Barcelona Forgoes Commercial Dollars In Deal With UNICEF

UNICEF To Get At Least One Year On FC Barcelona Jerseys

Spanish soccer club FC Barcelona, “after shunning commercial offers” worth US$25.1M a year from companies such as BetandWin.com, has signed a five-year marketing deal with UNICEF that includes at least one season of a first-ever jersey sponsorship for the club, according to Alex Duff of BLOOMBERG NEWS. UNICEF will not pay a fee, but Barcelona has not yet decided whether the logo will remain on the jerseys after the first year. Barcelona won the UEFA Champions League this season, and the team’s on-field success is “boosting income from ticket sales, advertising and TV broadcast rights, allowing it to end plans” for a commercial jersey sponsor as it looks to cut its US$225.5M debt. The official signing of the UNICEF agreement will take place in N.Y. on August 11 during the team’s U.S. tour (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 7/17).