© EuroFootball.com
The leader of the Spanish championship should break tradition and put an advertisement on their shirts in the near future, said the president of the Catalan superclub Joan Laporta.
"We hope to secure the title of champions and sign an advertising contract at the same time," said J. Laporta. "The signing of the contract is getting closer every day. If we agree on everything, the contract will be signed either in April or in the first two weeks of May."
The Spanish press reports that in the battle for advertising on Barcelona's shirts, the Chinese government's offer is in the lead, with a proposal for the Catalans to advertise the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Their main competitors are Qatar Airways.
It is reported that the Chinese government's offer is worth 19 million euros per season for five years. The amount may vary depending on the club's results.
If Barca decides to break the club's tradition of not having advertising on their shirts, the club's board members would most likely show their support for the Beijing Olympics advertising. This would be replaced by advertising for the 2010 Asian Games after two years.
Without a doubt, the Chinese government's offer would help the club establish its position in the rapidly growing Asian market. Last preseason, Barca held a small tour in China.
Barcelona and Bilbao Athletic are the only teams in Spain and, according to some sources, in the world, that do not have advertising on their shirts. However, Bilbao wore an advertisement in this year's UEFA Cup - they promoted the Basque regional government fighting for independence.
