@alainfcae Al Ain Sports Club and First Gulf Bank Sign Partnership Agreement

Al Ain Sports Club and First Gulf Bank Sign Partnership Agreement

• First Gulf Bank becomes main partner of Al Ain Sports Club
• Agreement part of over-arching strategy of transforming partnerships in the region
• Enhances opportunities for Al Ain Sports Club and First Gulf Bank’s commitment to the United Arab Emirates community

Al Ain Sports Club announced that it has signed a milestone partnership agreement making First Gulf Bank the main partner for the next three years.

The strategy for Al Ain Sports Club is to move away from the concept of sponsorships and transform them into creating integrated partnerships between the club and the partner, which provides support for sports activities in Al Ain Club, hence providing marketing and commercial advantages for the partners of the club, taking into consideration the submission of the return on investment in this partnership.

The partnership will come into effect at the start of the league’s 2013/2014 season and will see the logo of First Gulf Bank featured on the club’s home and away jerseys in all national and international tournaments. The logo will also be featured on the Al Ain Sports Club busses used to transport players to and from the stadium, as well as in the newly constructed Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium that is all set to be the new home ground for the club.

André Sayegh, CEO of FGB, said: “First Gulf Bank, being one of the largest UAE banks, has a strong commitment to our society and it lends its full support to the community including sports activities. Football is considered one of the most popular games and is an ideal platform for us to engage and partner with our community to promote sports activities. It is amazing to see how football has such a powerful ability to unite and inspire people across all ages, backgrounds, countries and cultures.”

“Our sponsorship of Al Ain Sports Club continues a relationship that started many years ago and helps sustain FGB’s commitment to ensuring the UAE community’s health and promoting its sports activities. We wish Al Ain Sports Club every success in the forthcoming season and look forward to supporting them in all their endeavors alongside our customers and fellow UAE residents.”

Mr. Kareem Nagy Hassan, CEO of Al Ain Club Investment Company added: “The partnership with First Gulf Bank is only an extension of the long-term relationship with a great financial institution that has offered a lot of its support to Al Ain Club in the past. It is a consolidation of the depth of the relationship; it opens up new horizons of cooperation and will provide greater benefits to the fans of Al Ain Club.”

The ultra-modern Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium will open doors to fans and sports enthusiasts by January 2014. The state-of-the-art, 25,000 seats Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium aims to offer fans the best match day experience in the region, as well as providing best-in-class corporate hospitality options. Of the 25,000 seats, the stadium features 3,000 premium seats, a percentage that is the highest amongst stadiums across the world.

It is not all about sports; for the first time in the region, Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium will offer partners exclusive access to spaces for conferences, seminars, business and entertainment events, as well as dedicated areas for branding. As the main partner, First Gulf Bank will also have the use of ten corporate boxes, which provide a viewing experience, unparalleled in any other stadium.