Anshuman JoshiFollowing are the companies and organisations that serve as sponsors and brand partners to LaLiga club Real Madrid and enjoy a strong branding presence across their physical and digital assets.
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REAL MADRID’S MAIN SPONSORS
Emirates
The Emirates logo holds household recognition among staple football fans, with the text “Fly Emirates” (now “Emirates – Fly Better”) emblazoned across kits of many famous football clubs. The likes of AC Milan, Arsenal, Chelsea, PSG and Hamburger SV have had sponsorship deals with Emirates at some point in time.
The Emirati Airlines was announced as the principal sponsor of Real Madrid in May 2013 in a deal reported to be worth €30m per annum. This deal was renewed in September 2017 in a four-year extension worth €70m per season, making it the biggest sponsorship deal in world football at the time. The deal currently runs until the end of the 2021-22 season.
Adidas
The Adidas-Real Madrid marriage has been one of the oldest, most revered kit sponsorships in football history. Partners since 1998, the two have given us some of the best and most classic kits.
Adidas’ contract as Real’s official kit supplier was last renewed in a mammoth €1.1bn deal in May 2019, making it the biggest, most lucrative kit deal in football. The deal is currently set to run until the end of the 2027-28 season.
REAL MADRID’S GLOBAL SPONSORS
Nivea Men
Cosmetics brand Nivea Men first partnered with Real Madrid in an initially local deal in February 2013. Since then, the deal has been made global, with a five-year extension announced in November 2017.
The Beiersdorf-owned German company sees its global partnership with Real cover 70 countries. As per the deal, Nivea Men also gets image rights for select first-team players to use in promotional adverts.
Audi
Ingolstadt-based German car manufacturer giant Audi has been a global sponsor of Real Madrid since 2003. The two last signed an extension in February 2019, which was a four-year agreement.
As per the agreement, Audi delivers its cars to the club’s first team players, who get to choose from Audi’s highly coveted catalogue.
Hankook
South-Korean tyre company Hankook is a global partner of Real Madrid since 2016. The two last renewed their partnership in January 2020 in a deal that currently runs until the end of the 2022-23 season.
As per the deal, Hankook receives in-ground advertising at Real Madrid’s home ground, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, in all competitions the club participate in. It also receives the club’s branding rights to use in its commercial campaigns.
Mahou
Mahou San Miguel group has been an official partner of Real Madrid since 2001, but the traces of their alliance can be traced back to the early 1940s. The two last announced a renewal of their partnership in March 2020.
As per the deal, Mahou holds branding rights at the club’s home matches, as well pouring rights at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium’s bars and hospitality suites.
Abbott
The Abbott Park, Illinois-headquartered American pharmaceutical company was announced as the official health nutrition sponsor of the club and a global partner of the club’s charity arm, the Real Madrid Foundation, in October 2021 on a three-year deal.
Apart from branding rights, the deal entails Abbott providing nutritional support to the club’s senior and youth teams (both men’s and women’s), working with the club over “product innovation and development”, and working with the Real Madrid Foundation to support at-risk kids in over 80 countries.
easyMarkets
Limassol, Cyprus-based easyMarkets was announced as the club’s Official Online Trading Partner in September 2020 in a deal currently set to run until the end of the 2022-23 season.
EA Sports
Since 2015, EA Sports has been serving as the official videogame partner of Real Madrid via its football simulation game, FIFA.
The deal sees EA hold exclusive rights to feature Real Madrid’s licensing, which includes real-life likeness of players, kits and stadium, in its annual FIFA release. This also means FIFA’s main rival, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer (now eFootball), features an unlicensed version of the team, although the players remain licensed via other circumventing deals.
Real Madrid and EA last announced an extension of their partnership in July 2020, and the deal is now set to run until 2025.
Hugo Boss
Metzingen-based German luxury fashion brand Hugo Boss is an official sponsor of Real Madrid since 2016.
The deal sees Hugo Boss provide bespoke formalwear dresses for the club’s football and basketball first teams, as well as the club’s B team (Real Madrid Castilla) and their respective technical teams.
Palladium Hotel Group
Palladium Hotel Group serves as a regional sponsor to Real Madrid’s football team and as the principal sponsor of their basketball team.
Meatless Farm
The Leeds-headquartered vegan and plant-based meat products manufacturer was announced as a Global Sponsor of the club in September 2021. The deal sees the two work together to promote sustainable eating habits, with the club’s players also supplied with Meatless Farm’s products as part of their diet.
Therabody
The Los Angeles, California-headquartered tech-based natural wellness solutions provider was announced as a Global Sponsor of the club in December 2020.
Covering the men’s and the women’s teams of the club, the deal sees Therabody’s products made available at the club’s training facilities, with educational and investigation programmes also put in place by the Therabody University to help the players learn more about physical conditioning and innovative recovery solutions.
