September 18 – Barcelona has added Telefónica to the growing commercial list surrounding its Espai Barça project, signing a five-year agreement covering connectivity services at the rebuilt Spotify Camp Nou.
The Spanish telecommunications group is now an Official Partner of Espai Barça and, in return, will provide technology throughout the stadium as the club continues its gradual return to its rehabilitated home.
Telefónica will also take one of the many executive posts in the club’s 105,000-seat fortress and name one of the new rooms being built inside the stadium.
The agreement comes at a useful time for the Catalan club, which has spent much of the last week explaining the financial case of Espai Barça. It was announced on Wednesday that the club’s members are being asked to approve more funding around the project, while the club itself anticipates a significant increase in revenue generated by the stadium once the Camp Nou is fully operational.
The incorporation of another major Spanish brand directly into the stadium project gives Barcelona another commercial partner linked specifically to this future rather than simply to the football team.
The president of Barça, Joan Laporta, said: “This agreement with Telefónica brings to Espai Barça a leading company in technology and telecommunications that understands the scale and ambition of the project. This partnership will allow us to continue working for an increasingly connected and innovative Spotify Camp Nou and will help us offer the best possible experiences to our partners and fans in general.”
Telefónica was quick to point out how the deal also strengthens its long-standing presence in Catalonia.
The president of Telefónica España, Borja Ochoa, said: “Telefónica is reaffirming its institutional role as a driver of the Spanish economy, its support for culture and sport, and its commitment to Catalonia and the city of Barcelona. Last year, Telefónica invested 121 million euros in Catalonia, where it employs more than a thousand people.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at (email protected)