Members of Spanish LaLiga football club Barcelona have approved sponsorship extensions with Qatar Airways and sportswear company Nike.
At the club’s 2016 ordinary general assembly, a one-year extension of the Qatar Airways deal, through to the end of the 2016-17 season, was rubber-stamped.
Of those present, there were 483 votes in favour of the extension and 251 votes against the agreement, which is worth €33.5m ($37m). Sixty votes were blank.
Barcelona’s vice-president of marketing, Manel Arroyo, said that the extension would give the club “more time to work and negotiate the sponsorship agreement that the club desires.” Arroyo confirmed that the club was looking for a different sponsor in the long term.
“They are difficult negotiations with multinational brands and over significant amounts which range between €50m and €65m,” Arroyo said.
A 10-year extension with Nike was also ratified, through to the end of the 2027-28 campaign. There were 584 votes in favour and only 10 against, with nine votes being blank.