Real Madrid Struggle To Find Naming Rights Sponsor For Soon Revamped Bernabeu

Real Madrid are struggling to find a naming rights partner for their Santiago Bernabeu stadium, according a recent report from Spanish news outlet El Confidencial.

The Santiago Bernabeu has been Real Madrid's home since 1947. It is to undergo a €575 million overhaul in 2019. The extent of the costs of the project has heightened the importance of a naming rights deal for the club.

Microsoft, Abu Dhabi and Spanish oil and gas multinational company Cepsa have been all already lined with a potential naming rights deal.

Risk Of Name Being Overshadowed by Historic Status of Bernabeu - Real Madrid Struggle for Bernabeu Naming Rights Deal

Apparently the major barrier for brands is the risk of any name being overshadowed by the historic status of the Santiago Bernabeu, which could be continued to be referred to by its traditional name instead of the new partnership brand.

According to El Confidencial, potential investors said that the situation would be different if the club was building a new ground, rather than renaming and redeveloping the existing arena. Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena and Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano were all built with the naming rights deal in mind.

In January, it was reported that a deal with Spanish oil and gas multinational company Cepsa had been in talks regarding a possible €400 million naming rights deal for the stadium, only for the deal to break down.

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