MLS has tapped Texas-based restaurants Trill Burgers and La Barbecue for the creation of the “Game On Burger” for MLS All-Star in Austin. The burger collaboration is part of MLS’s season-long “Game On” campaign, which included a Super Bowl LIX ad starring Grammy Award-winning rapper Doechii.
The signature burger features a Trill Burgers pork belly patty with La Barbecue’s pulled pork, pickles, slaw, BBQ sauce, and Trill mustard cream. Fans will be able to access the limited creation at the MLS All-Star Game on July 23 at La Barbecue’s concession post inside Q2 Stadium at Gameday Hospitality presented by Jameson.
MLS SVP & CMO Radhika Duggal described the collaboration as a three-pronged partnership focusing on food, art, and clothing dedicated to the league’s Texas markets. “One of the things we’re really focused on is how do you use culture as a whole to broaden the awareness of MLS,” she said.
An MLS x Trill Burgers food truck custom-wrapped by local Austin muralist Efren Rebugio Jr. will appear during MLS All-Star Week events such as an activation at sneaker boutique Sneaker Politics, MLS’s Soccer Celebration, and the MLS NEXT All-Star Game. A custom Fanatics T-shirt highlighting the burger alliance will also be available.
La Barbecue is an Austin-based, Michelin-starred restaurant founded by founded by LeAnn Mueller and Ali Clem. Q2 Stadium, the home of Austin FC, became the restaurant’s first satellite location earlier this season. Austin FC’s official food and beverage partner at Q2 Stadium is Levy, operating as 512 Food Co.
Grammy-nominated musician Bun B co-founded Trill Burgers in 2021. Since then, the Houston-based company has received mass appeal with honors from “Good Morning America” in addition to having a presence at Coachella and the Houston rodeo. The smashburger joint has concession posts at NRG Stadium, Shell Energy Stadium (Houston Dynamo), and TDECU Stadium at the Univ. of Houston. Trill Burgers also were available during the 2023 Men’s Final Four and select NRG events.
Bun B said, “Our partnerships and collaborations are very important because if we pick the right collaborator, we can not only reach a high number of people, but also a very diverse group of people.”
While praising the brand’s relationships with Levy and Aramark, Bun B outlined Trill Burgers’ growth through sports.
“The model that we’ve been doing with sports venues has really worked for us because we’re sports fans,” he said. “We go to sporting events, and we know what the experience should be like for people. So that type of experience from both as a vendor and as a fan lends itself to giving people the best experience possible.”
