Football fans all over the world will be getting to know Etihad Airways’ logo even better over the next few years. The UAE’s national carrier has announced a three-year deal to become the official sponsor of the English Premier League’s Manchester City Football Club. The multi-million pound deal will see Etihad emblazon its logo on the famous sky blue shirts, replacing current sponsor Thomas Cook. Fans will also see the logo around the club’s stadium, official website, and on match day programmes and other merchandise.

Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive James Hogan hailed the sponsorship deal as “the beginning of what we hope will become a strong and lasting relationship between Manchester City and Etihad Airways.”

Etihad adds Manchester City to its list of other prominent sporting sponsorships, which already includes the Ferrari Formula 1 team and the Harlequins Rugby Football Club. The airline is also the title sponsor for the forthcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November and is also the official airline for Chelsea FC.

In another move designed to strengthen links between Abu Dhabi and Manchester City, the Club’s CEO, Gary Cook, and the General Secretary of the UAE Football Association, Yousuf Abdullah, signed an agreement in July for a match between the UAE senior national team and the Club at the Zayed Sports Stadium on 12th November.

Cook also signed an agreement with the Emirates Palace Hotel to designate the international class pitch now being developed at the hotel as the official Training Headquarters for the club in Abu Dhabi.

In comments after signing the agreements, Cook said: “with
a growing and enthusiastic fan base in the UAE, we look forward to a friendly in Abu Dhabi in November. The Club feels an obvious kinship with the city, and this game is another way for us to interact with the community at a grassroots level. This fixture will also be a focal point of our winter training visit to Abu Dhabi during the November international break in the English Premier League season.”

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the national side and one that will provide a high calibre test for our squad,” said Rashid Zaabi, Chairman of the Marketing, Media and PR Committee of the UAE FA. “To play an English Premier League side in the United Arab Emirates is not only exciting for the team, but for the local fans as well.”

Manchester City FC is owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, the private equity vehicle of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Talking to the media after the signing ceremony, Mark Hughes, the Manchester City Manager, thanked Sheikh Mansour for his unflinching support for the club and for his great efforts in promoting football in the UAE. He described his support as “unprecedented”.

Cook and Hughes were visiting Abu Dhabi to launch the new 2009/2010 club kit. They were accompanied by newly-signed stars Carlos Tevez, Gareth Barry and Roque Santa Cruz, and club youth academy graduate Steven Ireland, City’s Player of the Year. Club Ambassador, former England international and all-time City great Mike Summerbee also travelled with the group.

Capital Letter wishes the Manchester City players well for the current English season, and looks forward to watching them in action in Abu Dhabi.