023). “Given the truth that [soccer] is primarily a youth sport within the U.S. and it’s gaining increasingly more followers daily, the common age could be very interesting for us, and finally, we felt prefer it was an amazing match for Powerade.”  

Contact the author of this story at moc.l1740048282labto1740048282ofdlr1740048282owedi1740048282sni@g1740048282niwe.1740048282yrrah1740048282.