By Mark Baber
May 20 – Under a year since Emirates became the official airline of Sport Lisboa e Benfica, a three-year shirt sponsorship deal has been agreed between the two parties, whereby Fly Emirates will be displayed on the team jersey until the end of the 2017/18 season.
The new deal was signed in Lisbon on Tuesday by Sir Tim Clark, Emirates President and CEO and Benfica’s President Luis Filipe Vieira with a version of the new season kit with Emirates branding showcased at the press conference.
The upgrading of the partnership goes hand-in-hand with the announcement that Emirates will be adding a second daily flight between Lisbon and Dubai from early in 2016.
Sir Tim Clark said: “Expanding our connection with Benfica today highlights our commitment to sports sponsorship around the world, a marketing strategy adopted at an early stage of the airline’s 30 years. As one of the top football club’s in Europe and with a strong international appeal, Benfica is well placed to join the Emirates sponsorship portfolio.
“This announcement is not just about sport, it is also an Emirates investment in Portugal. Since we started flying from Dubai to Lisbon in 2012, we have experienced a sturdy demand for our daily flight and now we look to 2016 and doubling the ways to increase the mutually beneficial trade and tourism our flights brings to the country.”
Benfica President, Luis Filipe Vieira said: “We share with Emirates a bold and modern vision, a growth strategy sustained in medium and long term projects and in the nonconformity of those who always assume new challenges.
“The strength of a new idea was the seed of our foundation in 1904. From now on the strength of this new partnership with Emirates will make us fly higher and reach further. Sport Lisboa e Benfica was born in Portugal, but it’s a club of the world that turned global with Eusébio, Coluna, Simões, José Augusto and many other players who left a heritage of amazing football and European conquests that we aim to repeat.
“After the partnership with our youth football, to be able to announce Emirates as the main sponsor of Benfica’s professional football is an honour and a responsibility. Benfica will now be a part of an elite group of football clubs of which many aim to be a part of, but few succeed: to show off Fly Emirates in their jerseys! We will know how to honour this responsibility.”
Benfica, who have just won their 34th Primiera Liga trophy are part of an Emirates’ sponsorship portfolio which includes the Asian Football Confederation, AC Milan, Hamburger SV, Olympiacos, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.
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