Turkish Super Lig football club Galatasaray has signed a shirt sponsorship deal with Chinese telecommunications company Huawei in an agreement that marks a shift in commercial strategy for the Istanbul giant.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but Huawei will serve as Galatasaray’s main shirt sponsor in domestic competitions during the 2014-15 season while Turkish Airlines will occupy the role for the club’s games in the Uefa Champions League. In addition, Huawei will receive branding rights for Galatasaray’s website, social media channels and its Turk Telekom Arena home.
The agreement marks the latest move by Huawei in its drive to link up with leading European football entities. In July the company signed a two-year deal with German Bundesliga club Schalke 04 having recently agreed deals with Dutch Eredivisie champion Ajax and French Ligue 1 winner Paris Saint-Germain. Huawei also has deals in place with Italian Serie A giant AC Milan and English Premier League club Arsenal, along with the Spanish Football League (LFP).
Having finished as runner-up in the 2013-14 Super Lig, Galatasaray currently leads the 2014-15 standings, while it opened its Uefa Champions League Group D campaign with a 1-1 draw against Belgium’s Anderlecht yesterday (Tuesday).