Turkish side Besiktas and Vodafone have inked a 15-year, $145M sponsorship deal that "includes naming rights to the Istanbul football club’s new stadium and jersey advertisements," according to the HURRIYET DAILY NEWS. Vodafone Turkey CEO Gökhan Öğüt said, "This is not only Vodafone Turkey's biggest deal, but also the biggest sponsorship deal in Turkish sports history." As part of the deal, Besiktas's new stadium will be "called Vodafone Arena for 15 years." The arena will be built "on location of Inonu Stadium, which is currently being demolished." During the demolition and construction, Besiktas will "play most of its home games at Kasimpasa's Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium, while derbies will be played at Atatürk Olympic Stadium." The sponsorship will "also include turning the Vodafone Arena into a 'smart stadium,' where fans will be able to turn their match-watching experience into an interactive one." The new stadium will be used for "football and rugby matches if Istanbul successfully lands the 2020 Olympic Games bid, according to officials" (HURRIYET DAILY NEWS, 8/20).
