What will happen to Barcelona and Qatar Airways now?
Barcelona have a new global sponsor, but what does that mean for their current sponsor?
Barcelona presented a new global sponsor in the form of Rakuten on Wednesday, one of the most important e-commerce companies in Asia. The partnership was announced in an event at the club and the relationship will begin at the start of next season, lasting for four seasons. Rakuten, Barça vice president Manel Arroyo explained, will occupy all the sponsorship places which are currently held by Qatar Airways on the shirt, at Camp Nou and at the training ground.
That means that this season, 2016/17, will see Qatar Airways remain as the club’s global sponsor, as was agreed by club members at the annual general meeting last month.
“Qatar Airways will continue with us until 2017, but we haven’t spoke about what will happen in the future. We have to speak with them,” Josep Maria Bartomeu, Barça’s president said. “They have a contract until June 2017. That doesn’t mean that in time we’ll hold more talks, that’s not the case at the moment. We are very grateful to Qatar Foundation and Qatar Airways for their help and contribution in making the club sustainable. They’ve been key. As we hope happens with Rakuten. We aren’t closing the door to them or other sponsors, though, because Barça have a lot assets [for sponsorship].”
