Spanish Liga football club Atletico Madrid has extended its main sponsorship deal with the Republic of Azerbaijan through to June 2015.
Atletico has engaged in a strategic partnership with Azerbaijan since the 2012-13 season, with the club’s shirts emblazoned with the words ‘Azerbaijan Land of Fire’, the country’s tourism motto, in order to promote the brand of Azerbaijan.
Along with continuing the shirt sponsorship, the new deal will be expanded to cover various business and sporting initiatives. Atletico president Enrique Cerezo said that the partnership forms a key part of the club’s international brand building exercise.
Cerezo added: “(Azerbaijan) had the strategic vision to link to our club as a global communication platform with the support of the institutions. It inaugurated a pioneering sponsorship in which instead of using a classic trademark, a country’s brand is promoted.”
The new partnership was announced ahead of Sunday’s Madrid derby. The game between Atletico and Real finished 2-2, leaving the home side third in La Liga, three points behind its city rival.