Connecticut Sports Group, the owner of soccer club CT United FC and its planned waterfront stadium in Bridgeport, has appointed Wasserman as its sales agency of record.
The Los Angeles-based sports marketing and talent management company will be tasked with securing a naming rights partner for the new stadium.
“Connecticut is one of the most densely populated and affluent markets in the U.S. — and the largest without a major league team,” said André Swanston, partner at Connecticut Sports Group and co-owner of CT United FC. “Wasserman is the right partner to help us bring on bold, visionary brands to be part of this journey from day one.”
The group is seeking to begin construction later this year on the 10,000-seat stadium for CT United, which will play in the MLS NEXT Pro league in 2026.
But it still needs a viable way to finance the project, which by some estimates will cost more than $90 million. Last month the group confirmed it is working with Bridgeport to potentially use a mechanism called tax increment financing – diverting real estate taxes that are generated from redevelopment to help pay for the cost of the stadium. Such a move would need state approval, and a bill supporting the mechanism passed the House of Representatives May 23.
CT Sports Group also announced its intent to submit formal bids for both a Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion club and a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise.
The stadium is also planned to support a potential women’s team and is expandable to accommodate up to 22,000 fans for a future MLS club.
The stadium is the centerpiece of a larger waterfront revitalization project which its backers project will generate $4.3 billion in economic impact across Connecticut and create more than 1,300 jobs.
“We’re excited to take this opportunity to market as we enter a pivotal period of growth for soccer in America, with the World Cup coming in 2026,” said Chris Foy, Wasserman executive vice president. “This naming rights position will provide a brand the opportunity to become a landmark in the state.”
