Francisco Gonzalez says, "Sponsorship of Liga BBVA strengthens our business on all continents"

NEW YORK, June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BBVA and the Spanish Professional Football League (LFP) announced today an extension of their strategic agreement. The first division will continue to be known as Liga BBVA for another three years, renewable in 2018. The agreement was announced in New York by Francisco Gonzalez, BBVA's chairman, and Javier Tebas, LFP president. It includes continuity for  Liga Adelante and means an investment of slightly more than €70 million (€23.5 million per season). Iker Casillas and Andres Iniesta, BBVA's international brand ambassadors, were present.

The new sponsorship agreement reinforces BBVA's noted commitment to sports. It is already the Official Bank of the NBA. The latest move will ensure a prominent presence for the bank in the world's two top sporting leagues. The agreement joins other sports-related sponsorships around the world -- Boca Juniors and River Plate (Argentina), the Rayados of Monterrey (Mexico), Houston Dynamo (USA) and the Venezuelan soccer team as well as various NBA teams (Miami HEAT, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets).

"Renewing this sponsorship is a natural step for BBVA and it gives us great satisfaction. Since joining forces with the LFP in 2006, we have come a long way in promoting Liga BBVA internationally. We want to continue our support, boosting promotion in the United States, Latin America and Asia," Francisco Gonzalez said.

BBVA: still strong despite the crisis

Mr. Gonzalez briefly pointed out that "our association with the LFP survived some of the worst moments of the crisis thanks to BBVA's strong position and the way we navigated the difficulties without aid, generating profit and maintaining dividends. Many sporting activities lost their sponsors but that didn't happen to Liga BBVA, which we are renewing today."

He concluded by announcing that "in this new phase of the sponsorship we want to increase its influence on BBVA's daily operations. We are going to enhance the associations between the LFP clubs, our branch networks and our customers. Furthermore, in conjunction with the LFP, we want to transmit the cornerstones of our strategy -- principles, people and innovation -- to the entire soccer world. These take the form of teamwork, constant improvement, drive and fair play."

Javier Tebas, the LFP president, pointed out that "the LFP and BBVA are two brands with international dimensions. Both seek consolidation in the markets where they coincide. BBVA has millions of international customers and these are potential LFP customers. Likewise, millions of LFP fans are potential BBVA customers."

Mr. Tebas also referred to the commitment of both institutions: "We have similar values -- a spirit of great self-sacrifice, teamwork and transparency. Cooperation with a company like BBVA helps to boost LFP's expansion in many countries where soccer is growing in importance and where both brands seek consolidation."

International competition

Liga BBVA is one of the international leagues with the most followers. Fans exceed 800 million in the 189 countries where matches are broadcast. In 2012, Liga BBVA was the top world league in the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) ranking for the third year running and its teams contain the players who won the Golden Ball Award in the last four years.

In Spain, Liga BBVA generates 85,000 direct and indirect jobs thanks to more than 14 million fans who attend the stadiums each season. This has an impact of more than €10 billion (1% of Spanish GDP). BBVA's brand achieved more than 60 billion media impressions in 2012, the year in which it was judged the brand most associated with sporting activities.

About BBVA

BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, it is the largest financial institution in Mexico and it has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. Its diversified business is biased to high-growth markets and it relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes.

SOURCE BBVA