By Paul Nicholson
December 2 – AC Milan have renewed their shirt sponsorship deal with Emirates airline in a five-year deal reported to be worth €85 million.
The deal shows that the airline still has an appetite for football sponsorship despite having pulled out of its FIFA Worldwide Partner sponsorship that would have taken it through the 2018 and 2022 World Cups . Emirates maintains a powerful portfolio of club sponsorships in Europe that include Arsenal, Real Madrid, PSG, Olympiakos and Hamburger SV (though this deal is rumoured to be in the balance). Te ariline also sponsors the Asian Football Confederation and the Zain Saudi Professional League.
Emirates undertook its FIFA sponsorship in 2007 during a period of massive global expansion for the airline. The renewed Milan deal also comes with airline activity.
“It is only fitting that we are re-signing with Italy’s most well-known football club, on the same day we land the world’s largest aircraft – our flagship A380 – in Milan,” said Emirates president Tim Clark.
The previous deal with Milan was worth €11.7 million ($14.6 million) per season, plus bonuses, and ended next year. With bonuses, the new agreement could be worth €100 million – a 40% increase.
Milan has talked about moving to a new club-owned stadium, leaving the iconic San Siro which it shares with Inter Milan. Clark said if that happened then Emirates would be interested in the naming rights.
“We’ve already done it with Arsenal and it’s been a great success, If there will be an auction Emirates will participate,” he said.
Emirates began its relationship with AC Milan in 2007, signing up as the club’s Top Institutional Sponsor for three years before expanding its relationship in 2010 by signing a four-year deal to become the club’s official shirt sponsor. The renewed deal will take them through to the 2019/20 season.
As well as the Emirates logo appearing on the front of AC Milan’s playing and training kits, the airline also receives branding within the San Siro Stadium, The Emirates Lounge – a dedicated in-stadia hospitality suite, sponsorship of the youth team and a package of other marketing rights.
Club vice president Barbara Berlusconi said: “It will be a big help for the next transfer campaigns and for the future of Milan. We want to return to the Champions League as soon as possible.”
AC Milan will visit Dubai to compete in a friendly match against Emirates-sponsored Spanish club Real Madrid in The Dubai Football Challenge December 30 – during the winter break for both clubs.
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