Real Madrid and Emirates Reveal Shirt Sponsorship Deal
May 30, 2013
Spanish football giants Real Madrid have confirmed that Emirates Airline will be their new shirt sponsor after agreeing a deal worth a reported €120m ($156m).
The news had been known for some time, but the deal was confirmed at a ceremony on Thursday at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez attended the event accompanied by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates.
Perez said: “We want a strong Real Madrid and part of that comes through alliances with large companies. Today we are making this alliance with the world’s most important airline and it is an alliance for the present and for the future.
Allegiance between two leaders
Perez went on to describe the partnership as an allegiance between ‘two global brands and two leading organisations.’
“This is one of the club’s most important decisions,” he added. “It is an honour to link the Emirates name to Real Madrid’s because they are a perfect partner and ally and we are both in the permanent search of victory”.
The new deal will run until the 2017-18 season and sees online betting firm Bwin removed from the famous shirt.. The Bwin deal was reportedly worth €40m ($52m).
As a part of the deal, Real will head to the UAE in January to take part in the Dubai Football Challenge.
Sheikh Al Maktoum commented: “This is the most successful team in the world and we will continue to support it. This new alliance will benefit the Real Madrid fans and we would like the team to come to Dubai because there are many fans there who want to see the best players in the world.”
Emirates has a huge sponsorship programme in sport and especially football, with deals in place with Arsenal, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Hamburger SV amongst others.
The airline also has a large sponsorship presence in tennis, rugby, motorsport, sailing, cricket, golf and horseracing to name a few.
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