StaffFC Barcelona have had quite a topsy-turvy time of late; be it an 8-2 defeat to Bayern, Messi almost leaving, or their infamous president Josep Bartomeu (finally) resigning, the club could certainly use a period of calm and respite. With the club hierarchy ready to be revamped with the upcoming presidential election, many fans are already looking forward to next season, with a proper structure and a long-term vision in place. However, that also seems to signal the end of an era for many of the old guard at the club, who could yet make this season the greatest swansong ever. We look at their sponsors for this season.
MAIN PARTNERS
Nike – The Barça-Nike synergy goes all the way back to 1998, when the American sportswear giant replaced fellow Italian rival Kappa as Barcelona’s official technical partner. Since then, the two have reached new heights, both on and off the pitch, and have given us some memorable jerseys. The Catalan giants last extended their partnership with Nike in 2016 in a deal worth US$170m per year that would see Nike supply them kits till 2026. This extension made Barça’s Nike deal the biggest kit sponsorship in football.
Rakuten – Tokyo-based Japanese electronic commerce and online retailing company Rakuten was roped in as Barça’s principal sponsor and Official Innovation & Entertainment Partner in 2016. Commenced in 2017, the deal sees Rakuten’s logo emblazoned across the front of the club’s matchday kits, replacing Qatar Airways. The deal is approximately worth US$64m per year and runs until 2021, with Barça holding the option to extend it by another year.
Beko – Turkish electronics giant Beko became the official sleeve sponsor of Barcelona in 2014 in a deal that saw its logo placed on the left sleeve of the club’s matchday kits. Four years later, Barça expanded their partnership with Beko in a three-year extension worth US$66.37 million that saw the Istanbul-based company become the club’s Official Training and Home Appliances Partner. Apart from retaining its place at the left sleeve of Barça’s matchday kits, Beko also became the front-of-shirt sponsor of the club’s training wear.
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GLOBAL PARTNERS
1XBET – Barça signed online betting company 1XBET as a global partner in 2019. As per the five-year agreement, 1XBET holds branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets. It also holds image rights for Barça players to feature in its promotional adverts.
Estrella Damm – Locally brewed lager beer Estrella Damm has been the official beer of FC Barcelona for over 25 years. It has been serving as a global partner to the club since 2018. The agreement grants Estrella Damm branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets.
Konami – Last year, Japanese video game company Konami renewed its deal as the official videogame partner of FC Barcelona via its football simulation game series, Pro Evolution Soccer (PES), to another four years. The deal sees Konami hold rights to feature Barça’s licensing, that includes real-life likeness of players, kits and stadium, in its annual PES release. While PES’ main rival, EA Sports FIFA, holds rights to feature Barça’s crest, kits, and players via its circumventing licensing deal with LaLiga Santander, PES holds exclusive rights to Barça’s home ground, Camp Nou.
Nestlé Milo – Nestlé Milo became a global partner of FC Barcelona in 2016. As per the agreement, Nestlé Milo holds branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets. The two parties also work together to promote a healthier lifestyle and highlight the importance of physical exercise among children.
Cupra – SEAT’s sports car brand Cupra replaced Audi as the club’s new official automotive and mobility partner in 2019. The five-year deal grants Cupra branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets. The two parties also collaborate over projects aimed at development of urban mobility technology.
Oppo – Chinese consumer electronics brand Oppo renewed its deal with Barça as their official mobile device partner in a three-year agreement last year. As per the deal, Oppo holds branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets. The two parties also collaborate to host workshops and other fan engagement activities.
Stanley Black & Decker – American tools and security brand Stanley Black & Decker became a sponsor of FC Barcelona in 2014, before expanding its association with the Catalan club to a global partnership in 2018. Apart from getting added exposure across the club’s channels, Stanley also became the principal sponsor of Barça’s women’s team, thus acquiring front-of-shirt branding rights across Barça Women’s matchday kits.
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Gatorade – American energy drink brand Gatorade has been the official sports nutrition partner of FC Barcelona since 2013. As per the agreement, Gatorade supplies its products – Gatorade Prime, Perform and Recover – to the club for matchdays and press conferences. Gatorade Sports Science Institute’s lab and testing facilities also provide the Barça players with nutrition support.
