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SPONSORSHIP
AIRLINES SPORTS SPONSORSHIP: A TREASURE CLOSE TO BURNING ITS WINGS WITH THE CRISIS? It is without doubt that COVID-19 has and will continue to have an impact on the economics of sport. Sponsors of different sports have had to make their own decisions about how they will move forward. Some have announced their intentions of renegotiating contracts and others have withdrawn their sponsorship altogether. One area outside of sport that has been significantly impacted by the pandemic is the airline industry, including the state-owned Middle Eastern airlines that sponsor a number of football clubs across Europe, where economic problems are likely to occur for both the sponsor and the club. ISSUE TWELVE ★ SEPTEMBER 2020
Jean-Michel Aulas, President of Ligue 1 outfit Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon), saw his side miss out on a Champions League place after the season was cancelled in a move that was not followed by the other top European leagues. However, in February this year, Aulas and Lyon reached an agreement with Fly Emirates to formally become partners in a five-year deal for €20
million per season. The sponsorship would see the Rhone club have ‘Fly Better’ inscribed across their jersey and the Emirates branding in around their stadium. The deal is the biggest sponsorship contract in the club’s history. When it was announced, Jean-Michel Aulas made no secret of the importance of such a deal.
