Featured image credit: HP
Spanish LaLiga football club Real Madrid has agreed a landmark sponsorship deal with US technology company HP which will seek to enhance the fan experience at the revamped Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
The multi-year deal announced today (Friday) sees HP become Real’s newest technology partner. Spanish media reports have valued the contract at around €70m (£59.7m/$76.2m) per year, with HP to become the first brand to have its logo appear on Real’s shirt sleeve in the club’s 121-year history. The sponsorship spans men’s and women’s teams, as well as youth programs.
The collaboration aims to accelerate the digital transformation of club spaces and elevate the Real fan experience as part of the new Bernabéu complex and beyond, including in-person experiences, gaming and club operations.
HP’s logo is set to debut on Real’s shirt during Sunday’s home LaLiga derby against Atlético de Madrid. HP chief marketing and corporate affairs officer, Antonio Lucio, said: “HP and Real Madrid are two iconic global brands with a shared passion for delighting fans, enabling exceptional performance and making a positive impact on communities.
“We are honoured to partner with Real Madrid and see many exciting opportunities to harness the power of HP’s technology and brand to create amazing new experiences for fans while empowering the communities we share.”
Real in December declared that it does not expect work on the new-look Bernabéu to be completed until this spring, with an official inauguration now set to take place between the end of May and early June.
In November, Real approved a financing plan to fund the ongoing renovation of the Bernabéu, with president Florentino Pérez claiming that the project will “change the history” of the club.
Following an extraordinary general assembly meeting, Real confirmed that a proposal to extend the authorisation to the club’s board of directors to go into debt in order to finance the works had been approved.
Of the 1,632 votes cast, 1,569 were in favour with 25 against and 38 abstentions. The approval came after it was reported in October that Real Madrid was seeking to borrow an extra €370m to fund the renovation of the stadium, with Pérez confirming this amount.
In May, the club’s latest accounts showed that the accumulated investment in the stadium redevelopment project had increased from €537.8m in 2021-22 to €892.7m in 2022-23. The latest debt increase raised the amount dedicated to the project to over €1.2bn.
The Bernabéu is undergoing the biggest transformation in its 75-year history and Real debuted a new retractable roof at the stadium on September 2.
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