• May 31, 2006

Despite an estimated $420 million in sponsorships by U.S.-based, a majority of Americans are unaware of where and when the 2006 Soccer World Cup will take place, or who its sponsors are, according to results of a survey released Tuesday by Global Market Insite. The survey of 1,000 respondents in the U.S. found that only 11 percent plan to watch the World Cup and only 44 percent know it will take place in Germany. More than 50 percent either said they "didn't know" the companies that were official partners of the games, or incorrectly identified them. Out of a list of international brands, U.S. fans selected Adidas the most frequently (27 percent), followed by Nike (25 percent), and Coca-Cola (16 percent). Nike, ironically, is not an official sponsor, but appears to have created an affinity with the event via its soccer-related advertising. -- Joe Mandese