Emirates adds Benfica to sports sponsorship portfolio

Just months after Emirates partnered with the club as the official airline, Sir Tim Clark, the airline’s president, joined Luis Filipe Vieira at the Estadio da Luz to sign the deal to become the main sponsor.

As part of the deal, the Fly Emirates logo will feature on the front of the Benfica jersey until the end of the 2017/18 season.

A special version of the new season kit, featuring the Emirates branding and which will be on sale from July 1 was unveiled at the signing ceremony.

Along with the Benfica agreement, Emirates’ on-going commitment to expand its presence in the country was confirmed with news of a second daily flight to the city, starting in early 2016.

Lisbon joined the airline’s route network in July 2012 and since that time nearly 500,000 customers have travelled to and from Dubai, to Portugal. This additional daily flight will increase capacity on the route to over 10,000 seats each week.

Sir Tim Clark said: “Expanding our connection with Benfica today highlights our commitment to sports sponsorship around the world, a marketing strategy adopted at an early stage of the airline’s 30 years. As one of the top football club’s in Europe and with a strong international appeal, Benfica is well placed to join the Emirates sponsorship portfolio.”

Luis Filipe Vieira added: “We share with Emirates a bold and modern vision, a growth strategy sustained in medium and long term projects and in the nonconformity of those who always assume new challenges.

“Benfica will now be a part of an elite group of football clubs of which many aim to be a part of, but few succeed: to show of Fly Emirates in their jerseys! We will know how to honor this responsibility.”

Emirates is a major partner in the world of sports, sponsoring clubs such as Real Madrid, Arsenal, AC Milan and Paris Saint Germain, as well as many other sports like F1, rugby, tennis and golf.