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Gunners team up with Major League Soccer's Rapids

Arsenal extended their influence into the US on Friday when it entered a partnership with Kroenke Sports Enterprises -- the owner of Major League Soccer team Colorado Rapids.

In the agreement, the clubs will exchange business, commercial and marketing information as well as the transfer of coaching "know how," Arsenal said in a statement.

The deal also includes the creation of the Arsenal Cup, a tournament involving US youth soccer clubs, that will be held at the Rapids new Dick's Sporting Goods Park complex, which is scheduled to open in April.

"We try to extend our brand," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "We try to extend our technical cooperation as well because the Americans might produce some players at some stage and that's why we do it."

The MLS side is also expected to be renamed Colorado Arsenal or Arsenal Colorado and to take on Arsenal's red and white colors. The Rapids wore a black, blue and green team strip last season.

The Rapids announced on Thursday that they would be training at Arsenal's training center near London next month.

"In today's international business community, soccer is the only true global sport that transcends ethnicity, culture and language and with this type of relationship, we are making sure that our company is expanding this vision through our worldwide sport," Rapids managing director Jeff Plush said in a statement.

The Rapids, who were one game away from reaching the MLS Cup last season, were already expected to see increased publicity this season with their US$131 million soccer complex. The 18,000-seat Dick's Sporting Goods Park will host the MLS All-Star game against Celtic in July, which will likely include newcomer David Beckham, who has a five-year deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy but remains with Spain's Real Madrid through to June 30.

Arsenal also have a partnership with Belgian team Beveren, where young and developing players are often sent on temporary contracts.

It is unclear if Arsenal will play a friendly match in the US, but Wenger said he doesn't expect the team to tour.
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