Emirates, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, and top football club Real Madrid have announced a new agreement granting the airline a five year shirt sponsorship of the Club until the end of the 2017/2018 season.

The announcement was made by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airline & Group and Florentino Perez, club president of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

A newly branded kit was introduced shortly after the announcement, and the white jersey will be worn by players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Iker Casillas and Karim Benzema.

The ‘Fly Emirates’ logo will appear on the front of Real Madrid’s playing and training kits. The new agreement also contains a number of additional hospitality rights, including a branded VIP Lounge at the stadium, additional player access and further advertising rights.

Emirates will also continue to enjoy highly visible branding at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

“The announcement of our shirt sponsorship propels our relationship with Real Madrid to a whole new level. Aligning ourselves with an international powerhouse like Real Madrid helps to amplify our brand message by creating more meaningful connections with sports fans around the world. In this case, we are engaging with one of the largest fan-bases in the world,” said H.H. Sheikh Ahmed.

“The Club has been a key catalyst in the growth of our brand and business in Spain and we are confident that the new shirt sponsorship will continue our momentum of integrating our brand with the iconic Real Madrid brand, generating authentic fan experiences around the world,” said Sheikh Ahmed.

“Today, we are entering a new era as Emirates will become the Real Madrid shirt sponsor for the next five seasons, putting its signature brand name on our jerseys,” said Perez.

“This strategic alliance will have worldwide reach because our organizations touch millions and have a massive following. We are confident about what the future holds for our two global brands who see no obstacles and we are both passionate about leading the way in everything that we do.

“This key decision is significant for our team and it will allow us to continue competing at the highest level worldwide and face challenges with the determination to succeed as Real Madrid always does. Emirates is without a doubt a perfect partner for us, and a global airline operating to a broad network of destinations, bringing us closer to our fans on all continents,” added Perez.

Emirates currently offers 21 weekly flights to Spain, including a double daily flight to Madrid and a daily flight to Barcelona. – TradeArabia News Service