Villarreal stadium naming-rights project honours local industry

Spanish LaLiga football club Villarreal has signed sponsorship deals with a number of local ceramics companies as part of a naming-rights initiative for its home stadium, El Madrigal.

The stadium will henceforth be known as the Estadio de la Cerámica, with seven companies having backed the project.

Pamesa, Porcelanosa and Argenta Cerámica have been unveiled as main sponsors, with Tau Cerámica, Bestile, Esmalglass-Itaca and Colorobbia to serve as official sponsors of the 25,000-capacity stadium.

The companies will benefit from brand presence in various advertising spaces around the stadium. The venue’s new name was unveiled during a ceremony prior to Villarreal’s 1-1 draw at home to Barcelona yesterday (Sunday).

As part of the project, the stadium’s South Stand will feature a façade with yellow, high-gloss porcelain stoneware to represent the club’s official colours. The façade will feature a modern LED lighting system with more than 500 light points.

The stadium’s surrounding area has also been transformed, with a new fan square featuring ceramic materials having been built.

Villarreal said in a statement: “The new 'Estadio de la Cerámica' project is perfectly adapted to and represents the philosophy and policy of the club, based on permanent support and collaboration to enable the economic growth of the different sectors of the province of Castellón, which it proudly represents.”

Villarreal’s home had been known as El Madrigal since 1925.