Adobe
The San Jose, California-headquartered software giant was announced as a Global Sponsor of the club in November 2021. The partnership is aimed at helping the club understand the nature of their fans’ engagement with their brand with help from Adobe.
With the help of the Adobe Experience Cloud, Los Blancos try to understand how their fans engage with their content, so that they could “drive deeper engagement” and provide their fans (both online and offline) “premium sports-immersive entertainment experiences”.
Cisco
The San Jose, California-headquartered tech conglomerate was announced as the official technology partner of the club in a deal currently set to run until 2024.
Apart from branding rights, the deal entails Cisco equipping the club’s home ground, the Santiago Bernabéu, with its tech, which includes “connectivity and security solutions, a data centre and digital signage” while also equipping the stadium with Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. The Santiago Bernabéu is currently under refurbishment which is set to be completed by the end of 2022.
The partnership also entails Cisco collaborating with the club to help them “enhance fan participation throughout the stadium and generate new entertainment options” via a thousand of its IPTV solution-equipped screens.
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REAL MADRID’S REGIONAL SPONSORS
Movistar
Movistar became Real Madrid’s “Connecting Partner” in 2017 in a deal that saw the telecommunications brand support the club’s fan engagement activities. The two also collaborated to create social media content.
In 2019, Movistar’s deal was upgraded in a four-year extension that saw the company become the club’s technological integrator. The new deal saw Movistar provide technological solutions in the different facilities and infrastructure of the club.
In December 2020, the deal between the two parties was again renewed, making Movistar a main sponsor of the club’s women’s team. Movistar also serves as an official sponsor to Real Madrid’s basketball first team.
Unicaja Banco
After its merger with Liberbank, Málaga-headquartered Spanish savings bank Unicaja Banco signed with Real Madrid in September 2021 to continue upon the agreement the club signed with Liberbank the year before.
As the club’s financial services provider and sponsor, Unicaja works with Los Blancos over co-branded promotions, initiatives, and products, with exclusive benefits and offers provided to the club’s members and the bank’s clients. The deal covers the club’s men’s and women’s football and basketball teams.
PlayStation
PlayStation announced a regional partnership with Real Madrid in October 2020 that saw the PlayStation 4 (PS4) as well as the PlayStation 5 (PS5) become the club’s official consoles. The deal covers the club’s men’s and women’s football first teams as well as their basketball team.
With this deal, PlayStation aims to expand its presence in the Spanish market. It also offers club-themed EA Sports FIFA console bundles to its customers.
Codere
Spanish gambling firm Codere has been the club’s official betting partner since 2016. With this deal, Codere aims to use the club’s global status to gain exposure in the South American market.
The two parties last extended their partnership in May 2019 with a promise to promote fair play and awareness regarding gambling risks.
Sanitas
Partners since 2003, Real Madrid and healthcare provider Sanitas last renewed their deal in September 2021, which is currently set to run until the end of the 2023-24 season.
As per the deal, Sanitas provides the club with medical expertise, treatment and specialist healthcare technology and receives branding across the club’s digital assets.
Coca-Cola
American soft drink Coca-Cola is the club’s official soft drink for almost two decades now. The beverage company also reportedly continues to look for more opportunities to increase its affiliation with the club. The biggest evidence of this surfaced in January 2014, when Coca-Cola reportedly offered €80m per annum to sponsor the club’s home ground, the Santiago Bernabéu.
Solán de Cabras
Madrid-based Mahou San Miguel Group-owned Solán de Cabras is a natural spring water. It serves as the official water of Real Madrid.
INVEX Banco
In June 2020, Real Madrid announced a regional partnership with Mexican financial firm INVEX Banco. The deal sees the two parties collaborate over a co-branded digital finance product aimed at football fans in Mexico.
KOK Sports
In July 2020, KOK Sports was announced as Real Madrid’s official Asian betting partner, replacing ManBetX in a three-year deal. The deal sees the two parties collaborate to create unique content and interactive experiences for the club’s Asian fanbase.
REPX
The Barnet, Hertfordshire-headquartered British private equity firm signed a strategic collaboration deal with Real Madrid in February 2021, which would see the club offer their fans across Latin America (excluding Mexico) and the Caribbean “innovative” pre-paid cards.
PT Dua Kelinci
Indonesian peanut brand PT Dua Kelinci signed a four-year regional sponsorship deal with Real Madrid in January 2020. The two previously collaborated between 2011 and 2014.
Apart from branding rights, the deal sees PT Dua Kelinci supporting grassroots football in Indonesia via school-level initiatives.
SportyBet
The sports betting brand of London-based sports entertainment company Sporty Group was announced as a Regional Sponsor of Real Madrid in March 2022. The multi-year deal covers the African territory, including countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda.
Apart from branding rights, the deal entails SportyBet working with the club to “enable the creation of unique and exciting entertainment, experiences and promotions for football fans across the continent”.
