Gunners seal Emirates deal
Arsenal’s new home at Ashburton Grove will be known as the Emirates Stadium for the next 15 years after they agreed a £100m (€145m) deal with Emirates Airlines.
The company will also be the Gunners’ shirt sponsor for eight years starting in the 2006-07 season when the club start life at their new ground.
The agreement was signed today at Highbury by Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood and Maurice Flanagan, Emirates vice-chairman and group president.
Keith Edelman, managing director of Arsenal, said: “The sheer size and scale of this deal is an amazing opportunity for Arsenal. We are delighted to have Emirates as our partner and sponsor.”
Emirates are currently shirt sponsors of Arsenal's London rivals Chelsea, but that deal expires at the end of the current season.
Edelman added on the club’s official website www.arsenal.com: “Emirates is a quality airline and an established global brand, with a proven track record in football and sport sponsorship.
“This long-term association is an excellent opportunity for both of us. It will help Arsenal reach new markets and build on our existing fan base across the world, thanks in no small part to the airline’s global route network. We are grateful to Emirates for its faith in us and look forward to working with them.”
Emirates Airlines chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum hopes the tie-up will boost the popularity of the sport in the United Arab Emirates still further.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sponsor such a major new stadium and club, and represents a win-win partnership for both Emirates and Arsenal,” Sheikh Ahmed said.
“Arsenal Football Club has proved itself as one of the world’s best, with an outstanding record in the English Premiership including, of course, being the current Premiership champions, and also remaining unbeaten for the last 48 league matches.
“Sports sponsorships provide an international platform to connect with our customers. We believe sponsorship is one of the best ways of getting closer to our customers. It allows us to share and support their interests and to build a personal relationship with them. There is no greater vehicle for this than through English football and we are looking forward to a long and very happy relationship with Arsenal.”
Emirates also sponsor match referees at Premiership and Football League level through an agreement with the Professional Game Match Official Limited (PGMOL) which runs until 2007.
