Barcelona Approves $230 M Qatar Sponsorship
Despite strong criticism, FC Barcelona's assembly members unanimously approved a landmark deal with with Qatar, now the richest country in the world, through its Qatar Sports Investment agency by a vote of 697 for, 76 against and 36 abstention votes. The decision to put a sponsor on the team's jersey for the first time in its 112-year history did not come without some vocal opposition, but with its approval the club expects the agreement to produce income of 171 million euros over five years; 15 million euros (2010/11), 26 million (2011/12), 29 million (2012/13), 30.5 million (2013/14), 32 million (2014/15) and 33.5 million (2015/16), plus 5 and a half million more if Barça win the Champions League during this period. Does your sponsorship approval process look like this?