ExclusifRCD Espanyol : « Our search for a new stadium naming partner is underway » (A. Alegre)
"We signed this stadium naming contract with Stage Front (ticketing solutions, USA) in 2023 for five years, and it lasted a year. Stage Front had signed agreements with LALIGA
Spanish Professional Football League, new name with the six letters in capitals since 2023-24
, the RFEF
Royal Spanish Football Federation
... For us, it was a way of starting to work with confidence with a company established in Europe. But we realised that the company had run into difficulties and had changed its strategy on the continent. They didn't live up to their end of the bargain, so we broke it. Our commercial search for a new naming partner is underway and was launched on 01/07/2024," said Antoni Alegre
Deputy general director @ RCD Espanyol
, deputy general director at RCD Espanyol
Activité : club de football professionnel espagnol
Partenaire principal :
• Conservas Dani (conserverie) : sponsor maillot principal
Partenaires officiels :
• CaixaBank (banque)
• Kelme…
(LALIGA EA Sports
Spanish 1st Division (20 clubs) ; EA Sports (video game publisher) title sponsor for the 2023-2028 cycle
), to News Tank Football on 05/08/2024.
"The procedure for obtaining funds from LALIGA
Activité : Ligue de football professionnel espagnole
Agence commerciale exclusive : IMG (depuis 2018-19)
Sponsor titre :• EA Sports (éditeur de jeux vidéo) : depuis 2023-24, 30 M€ …
Impulso, the plan born of the agreement between LALIGA and the CVC investment fund, is as follows: when you have a project, you have to present it to LALIGA. The League approves or rejects the project, checks how you intend to use the money and ensures that it is used for the project for which it was requested. LALIGA also requires the business plan for any project presented to it. It controls everything," added the deputy general director of the club promoted to the Spanish top flight for the 2024-25 season.
"Having a Chinese president since 2015 has opened a door for Espanyol in terms of business in China. The most important moment for us was the signing of the best Chinese footballer, Wu Lei, who played at Espanyol from 2019 to 2022. At the time, most Chinese fans were following Espanyol, because they kept up to date with the player's performances. Now they know Espanyol, they know where Barcelona is and some of them have been able to visit a LALIGA EA Sports stadium. This has enabled us to sign new commercial agreements with Chinese sponsors," said Alegre.
Naming rights to the RCDE Stadium, the club's promotion back to the top flight, the LALIGA-CVC agreement, Chinese owners, TV rights... Antoni Alegre answered questions from News Tank Football.
"The funds from the CVC-LALIGA agreement were distributed very fairly between all the clubs" (A. Alegre, RCD Espanyol)
The stadium naming agreement with Stage Front was terminated due to non-payment. What happened?
We signed this contract in 2023 for five years, and it lasted a year. Both parties went into the partnership with high expectations, because Stage Front is an American company with 25 years' experience in the sports market, and they have launched several projects in Europe.
They have signed agreements with LALIGA, the RFEF
Royal Spanish Football Federation
... For us, it was a way of starting to work with confidence with a company established in Europe. After a year, we had done our share of the business. But we realised that the company had run into difficulties and had changed its strategy on the continent. They didn't fulfil their part of the contract, so we cancelled it
RCD Espanyol « have initiated legal action against Stage Front for non-payment and breach of contract, and have terminated the naming rights agreement for the club’s stadium, » announced the club…
.
So you're looking for a new partner?
In Spain there isn’t much of a culture for stadium naming rights »Yes, of course we are. Our commercial search is underway and was launched on 01/07/2024. It's not easy because in Spain there isn't much of a culture for stadium naming rights.
It's a commercial challenge, but we have a very good location. We're in a city, Barcelona, that's famous all over the world and attractive to businesses. And we've just been promoted to the top flight... I don't know whether we'll manage to get a naming contract for the 2024-25 season. For the time being, the stadium has reverted to its RCDE Stadium name.
Are you satisfied with the stadium?
It was voted best in the world in 2010 at the Stadium Business Awards. It's not because it's luxurious or huge, but because it's very accessible for visitors, it's very cheap if you compare the price of a seat to the total cost of the stadium, and also because our stadium is very environmentally friendly.
Are you also looking for other sponsors in particular?
We're always looking for new sponsors. As we've been promoted to LALIGA EA Sports, there's a window that's opened up.
You ended the 2022-23 financial year with a loss of €22m. What is your target for the future?
The market needs time to adapt to the arrival of a new entity »At the end of the 2024-25 financial year, we want to try to achieve the same level of revenue as in 2022-23 (€76.8m, excluding transfers), our last season in the top flight. It's not easy, because when you're promoted, you need a period to renegotiate current contracts and regain the attention of the big companies.
Espanyol is an organised club, but that's not the problem: it's a question of the market. And the market needs time to adapt to the arrival of a new entity.
In 2022-23, €51m, or more than 60% of your total revenue, came from TV rights. How can you become less dependent on this income stream?
This is one of the main objectives of Spanish clubs. In our case, commercial revenue accounts for 30% of total revenue. That's not bad. We're a little above the average in LALIGA, but we have to be ambitious and continue to increase this share, because it's vital to diversify your income.
