Barcelona sign four-year, €220-million sponsorship deal with Japanese internet retailer Rakuten
The club will earn an extra €1.5m for winning La Liga and €5m for each Champions League title
Barcelona have agreed a new four-year deal for their shirt sponsorship with Japanese internet retailer Rakuten worth €55 million (HK$459 million) a year excluding potential add-ons, the La Liga champions said on Wednesday.
Barcelona – once renowned for never having had a sponsor on their shirts – will earn an additional €1.5 million for each time they win La Liga and an additional €5 million for each time they win the Champions League.
The deal, which has an option to extend into a fifth season, will begin from the 2017-18 campaign.
Barcelona have also signed deals to feature the Turkish electronics brand Beko on shirtsleeves and US semiconductor company Intel on the inside of its shirts.
The Japanese company is replacing Qatar Airways, which has been sponsoring the Catalan club since 2013. Barcelona currently trail leader Real Madrid by two points in the Spanish league.
Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu said the deal puts the club “at the forefront of sports club sponsorships”, and will help the club “achieve its goal of being a reference point worldwide”.