Chiliz – Blockchain-based cryptocurrency Chiliz is the official Fan Token partner of FC Barcelona. Via the crypto-based fan engagement platform Socios, Barcelona offer their fans a chance to obtain Fan Tokens that allow them to participate in several club-oriented activities. These Fan Tokens are priced off Chiliz, that serves as a basis for these Tokens. Earlier this year, Barça generated approximately US$1.3 million from their Fan Tokens.
FBS – Foreign exchange broker FBS was announced as the club’s official trading partner earlier this year in January. The four-year agreement grants FBS branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets.
Thom Browne – American fashion designing firm Thom Browne serves as Barça’s official formal wear partner since 2018. The deal sees Thom Browne provide the club’s players and staff with bespoke formalwear.
OFFICIAL PARTNERS
CaixaBank – Valencia-headquartered Spanish financial institution CaixaBank last renewed its deal as the premium banking partner of Barcelona in a four-year agreement in January 2017. The deal grants CaixaBank branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets.
Assistència Sanitària – Medical insurance company Assistència Sanitària is the club’s official medical partner since 2005. Apart from enjoying a brand presence across the club’s channels, Assistència Sanitària provides medical insurance to the club. Barça also has access to the company’s medical centres for potential medical examinations. The deal between the two parties currently lasts until 2024.
Allianz – German financial services company Allianz is a long-time global partner of FC Barcelona. The company works with the Barça Innovation Hub to conduct experiments and studies regarding player welfare. Allianz also holds branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets.
SK Lubricants – Korean oil company SK Lubricants signed a regional sponsorship deal with Barça in 2018, making it the club’s official motor oil partner. The three-year regional deal covers South Korea, China, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam, granting SK Lubricants branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets.
Scotiabank – Canadian financial services company Scotiabank became the club’s official regional partner in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2016. This was the first deal completed from the club’s then-newly opened New York office. As per the agreement, the two parties work together to sponsor youth soccer programmes in the aforementioned regions, and conduct soccer festivals for the local teams.
Yunnan Baiyao – In 2018, Barça signed a regional partnership with Chinese pharmaceutical company Yunnan Baiyao that covered the regions of China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, with an aim to open three ‘Barça Academy’ soccer schools in the province of Yunnan.
Taiping Life Insurance – Earlier this year in February, Barça signed a three-year regional deal with Chinese insurance company, Taiping Life. As per the deal, Taiping Life holds branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets, and also works with the club to offer its customers exclusive fan engagement opportunities.
Coca-Cola – American soft drinks company Coca-Cola also serves as an official partner to FC Barcelona. The deal grants Coca-Cola branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets.
Rakbank – National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (RAKBANK) is the official bank of FC Barcelona in the United Arab Emirates. As per the deal, RAKBANK provides its customers Barça-themed payment cards, as well as exclusive fan experience opportunities.
Sebang / Rocket – Last year, Korean industrial battery manufacturer Sebang was announced as the club’s official car battery partner in a regional deal that covered South Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia, and focused on Sebang’s main product, ‘Rocket’. The sponsorship deal grants Sebang branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets, as well as image rights to club’s players to use in promotional adverts.
Maybank – Malaysian universal bank Maybank is the official bank of FC Barcelona in Malaysia and Singapore since 2017. As per the deal, Maybank provides its customers Barça-themed payment cards, as well as exclusive fan experience opportunities.
SHB – Saigon – Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) is the official bank of FC Barcelona in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia since 2016. As per the deal, SHB provides its customers Barça-themed payment cards, as well as exclusive fan experience opportunities.
Banco BMG – Last year, major Brazilian retail bank Banco BMG was announced as the official bank of FC Barcelona in the Americas. The three-year deal grants Banco BMG branding rights across the club’s digital and physical assets, with the bank offering its customers exclusive club-themed fan experience opportunities.
Head & Shoulders – Proctor & Gamble’s anti-dandruff shampoo brand Head & Shoulders is Barça’s official shampoo in China since 2017.
Nichiban – Since 2015, Japan’s leading tape manufacturer Nichiban has been serving as the club’s official tape partner in a regional sponsorship deal that covers Japan, Korea and Thailand.
Written By
Anshuman Joshi