The funds from LALIGA Impulso, which came from the CVC-LALIGA agreement, have been distributed very fairly among all the clubs. Our strategy is to use these funds to make investments to increase our commercial revenue.
How are you using these funds?
We have used some of it to invest in our stadium, our training centre and in digital technology. In terms of business, we have tried to develop our VIP experience at the RCDE Stadium.
One of the current trends is for stadiums to increase their number of VIP seats. Going to the stadium is not just about attending a match. You have to surround that experience with other types of services. We have developed new VIP areas and new spaces.
We want to increase the number of VIP seats »A year and a half ago, we inaugurated a new VIP room in the tunnel leading to the pitch. We have another in the mixed zone, where the players are with the media. These VIP experiences bring customers closer to the players, the pitch and behind the scenes.
These experiences have been a great success, even in the 2023-24 season in the second division: they were always full. So we have high hopes for 2024-25, and we want to increase the number of seats benefiting from these experiences.
As part of the LALIGA Impulso plan, we have also installed solar panels in our stadium. In 2024, we will have finished installing these panels all over the roof. This will enable us to produce energy, sell this green energy and reduce our energy costs. This is very important, given the energy crisis that began in Europe last year.
Have you already received all the funds from LALIGA Impulso earmarked for the club?
No. The procedure is as follows: when you have a project, you have to present it to LALIGA. The League approves or rejects the project, checks how you intend to use the money and ensures that it is used for the project for which it was requested. LALIGA also requires a business plan for any project presented to it. They check everything.
For us, it would have been almost impossible to use all the funds quickly. We have used some of it and we have other projects coming up in the next few months.
How many season ticket holders did you have in 2023-24 and what is your target for the 2024-25 season in the top flight?
Last season we had 25,000 season ticket holders & 30,000 socios. We want to maintain those figures in 2024-25 »Last season we had 25,000 season ticket holders and 30,000 socios (club members). We want to maintain those figures in 2024-25. It's incredible because in the second division we've increased the number of members and season ticket holders compared to the previous season, when we were in the first division.
The fans know that we're an ambitious club, but LALIGA EA Sports is a very competitive league. With the exception of the three big clubs - Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Club Atlético de Madrid - anything is possible, in both directions. It's very interesting for the fans and for the spectacle.
In 2025, your president, Chen Yansheng (CHN), will have owned the club for 10 years. What does this link with China mean for Espanyol?
It has opened a door for Espanyol in terms of business in China. The most important moment for us was the signing of the best Chinese player, Wu Lei, who played for Espanyol from 2019 to 2022. At the time, most Chinese fans were following Espanyol, because they kept up to date with the player's performances. Now they know Espanyol, they know where Barcelona is and some have been able to visit a LALIGA EA Sports stadium.
This has led to new commercial agreements with Chinese sponsors. In fact, our equipment supplier, Kelme, is a Chinese-Spanish brand. We have also set up academies in China, such as in Shanghai.
What are RCD Espanyol's other markets, apart from Spain and China?
After Spain and China, there's Mexico and the United States, then South Africa and Indonesia.
LALIGA has set up a club department
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« This team was created as part of the agreement between CVC Capital Partners and LALIGA and the subsequent LALIGA Impulso investment plan. Initially, the aim was to ensure that clubs invested the…
to help clubs with specific issues. What do you make of this initiative?
« This team was created as part of the agreement between CVC Capital Partners and LALIGA and the subsequent LALIGA Impulso investment plan. Initially, the aim was to ensure that clubs invested the…
We've used it and it's very beneficial for the clubs. There was a gap in the Spanish football market. We are companies and we have to work like companies, but we also have to understand the uniqueness of working with an element that is specific to football: passion.
LALIGA knows both the market and its 42 clubs »Most of the companies that can help you in the market are good, but they don't have football expertise. Our sector is full of singularities, and LALIGA has understood this situation. So it has put in place a way of speeding up the process thanks to its presence and knowledge of the market. LALIGA knows both the market and its 42 clubs. We asked them for help in two situations, and we were very satisfied.
The RFEF has set up a committee with LALIGA and Liga F to try and unify Spanish football...
It is very important that all the stakeholders in Spanish football, and I mean ALL the stakeholders, work in the same direction, as part of a common strategy. This will allow us to be more ambitious and faster.
Parcours
Deputy general director
Marketing and Commercial Director
Director Sponsorship, Hospitality & New Business
Marketing Director
Fiche n° 13203, créée le 17/09/2015 à 12:13 - MàJ le 24/12/2024 à 10:38
RCD Espanyol
Activité : club de football professionnel espagnol
Partenaire principal :
• Conservas Dani (conserverie) : sponsor maillot principal
Partenaires officiels :
• CaixaBank (banque)
• Kelme (équipementier) : estimé à 1 M€ par saison
• EstrellaDamm (brasseur)
• Reale Seguros (assurances)
• Sorare (NFTs)
• Rastar (jeux vidéo)
Tous les partenaires du club sont à retrouver ici
Catégorie : Clubs Professionnels
Adresse du siège
Av. Baix Llobregat 10008940 Cornellà de Llobregat Espagne
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