Way.com just made its first major move into sports sponsorship — and it's a smart one.
The car services platform announced it's becoming the Official Parking Partner of Chicago Fire FC, handling pre-booked parking for all home matches at Soldier Field. Fans will be able to find, book, and pay for parking directly through the Fire's website and mobile app alongside ticket purchases.
Why Parking Is an Underrated Sponsorship Category
Parking doesn't get the glamour of jersey patches or stadium naming rights. But it's one of the highest-friction touchpoints in the matchday experience — and that makes it a high-impact sponsorship.
Every fan who drives to Soldier Field interacts with the parking experience. If Way.com eliminates the stress of circling for a spot, that's a brand impression that registers at an emotional level.
"Way brings a modern, fan-friendly approach to parking that aligns with our commitment to elevating the matchday experience." — Goyo Perez, SVP Corporate Partnerships, Chicago Fire FC
The Platform Play
What makes Way.com interesting as a sports sponsor is the platform model. Beyond parking, they offer insurance comparisons, car washes, gas and EV charging deals, and vehicle maintenance. Soldier Field gives them a captive audience of car owners — their exact target demo — every match day.
For Way.com, this deal is about customer acquisition through utility. You book parking for the Fire game, you download the app, and suddenly you're seeing offers for insurance and car washes. It's a funnel, not just a logo.
What This Signals
The tech-meets-services category is increasingly targeting sports sponsorship as an acquisition channel. Companies like Way.com are choosing specific functional partnerships over broad awareness plays — parking partner, food delivery partner, ride-share partner.
These operational sponsorships deliver direct user engagement rather than passive brand exposure.
For MLS clubs and other mid-market properties, this is encouraging: there's a growing class of tech companies looking for their first sports deal, and they're willing to pay for the right activation structure.
Small deal? Maybe. Smart deal? Absolutely.
