Turkish Airlines, Euroleague Basketball sign strategic partnership 0

Turkish Airlines and Euroleague Basketball announce today a strategic agreement to sponsor the top European basketball competition across the globe. According to the agreement, starting next season the top European competition will be named Turkish Airlines Euroleague Basketball. Similarly, the Euroleague Final Four now becomes the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four whereby the new league title will appear in all media accordingly. This title partner will run for five seasons, with the option of extending it to an additional five.

This agreement is also very important for Euroleague Basketball, as it is the first time in history that the league associates its name with a brand.

This is not the first time that Turkish Airlines and Euroleague Basketball have partnered. During the recent 2010 Final Four in Paris, Turkish Airlines was one of the Euroleague Basketball’s main partners. That experience showed that both parties not only share the sporting values of teamwork, commitment and fair play, but also complementary platforms and markets. The new agreement will allow both Euroleague Basketball and Turkish Airlines to enhance their commitment to the core European markets they share as well as to expand into others internationally. The agreement goes beyond the economic investment and reaches into other areas such as Euroleague Basketball’s corporate responsibility program, Euroleague for Life, in which Turkish Airlines will take an active role.

With this agreement Turkish Airlines have also become a global sponsor of Eurocup, the biggest basketball competition in Europe after Euroleague Basketball.

Additionally, Turkish Airlines will also obtain extensive branding rights. Among these rights are a composite Euroleague logo consisting of the logos of both parties, advertising film using the Euroleague players, extensive on and off-court logo and brand visibility in almost 350 games in all the Euroleague and Eurocup games televised by 197 broadcasters globally.

Euroleague Basketball is followed across the globe by fans of all age, gender and social background, and in the past ten years has experiences a monumental growth. With this first-time agreement, the new Turkish Airlines Euroleague Basketball enters a new era that seeks to offer increased economic potential that will offer significant support to the competition’s clubs and fans. Equally, the partnership reinforces Turkish Airlines’ position as a leading European airline carrier, who has also experienced an extraordinary growth over the past ten years and who has demonstrated a reiterated strategic positioning and commitment to the development of professional sports across the continent.

“We have been working for a long time to find the right title partner that could satisfy not only the economic value of becoming a title sponsor but becoming a partner, with a commitment to the growth of basketball across the globe. We feel satisfied to have reached this agreement and to join forces with Turkish Airlines on what we consider as an integrated partnership model. We feel that Turkish Airlines is a perfect fit as title partner for the competition, not only for the track record in committing to professional sports across the continent, but also through our mutual commitment to developing activities off the court,” said Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu. “This agreement will enable Euroleague Basketball to make progress on four fronts: institutional, commercial, promotional and social. The international vision and globalization that we have at Euroleague Basketball is shared fully by Turkish Airlines and its managers, which makes this agreement a milestone in the history of the sport of basketball.”

“After great partnerships with Barcelona FC and Manchester United, two of the most important football brands, it is a privilege for us to partner with the Euroleague, one of world’s most prestigious basketball organizations and Europe’s biggest basketball league”, said Mr. Hamdi Topçu, the Chairman of Turkish Airlines. “The Euroleague title sponsorship is a strategic step in reinforcing the strength and value of our brand in the global platform. As a consequence of all the investments in our brand the glamour of Turkish Airlines will reach its peak very soon. This partnership is also important as it will enable us to establish a more effective communications between our brand and potential clients in Europe, a market that brings the highest revenue in which THY flies to more than 70 destinations.”

There will be an official signing ceremony held before the Euroleague 2010-2011 opening game scheduled for 18th of October 2010.

Reactions from Euroleague board members:

CSKA Moscow President & CEO Andrey Vatutin:
“A long contract with a well-known, serious company is certainly a breakthrough in the Euroleague’s marketing activity. I am sure that this is the first big step in the competition’s strategic development plan to globalize the Euroleague Basketball brand. The support from a title sponsor as Turkish Airlines adds authority and credibility to our competition.”

Caja Laboral president Josean Querejeta:
“First of all, I would like to say that it is great news to have a title sponsor such as Turkish Airlines, a well-known, consolidate company. It also shows that the Euroleague is working really well and I am sure other companies will be interested on the competition soon. Agreements like this backs an emerging project, acclaimed throughout the continent. I would like to congratulate Turkish Airlines and all Euroleague Basketball fans for this agreement.”

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv president Shimon Mizrahi:
“I think this a great step regarding Euroleague Basketball having a main partner such as Turkish Airlines. One of the things that makes it important is that part of the funds will go towards the promotion and exposure of the competition on television, which will allow us to grow further. Another important aspect is that Turkish Airlines will be able to help teams move between countries across Europe.”

Montepaschi Siena president Ferdinando Minucci:
“The partnership with Turkish Airline is a very important one for the Euroleague. It will give great support to the competition and will play a leading role in promoting the image of the top European competition.”

Efes Pilsen general manager Engin Ozerhun:
“In recent years, Turkish Airlines has incrased its sponsorship agreements in the sports industry. The fact that they sponsored the last Final Four in Paris was a first indication that they would reach new agreements with the Euroleague. As a Turkish citizen, I am very happy and proud that my country is able to be represented not only in basketball but also as an economic stimulator of sports. After the Final Four both parties were satisfied with the event and it was clear that Turkish Airlines was fully aware on how powerful the Euroleague and the sport of basketball can be. I am more than happy not only as a Turkish citizen, but also as a member of the basketball community.”

Asseco Prokom president Przemyslaw Seczkowski:
“This is the first time that the Euroleague reaches a title sponsor agreement and it is a five-year deal. We can consider it long enough to create a very solid league backed by a prestigious partner such as Turkish Airlines. It is clear that this agreement will have an impact on the commercial and sports sides of the competition, impulsing the league to the forefront of the sporting world and being able to mutually use the reach and globalization of a partner such as Turkish Airlines. This is great news on a qualitative and quantitative sense.”

Real Madrid basketball director Juan Carlos Sanchez:
“The partnership agreement between the Euroleague and Turkish Airlines is great news for everyone because it will allow what is already an extraordinary competition, the Euroleague, to rise even higher. For that reason, I’d like to offer my sincerest congratulations to Euroleague CEO Jordi Bertomeu and wish him the best of luck in this new project.”

About Euroleague Basketball:
Europe’s premier basketball competition, Euroleague Basketball was founded in 2000 under a private organizational model that is considered a breakthrough for European professional team sports. The competition features 24 clubs from 12 or more countries per season and crowns its champion each spring at the Euroleague Final Four, one of the signature events of European sports. During the 2009-10 season, Euroleague Basketball will be seen in 197 countries across the globe and features some of the world’s most prestigious players.

About Turkish Airlines:
Being established in 1933 with a fleet of only 5 aircraft, Star Alliance member, Turkish Airlines is today a 4-star airline company with a fleet of 142 aircraft flying to 166 destinations around the world, comprising 39 domestic and 127 international destinations.