Man City confirms Etihad stadium sponsorship deal
Manchester City Football Club has signed a 10-year commercial deal with Etihad Airways which will see its City of Manchester stadium renamed.
The deal, believed to be worth well over £100m, sees City's home ground become known as the Etihad Stadium with immediate effect and extends the airline's sponsorship of the club's shirts.
Garry Cook, CEO of Manchester City Football Club, said: "We are delighted to be expanding our relationship with Etihad Airways through this comprehensive partnership agreement.
"Most importantly, in addition to delivering significant revenue at a key stage in the Club's evolution, the agreement creates exciting opportunities for our two organisations to cooperate more deeply commercially and on media and community initiatives in the future."
Etihad has also announced that it is introducing twice-daily flights between Manchester and Abu Dhabi from August 1.
James Hogan, CEO of Etihad Airways, said: “This is a game-changing partnership agreement that redefines the traditional sports sponsorship paradigm. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for two iconic brands that share the same vision to promote far-reaching global awareness and business growth.
“Etihad's work with Manchester City Football Club has already yielded a significant return on our investment and we are thrilled to build on our relationship. Their well-established name and loyal fan base have allowed us to tap into a new and increasing global audience. In addition to being a sensible alignment for our brand from a business perspective, it is also one that we can get very excited about, especially at a time when MCFC's winning attitude is bringing increased success for the team on the national and international stage."