The 2011/12 Primera Division campaign marks the 30th anniversary of the introduction of football shirt sponsorship in Spain.

Marca points out that 30 years ago during the 1981-82 season, the Spanish Football Federation approved the idea of clubs selling advertising space on their shirts. Espanyol’s President at the time, Manuel Meler, opposed the decision as a ‘betrayal of club colours and values’.

However, in light of Athletic Bilbao’s deal with Petronor in 2008, and Barcelona’s agreement signed earlier this year to have Qatar Foundation across the Bluagrana’s chest, every club goes into 2011/12 having had paid sponsorship at one time or another on their shirts.

The first clubs to introduce advertisers were Racing Santander who had German appliance company Teka occupy shirt space. Real Madrid soon followed this up with a three-year sponsorship from Italian company Zanussi. Since then, the League has voted to minimise space allowed on the shirt to just 100cm squared, fined the first clubs who used sponsorship on team shorts, before evolving towards the last decade that has seen even referees receive endorsement on their uniforms.

2011-2012 Shirt sponsors in La Liga (on 16/07/2011 – Marca.com)

• Athletic: Petronor
• Atlético: no confirmed sponsor
• Barcelona: Qatar Foundation
• Betis: no confirmed sponsor
• Espanyol: no confirmed sponsor
• Getafe: Burger King
• Granada: no confirmed sponsor
• Levante: Comunitat Valenciana
• Málaga: UNESCO
• Mallorca: Bet-at-home.com
• Osasuna: no confirmed sponsor
• Racing de Santander: Chorizos Palacios
• Rayo: no confirmed sponsor
• Real Madrid: Bwin
• Real Sociedad: Gipuzkoa
• Sevilla: no confirmed sponsor
• Sporting: Gijón Asturias
• Valencia: no confirmed sponsor
• Villarreal: no confirmed sponsor
• Zaragoza: Proniño

Further reflections of advertising in the Spanish game can be found can be found here (in Spanish).

Source: www.adifferentleague.co.uk

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