Real Madrid 'to rename stadium the Abu Dhabi Bernabeu'

One of the major am of sports marketing is to secure the funds it needs to continue paying the incredible wages altheletes earn at the highest level, and Madrid seems to have identified an opportunity to keep the Galactico machine ahead.

Coca-Cola and Microsoft had both shown an interest in having their name on the Santiago Bernabeu but the race seems to have been won by the Spanish energy company Cepsa which in turn is owned by the IPIC (International Petroleum Investment Company) which is owned by the Abu Dhabi government.

The Spanish newspaper Diario AS, directors of energy firm Compania Espanola de Petroleos (CEPSA) yesterday disclosed the information during a media.

The move would relate to Real’s signing of a long-term strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi-owned energy group International Petroleum Investment Company in October to aid the redevelopment of the 80,000 capacity ground that has been home to the European champions since 1947.

The latest development comes after Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in November apparently revealed the Santiago Bernabeu would be renamed as either IPIC Bernabeu or CEPSA Bernabeu.

There was no reference to IPIC or its affiliated Spanish firm CEPSA taking on the naming rights when the initial deal was announced in October but speaking at a commercial event, Perez was captured by cameras from television show El Chiringuito de Neox discussing the possible branding. He had said: “We are going to put IPIC Bernabeu or whatever they want ... or CEPSA Bernabeu.”



The Spanish newspaper said the CEPSA executives outlined that the option of attaching their company name, or that of IPIC, has been rejected in favour of adopting the Abu Dhabi Bernabeu moniker.

The Bernabeu opened in 1947 and has hosted the Champions League final on four occasions. It was originally renamed after former club president Santiago Bernabeu Yeste who transformed Madrid into the superpower that we know today.

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