It is already official. Atletico anounced that the millionaire deal to change the naming rights sponsor of it's stadium is already tied up. The company that managed to get hold of the stadium's name is none other than Riyadh Air, the official sponsor of Atlético de Madrid.

Riyadh Air Metropolitano

Atleti announced on Wednesday morning what has long been expected: Estadio Metropolitano will change its name. The Saudi airline will be, for the next 9 seasons, the naming rights sponsor of the venue.

Riyadh Air has been the official sponsor of Atletico since August 2023, paying around €40m a year to see its logo on the club’s jerseys. Now the agreement will be extended to include naming rights, increasing the club's economic benefits to between €250m and €300m, according to Expansión.

Atletico's stadium will from now on bear the name Riyadh Air Metropolitano until 2033. In fact,  the provisionally installed letters that form the new name are already visible on the facade. The club has already said that it will take a few weeks to install the final inscriptions on the main, south-eastern and north-western parts of the façade. The new denomination of Rojiblancos’ temple will be officially inaugurated on October 20, against Leganés, with the stadium partially closed due to the sanction after the Madrid derby. As part of the partnership, a Riyadh Air club will also be created in the hospitality area of the venue.

© Grzegorz Kaliciak

Third time's the charm

The interesting thing is that Riyadh Air still hasn't taken off. Literally. The company is only five months older than its deal with Atleti, and is still under construction. It has been set up by PIF, controlled by the Saudi government, and owns Newcastle United. The airline is expected to start operating next year, but is already the official airline of CONCACAF. Now, the expanded agreement with Atletico will make it more recognizable.

The Saudi airline also becomes the third company to name the Metropolitano in the seven years that have passed since its inauguration. The first agreement, signed in 2017 with China's Wanda, lasted five years, and the last, with Civitas, lasted just two, despite being signed until 2032.

However, the termination of the contract with Civitas, the real estate developer from Extremadura, is peaceful. As Atlético has assured, a new agreement has been signed and the real estate company will continue to sponsor the club for at least five years, but not as the title sponsor. The club thus achieves without any conflict its goal of tying up a strategic alliance, of long duration and that will significantly strengthen the club's finances.

© Grzegorz Kaliciak