March 2 – Spanish giants FC Barcelona are reportedly in the final stages of contract negotiation with Qatar Airways for a new four-year sponsorship that will see the club earn €50 million from the airline.
Qatar Airways has been a Barca sponsor since 2010 but lost its position as shirt sponsor to Japanese e-commerce to FinTech services group Rakuten in a €55 million a year deal that will start next season and run through to the end of the 2020/21 season.
Rakuten’s deal – they will be designated as Barca’s Global Innovation and Entertainment Partner – could rise to as much as €61.5 million per season if Barca wins La Liga and the Champions League, a deal that tops Manchester United’s £52 millon-a-season with Chevrolet. Rakuten has an option to extend for a fifth season.
When the Rakuten deal was done the door was always left open for Qatar Airways to continue their involvement with the club.
They were paying €30 million a year under their old deal and it had been rumoured they would switch to sponsorship of the club’s training kits.
That now looks unlikely with the airline more likely to become the club’s official airline with a package of digital marketing rights, signage and use of the club’s marks and players in its marketing.
The airline recently released a new TV ad featuring Barcelona players travelling through an airport.
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