14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft will announce a new deal with Spanish football club Real Madrid CF later today, thus joining forces with another big entity that would greatly improve its image on the Old Continent.
Real Madrid CF is currently one of the top football clubs in Europe, and thanks to players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, and Karim Benzema, it quickly became one of the most successful clubs in the entire world.
By forming a partnership with Real Madrid, there's no doubt that Microsoft would significantly improve its image and exposure in Europe, especially in the case of a deal that would bring its products, such as tablets, right on the football field.
At this point, only little is known about the partnership between the two organizations, but a report by Forbes revealed that that it would bring "exclusive digital content and virtual experiences to fans through a new digital platform," while also delivering new "business solutions to increase efficiency and performance of the staff."
Worth $30 million (25 million euro)
Even though figures are still not disclosed, it appears that the partnership between Real Madrid CF and Microsoft will be worth around $30 million (25 million euro), according to the aforementioned report.
Microsoft, however, is not the first technology company that looks at the sports business to promote its products, as Intel already has an ongoing partnership with FC Barcelona, the biggest local rival of Real Madrid CF.
At the same time, Yahoo also joined forces with the San Francisco 49ers with a similar goal, while AT&T and the Dallas Cowboys signed a stadium naming rights deal as well.
Microsoft also negotiated a naming rights deal with Real Madrid
Today's agreement doesn’t come as such a big surprise, as Microsoft and Real Madrid CF were involved in several rounds of negotiations earlier this year.
People close to the talks revealed in January that Microsoft and Real Madrid CF were discussing a possible stadium naming rights deal that could have changed the name of the famous Santiago Bernabeuarena.
This isn't the first time Microsoft looks at the sports industry to reach a wider audience with its products, as the company also has an ongoing partnership with the NFL. The two sides joined forces as part of a $400 million (320 million euro) agreement earlier this year, bringing Surface tablets and other Microsoft products on the sidelines of all NFL fields.
Things, however, aren't going exactly as expected for Microsoft, as NFL commentators mistakenly called the Surface tablet an "iPad-like device," despite the company's efforts to promote its products among NFL fans.
