Santander reiterates commitment to CONMEBOL competitions
30 Oct 2012
Santander has moved to clarify reports concerning its status as a major sponsor of Confederation of South American Football (CONMEBOL) competitions by stating that its withdrawal as title sponsor of the Copa Libertadores will not trigger a wider exit strategy.
Santander will not renew its title sponsorship of South American football’s showpiece club competition when the deal expires this year, but said it will remain a sponsor of the tournament. The financial services giant in August extended its presence in South American football by agreeing a three-year deal to become the title sponsor of the Recopa Sudamericana competition, which pits the winner of the Copa Libertadores against the victor of the Copa Sudamericana.
Santander is the title sponsor and official bank of the Recopa Sudamericana for the 2012, 2013 and 2014 editions of the tournament, and has now stated that it will also continue as a sponsor of the Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana and Copa America. “Santander’s strategy is to consolidate its image as the bank of Latin American football,” said the company, in a statement reported by the Máquina do Esporte website.
Santander is set to follow Toyota with its strategy for the Copa Libertadores. The Japanese car manufacturer served as title sponsor of the competition from 1998 to 2007 before reverting to general sponsor status.
