April 5 – Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda, which last month announced it had become the first Chinese company to sign up as a top-tier World Cup partner, has further cemented its European football sponsorship with a title sponsorship deal for Atlético Madrid’s training ground.
The training ground, located in the Majadahonda suburb of Madrid, now has a banner displaying its new name – Ciudad Deportiva Wanda Atlético de Madrid – in both Spanish and Chinese. No figure was announced for the naming rights deal.
Dalian Wanda already owns 20% of the Spanish club which plays tonight in the first leg of its quarter final Champions League tie against Barcelona.
Dalian Wanda made its intentions clear that it had ambition in the sports market when it acquired Swiss sports marketing agency Infront Sports & Media from the private equity firm Bridgepoint for €1.05 billion in February last year, around the same time it took a stake in Atlético. The company has since then also entered the football marketplace as a sponsor.
Under mercurial coach Diego Simeone Atlético Madrid have forced themselves into Europe’s elite group of clubs despite not having the same financial resources. Atlético currently are second in La Liga, a point ahead of Real Madrid. Two seasons ago they won the Spanish league, for the first time since 1996 and the tenth time overall, but lost in the final of Champions League in extra time to city rivals Real Madrid.
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