Etihad Airways joins Chelsea sponsors

English Chelsea and the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways, have signed a three-year contract where Etihad will sponsor the club and Etihad's logo will be displayed at the club's Stamford Bridge stadium.

"The partnership with Chelsea marks a new and exciting chapter in the history of Etihad Airways and will provide the airline with terrific exposure to a global audience," Etihad's chief executive officer, James Hogan told Bloomberg.

Etihad's spokesman, Ian Burns, would not reveal what the value of the agreement is but the airline's website said it is a seven-figure deal.

Etihad and Chelsea are also to work together on several projects, along with the possibility of club tours to the United Arab Emirates and South-East Asia.

In 2004, the largest Arab airline, Dubai-based Emirates, signed a 15- year, GBP 100 million sponsorship contract with English Arsenal . Emirates 60,000-seat stadium opened last year and is named after the airline. Emirates also has three-year contracts to sponsor French Paris Saint-Germain and Italian AC Milan.

Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways are trying to make the Persian Gulf area a nucleus for tourism and transit flights between Europe, Asia and Africa.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.