Other website sections

»Sports Jobs

»Tenders

»Directory

»Conferences

MasterCard Inc. will get a “significant lift” from its sponsorship of soccer’s Champions League when the competition’s final moves to the weekend next season, according to Paul Meulendijk, head of European sponsorship for the world’s second-biggest credit-card network.

Barcelona was crowned Europe’s best team when it beat Manchester United at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico two days ago. It was the last final to be played on a weekday, with next season’s scheduled for Saturday, May 22 at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

“We’ll have a significant lift,” Meulendijk said in an interview in Rome. “In the build up to the final we have maybe a bit more time to different things, to look at our activation strategy together and really build something for the fans that they will enjoy when coming or watching it at home.”

Playing the final on the weekend will also give more families a chance to attend as well as cater to millions of soccer fans in Asia who stay up into the early hours of the morning to watch European club soccer’s biggest match, Meulendijk added.

UEFA President Michel Platini announced the decision to move the final from the slot it has held since 1955 because he wanted it to become “more of a family occasion.”

Purchase, New York-based MasterCard, which has sponsored the Champions League since 1994, announced last month that it had renewed for at least another three years. It became the fourth official partner to sign for the 2009-2012 period after Japan’s Sony Corp, brewer Heineken NV and Italian banking group UniCredit SpA. Meulendijk and UEFA declined to say how much the deal is worth.

“The rights package that we obtained has certainly delivered the kind of value that we were looking for,” Meulendijk said.

Teams from 52 nations featuring players from 142 countries participate in the Champions League. Last season’s final between Manchester United and Chelsea was watched by 208 million people, according to research group Futures Sport + Entertainment.

A study commissioned by MasterCard said the economic impact of this season’s final would be 310 million euros ($432 million), with Barcelona in line to scoop 110 million euros worth of benefits.

(Source: Bloomberg)