SportBusiness.com

FC Barcelona teams with Havas Sports

Spanish soccer giant FC Barcelona has signed a six-year partnership agreement with Havas Advertising Sports to develop a marketing programme targeted at top Spanish and international companies.

Under the deal, a group of eight to 10 companies will be offered a series of rights inside the Nou Camp stadium, relating not only to the football team, but also the club's professional basketball, handball, indoor soccer and ice hockey teams.

Barcelona managing director Javier Perez Farguell said he hoped the partnership would enable the club to conduct "a genuine international campaign, promoting the Barca image and brand".
Farguell added: "Following the conclusion of the merchandising policy partnership with a major international sports brand on the one hand, and an agreement with the NFL on the other, this association with a global communication group is the final piece in our brand jigsaw."

Havas Advertising has developed exclusive partnerships with a range of European clubs, inlcuding AS Roma (Italy), Standard Liege (Belgium) and Olympic Marseilles (France).

Havas Advertising Sports has teamed up with Santa Monica Sports, a Spanish sports marketing agency, to develop the partnership programme with the club.

The marketing programme will also draw on the network and teams from the Spanish media consultancy firm Media Planning Group (MPG), a member of the Havas Advertising group.