Football Marketing
FC Porto has announced a renewed agreement with Portugal Telecom that will see the company remain as official sponsors for another four years.
The deal is believed to be worth at least US$5 million a year, however, this figure could rise depending on the club’s performances, both in the league and in European competitions. FC Porto look certain to qualify for the Champions League next year, currently sitting 13 points clear of second place Benfica in the Primeira Liga.
Portugal Telecom’s previous six-year contract with the club, worth around US$30 million in total, was due to expire on 30th June, but the company will remain in partnership until at least 2015 with the club that won the Primeira Liga four times in a row between 2005 and 2009.
The largest telecommunications service provider in Portugal, with its headquarters in Lisbon, also has sponsorship agreements in place with FC Porto’s Primeira Liga rivals Sporting Lisbon and Benfica. In 2010, Portugal Telecom signed a contract extension with the Portuguese national team, which will see it continue to sponsor the team until 2014 – a partnership that has been ongoing since 1998.
In an official statement, FC Porto announced the deal, stating: “Futebol Clube do Porto, under Article 248 of the Securities Code, hereby informs the market that it has agreed a sponsorship contract with Portugal Telecom, effective until June 30, 2015.”
Portugal Telecom is likely to continue its policy of promoting different companies on Porto’s home and away shirts, mobile network ‘tmn’ on the home shirts, and IPTV service ‘meo’ on the away shirts.
FC Porto play the second leg of their Round of 16 match in the Uefa Europa League, against CSKA Moscow, tonight, holding a narrow 1-0 advantage after the first leg played at the Estadio de Dragao last week.
Source: sportspromedia.com
