Symbol of Rural America Gets Exclusive License to Carry World Cup Merch

In a bizarre pairing of cosmopolitan sport and isolationist domestic customer base, Walmart has landed a worldwide exclusive license to carry merchandise for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. So put down that NASCAR jacket and pick up a Messi jersey.↵↵While Walmart maintains a prevalent enough worldwide presence for it to work, it is still predominantly an American company (about 4,200 of its roughly 7,800 stores are located in the U.S.) promoting an event that, while growing more popular in America, is still of limited appeal, especially to the segment of the population that frequents Walmart (not a comment on their intelligence, rather noting that most American soccer fans reside in urban areas, where Walmarts are not).↵

↵↵Perhaps the thinking is that Walmart’s global reach is extensive enough that FIFA isn’t concerned whether they inconvenience a share of its market in the U.S. The deal could be a big coup in terms of perception for Walmart, as well. Customers might view the embrace of a globally popular event as a deviation from the “git-‘er-done” crowd, which fits in with the big box behemoth’s marketing attempts at looking more approachable.↵

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