Mexican bank BBVA Bancomer, which serves more than 20 million customers, on Tuesday announced its sponsorship of top Mexican football league Liga MX, which will now be known as Liga BBVA Bancomer. Liga MX has more than 75 million followers in Mexico and is also followed globally. BBVA Bancomer Mexico Manager Vicente Rodero said that the sponsorship of Liga Bancomer reinforces the bank's commitment to Mexico. Rodero: "The BBVA Group has traditionally been linked to the sports world. BBVA Bancomer is now closer to its customers through a sport that is specially loved in Mexico. Mexico is a great country and BBVA Bancomer wants to have an active role in its development." Liga MX President Decio de María said that "it is a great honor to welcome BBVA Bancomer to the Liga MX family because we are both institutions that share the same goals and values" (BBVA Bancomer). CNN EXPANSIÓN reported the sponsorship will start this weekend when this year's season kicks off. The presentation of the new agreement took place at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca. The "financial terms have not been announced." Liga MX tweeted, "The strategic alliance will help to strengthen the development of Liga MX clubs and their infrastructures" (CNN EXPANSIÓN, 7/15). In Mexico City, A.G. González reported de María officially welcomed BBVA Bancomer, "which signed a three-year contract." While the sponsorship "will not include lower divisions Ascenso MX and Copa MX, it will be extended to include the Liga MX's U20, U17, U15 and U13 competitions" (ESTO, 7/15).
IMPROVING THE IMAGE: LA AFICION reported that Rodero, for his part, "recognized themes present in Liga MX like stadium violence, suspected money laundering (the Necaxa-Reynoso Femat case), changes in the sites of various clubs' headquarters, teams' debts and others, but despite this, wanted to invest and tie the company's image to that of Mexican football and its problems." Rodero said that "one of his company's objectives was to clean up the league's image." Rodero: "We believe that we can collaborate to make everything surrounding football cleaner and better, and as a sponsor we are looking ahead" (LA AFICION, 7/15).
