Barcelona is looking in the U.S. "for what it has not been able to renew" with Qatar Airways: a multi-million dollar shirt sponsorship, according to Giménez & Llorens of AS. Barcelona President Josep María Bartomeu, Marketing & Communications VP Manel Arroyo and a team of club execs "have begun calling other companies that could sponsor the front of the shirt in upcoming seasons." Barcelona "is not lacking proposals." There were "calls of interest from Mexico and the UAE, although it seems like the formal offer came from the U.S." Club sources are speaking -- though it is unconfirmed -- of a beverage brand, but they did say "it will be difficult, almost impossible" to reach a deal worth the €60M ($65M) plus bonuses that former Barcelona Economic VP Javier Faus had agreed upon with the airline before the club's presidential election last summer. The "coming weeks are considered vital to learn more details." One source said, "What is evident is that Barça needs a sponsor. Anything that is not fixed or significant revenue could complicate the economic stability of the organization" (AS, 1/26).
