It’s certainly early in the discussion, but talks are underway between Microsoft and the Real Madrid soccer club over naming rights to the team’s famous Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Speaking with Spanish television channel Antena 3, Microsoft España president María Garaña said that the Redmond-based software giant is indeed one of the candidates in the running to own the naming rights for the 85,000-seat stadium. In fact, one Spanish outlet reported that Bill Gates is involved in the negotiations.
This isn’t the first communication between the two global brands, as Microsoft partners with Real Madrid through the club’s charitable foundation.
Microsoft also already puts sponsorship dollars on the soccer pitch here in the U.S., owning the front-half of the Seattle Sounders jerseys since 2009. The company also has a partnership with the MLS, in addition to the $400 million deal it signed with the NFL this past May.
But having the naming rights to Santiago Bernabeu would be a more substantial and lucrative deal for Microsoft, which could fork over around $10 million a year to place its name on Madrid’s stomping grounds.
Other tech companies like Yahoo! and AT&T have made similar deals with influential sports brands here in the U.S.
