Ac Milan has renewed its partnership with Emirates until 2020. The original deal was signed back in 2007 and will now be worth approximately 100 million for the next five seasons. Official numbers have not been announced, but rumours in the financial market talk about a 40% increase compared to the previous contract closed in 2010. According to the last annual report released by Milan on the 31st of December 2013, the Rossoneri earned 30 million from jersey sponsorships: 12.7 million from Emirates and 17.3 from Adidas.

Milan and Juventus tie their sponsorship incomes. An important increase considering the situation both the club and Serie A are currently going through. But yet again, figures are far from what other important clubs around Europe earn: Emirates grants Real Madrid 30 million per season, whilst Arsenal gets 35 thanks to the naming rights linked to their home stadium.

Numbers are therefore more similar to what Juventus signed with Fiat-Chrysler (Jeep) last summer, where the Italian automobile company assures the Bianconeri 17 million per season until 2021 (together with cars for staff and other prizes linked to sportive results). The deal is also of the same length as the one signed by the Turin based club with its new technical sponsor, Adidas, which starting from next season, will pour 20 million euros a year into the Bianconeri’s coffers, same amount the Rossoneri signed for until 2023.

Therefore, thanks to all jersey sponsors (Adidas and official sponsor), the two clubs are granted an income of 38 million euros per season. In the period covered by the new sponsorship, however, Adidas will pay Juventus a fixed fee of 139.5 (just over 23 million a year), 6 million per year for the management of licensing and merchandising and about 2.5 million per year for the supply of technical material. Juventus will then benefit from additional royalties if certain sales volume and sports results are met. Altogether Juventus will consequently cash a few million more than Milan.

Milan-Emirates: together for a new stadium? The sponsorship’s incomes will be reinvested on the transfer market and through factoring operations these earnings could open new lines of credit with banks. But alone these won’t be enough to raise Milan back to Europe’s very best. This is why the stadium project must start as soon as possible, as CEO Barbara Berlusconi reminded: “We will take into consideration new initiatives. I believe an important infrastructure is fundamental for a club like Ac Milan. We love San Siro, where loads of great victories were achieved and beautiful memories are cherished, but football is evolving and changing quickly. We’d like to announce a change soon. I’m a very tangible and realistic person and don’t like to expose myself. A lot of work must be done and we are analysing different areas. We have support by all institutions, as it constitutes something really important for the city of Milan and for the whole of Italy on an economical and social point of view. When the time will be right we will present Emirates a real project, as it’s our dream to work side by side on this project”.

Availability immediately granted by Emirates CEO, Clark: “Surely we will discuss it with the company. Other entities will want to participate. If a bid must be made we will make our contribution. It surely is something we will be watching from a short distance”. And this is the major “good news” regarding the Milan-Emirates alliance.

Translation by Stefano Garini