Ajax has joined European rivals Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Paris St-Germain in opening an office in New York City to further its international reach.
The office’s aim is principally to “connect companies and clubs in the US to the Ajax brand”. As part of the club’s US push, Ajax will take part in the Florida Cup in January.
Edwin van der Sar, the Ajax chief executive, said in a statement: “The growing popularity of soccer in the US was the main reason for us to investigate this market more closely. This fits our strategy to look more and more outside our own borders.
“Ajax is a well-known name in the US soccer scene and the name of the club gets more and more name recognition. That fact prompted our desire for a structural presence in that market.”
Ajax already has official partnerships with several foreign clubs: Guangzhou in China, Sagan Tosu in Japan and Sydney FC in Australia. It is also a 51-per-cent owner of Ajax Cape Town in South Africa.
Further reading: How Bayern’s NYC office helped to secure 15 new partnerships
