Former Homegrown Gutman comes back to Chicago.
CHICAGO, IL–After going 2023 without a shirt sponsor on the front of the jersey, the Fire will have one as they return to primarily red kits in 2024. Online auto retailer Carvana will adorn the red kits as well as the alternative kits in what Sportico has dubbed the largest in club history. The Carvana logo will also appear on the shirts for Chicago Fire II and Academy sides.
“We’ve been approached by several potential partners for front-of-kit opportunity, and for us it was really important to partner with a company that not only supports the Fire but also one with aligned vision and goals,” Baldwin said in an interview. “If you look at their customer-first experience, it really aligns closely with what we’re trying to do.”
“Carvana is excited to partner with the Chicago Fire FC because it’s a team with a rich history in the MLS and is doing great things both on and off the field,” says Ryan Keeton, Carvana Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer. “Carvana has served Illinois customers for almost a decade and this new partnership underscores our commitment to the Chicagoland area. We can’t wait to kick things off and look forward to connecting local fans to the team and the game they love.”
It has not bee all that rosy for Carvana in Illinois, though. Its dealer license suspended twice by the state last year due to failure of transferring title and registration in a timely manner per state law. Carvana, reached a negotiated settlement with the state after the long-running regulatory dispute in January of 2023, now looks to move on with normal operations. They later received a boost in August after the Illinois legislature passed a law permitting home delivery of automobiles by companies like Carvana.
The Fire went without a main shirt sponsor in 2023 after Motorola pulled out–in part due to Apple’s takeover of MLS broadcast rights. Additionally, the Sportico article cites the team saying overall revenue is up 80% year over year, while ticketing and sponsorship revenue has more than doubled. After previously being near the bottom of the league in sponsor count, the club is poised to have roughly 60 partners on board next season, a solid uptick after having fewer than 40 a year ago.
On the soccer front, first reported by Alex Calabrese of Men In Red 97, the Fire have traded defender Miguel Navarro and $450,000 of general allocation money (GAM) to Colorado for defender Andrew Gutman. Gutman is now signed to the Fire through 2026 with a club option in 2027.
Gutman was a product of the Fire Academy before moving on to Glasgow Celtic in 2019 and later FC Cincinnati. This will be Gutman’s fourth MLS team after spells with Cincinnati, Atlanta United, and Colorado (excluding a loan spell with New York Red Bulls). In all, Gutman, 27, has made 107 appearances in MLS play (90 starts), recording 10 goals and 10 assists as a fullback.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andrew back to the Fire,” said Chicago Fire FC Sporting Director Georg Heitz. “Andrew is an attacking fullback who possesses the specific skillset that we were seeking for this position. Additionally, as a Chicagoan and former Academy player, he understands what it means to represent this Club and is extremely motivated to help the team achieve our goals in 2024.”
The Venezuelan international Navarro leaves the Fire after making 58 appearances over four seasons, scoring three goals. The Fire would get a percentage of any transfer fee should it be to a club outside MLS.
