Sport | Football
Emirates signs $11.5m AFC deal
Emirates has signed a new four-year multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with the Asian Football Confederation to further the development of football in the region.
- By Duane Fonseca, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:38 January 7, 2009
- Shaikh Ahmad and Bin Hammam at the press conference with Seamus O'Brien, chairman World Sport Group.
- Image Credit: Supplied Picture
Dubai: Emirates has signed a new four-year multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to further the development of football in the region.
The deal, worth $11.5 million (Dh42.22 million), was inked on the sidelines of the AFC Champions League draw at the airline's headquarters here.
It was signed between Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Airline and Group, and Mohammad Bin Hammam, the AFC president.
Shaikh Ahmad said: "We have always looked forward to supporting the AFC's events and as part of the AFC family we know we can play a crucial role in the development of the sport in Asia.
"Asian football continues to make giant strides in terms of quality and reach and this commitment to success mirrors the drive and ambitions of Emirates. We have been involved with Asian football since 1996, when we were the Official Airline of the AFC Asian Cup and we have all come a long way since then.
Bin Hammam said: "The AFC values the support shown by Emirates airline since 1996. I believe their support through the years helped us initiate more initiatives and we are hoping this competition [AFC Champions League] becomes one of the major competitions in the world.
"I would like to thank Emirates airline for their loyalty to the sport of football, not only in the region but also around the world. It is through the support of our partners, such as Emirates, that helps us to continue with the growth and development of Asian football and we are extremely grateful to them."
Seamus O'Brien, chairman, World Sport Group, said: "Emirates airline has been a partner of the Asian Football Confederation since 2002. Today, however, marks a new chapter in Emirates airline's involvement in Asian football.
"In less than a decade, Emirates airline has become a key supporter of Asian football and this renewal is in itself a powerful testament to the growing stature and strength of the sport in the region."
As an Official Partner of the AFC, Emirates has rights to all AFC tournaments, including the AFC Champions League, AFC Cup, AFC Challenge Cup, and a number of Club, women's and youth team events.
Through this partnership, Emirates will gain considerable media exposure with more than 120 games being televised each year on a live or delayed basis around the world.
In addition to this association with AFC, Emirates is an Official Partner of the Fifa World Cup with close links to the sport's world governing body and all its projects for the period between 2007 and 2014.
At the 2006 Fifa World Cup, Emirates became the first airline to be an Official Partner of the world's premier football tournament.
Emirates is also the sponsor of Arsenal football club and has the naming rights of their new home, the Emirates Stadium, in addition to partnerships with Hamburg SV, Paris Saint Germain, AC Milan and Olympiaco.
Emirates is also involved in a wide range of sports including, sailing, golf, horse racing, tennis, cricket and rugby.
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