WireImage and Major League Soccer Renew Photography Deal

NEW YORK, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- WireImage and Major League Soccer have renewed a multi-year partnership according to which WireImage will continue to handle usage, licensing, and distribution of MLS photography. The League's preferred vendor, WireImage will also hold the exclusive commercial rights for the licensing and distribution of MLS photography to editorial, consumer, and MLS corporate clients, including sponsors, licensees, and broadcasters.

Over the past three years, WireImage's expansive network of professional photographers have worked with Major League Soccer team photographers to provide more than 32,000 images of MLS players, games, and events to some 3,800 editorial and commercial outlets worldwide. This marks the largest collection of MLS photos ever to be made available in the history of the League. Recent media placements include a double-truck spread in ESPN the Magazine, inserts in Sports Illustrated, as well as full pages in Futbol Mundial and Business Week.

"WireImage has delivered both on archive management and representation, bringing MLS enhanced visibility among corporate partners and the media," said Stu Crystal, Vice President, Marketing and Consumer Products at Major League Soccer. "Looking forward, we'll also rely on WireImage's significant international expansion to see our images distributed far and wide."

As Major League Soccer welcomes David Beckham to the Los Angeles Galaxy in July, WireImage will be able to provide such staple photographic services as portrait sessions and red carpet coverage, but also unique cross-over opportunities between sports and entertainment.

About WireImage

The WireImage agency divisions (Entertainment, Sports, News, Creative, Video, and Mobile) provide professionally licensed visual assets and assignment services to the world media on a real-time basis. Launched in 2001, WireImage operates wholly-owned offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas, London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney, Madrid, and Amsterdam and works with local affiliates in over 60 countries. WireImage is part of MediaVast, Inc.

For more information, please visit http://www.wireimage.com/. About Major League Soccer

Major League Soccer is the premier professional soccer league in the United States and features stars from the U.S. and across the globe. Entering its 12th season in April 2007, the League is preparing for a year like none before, as two new soccer-specific stadiums open and a new team kicks off north of the U.S. border. Toronto FC, the 13th team in MLS, begins play this season at soccer-specific BMO Field in Toronto. The Colorado Rapids also open their new stadium, Dick's Sporting Goods Park, when the season begins. The League now features six soccer-specific stadiums that are home to seven of the League's 13 teams. The 2007 MLS season kicks off on April 7 with the Rapids hosting D.C. United at 3:30 ET live on ABC. Major League Soccer's national television partners are ABC/ESPN, Univision, Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Espanol and HDNet. The 13 teams in MLS are: the Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Chivas USA, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, New England Revolution, Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC. For more information about MLS, log on to the League's official Web site at http://www.mlsnet.com/.