Lotto Sport Italia and Udinese Calcio, Friulis first division football team have inked an official sponsorship agreement. As a result of this new synergy, Lotto will be the Clubs new “Technical Sponsor and Official Supplier” and “Official Sponsor” until 2010.
At the same time, Udinese Calcio and Kia Motors Italia have renewed their collaboration for another year. Over the course of next 2005-2006 season, the Korean motor vehicle company will continue to sponsor Udinese Calcio in the Serie A and in the Champions League, and will work alongside Lotto in the Italian Cup.
In accordance with the new agreements, from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2010, as “Technical Sponsor and Official Supplier” Lotto will be the exclusive supplier of Udinese Calcio kits and accessories for football games, training and other official occasions, from the first team down to the youth teams. The youth teams will also wear Lotto football boots.
In addition, as “Official Sponsor” of the team, starting in the 2005-2006 season, the Lotto brand will appear in the space dedicated to the “Main Sponsors” on the football kits used during games in the Italian Cup, alongside the Kia Motors trade mark which, over the course of next season, will maintain the title of sole Sponsor for the Serie A and Champions League games and in training.
From the 2006-2007 season, then, Lotto will appear as sole “Official Sponsor” for the team in the space dedicated to the “Main Sponsors” on the official jerseys worn by the players during games and training, as well as on all the clothing supplied to the team and the staff.
The agreement between Lotto and Udinese is not just a sponsorship deal but is structured as a real partnership which will see the two companies develop further synergies, also involving commercial aspects and new products.
“Udinese Calcio is very happy with the five-year technical sponsorship deal with Lotto Sport Italia,” – said Franco Soldati, Chairman of Udinese Calcio – “We as a company are also extremely happy to continue with the official sponsorship deal with Kia Motors, also made possible thanks to Lotto. Udinese Calcio is convinced that this deal, so successful last year, will again be a massive success in 2005-06, also because of the arrival of Lotto Sport Italia”.
“After so many sponsorships deals, including ones in the international arena, we are extremely happy to announce a completely Italian alliance with Udinese, one of the leading teams in Serie A, as part of a stimulating “three-team game” also involving a prestigious international motor vehicle company like Kia Motors,” said Andrea Tomat, President of Lotto Sport Italia. “We are really happy to have our brand used by this great club from Friuli which has always defended the tradition, quality and passion of the very best kind of football. We hope we can continue to celebrate significant successes and to please the wonderful fans of the team. We are united, not just by my own personal love of the team from my home town but also by the desire to obtain big goals.”
“The duration of the deal, five years, and the double role played by Lotto, as both technical partner and institutional partner, means that we really believe in this team and want to make a significant contribution to its successes on the playing field. We are right behind the team, also because we feel like we are part of the professional skills of a Club which is making a name for itself in the European football world, especially now that it is to play in the Champions League,” said Mr. Tomat.
“I believe that confirming our sponsorship of Udinese for another year is the best way to recognise the validity of the deal and our happiness with how things have gone so far” – said Giuseppe Bitti, Managing Director of Kia Motors Italia, adding the following: “We joined up with the pride and joy of Friuli at the start of last season, deciding to support and «cheer» for a team which had just finished the Serie A Championship in seventh place. Just one year later and this great time finishes fourth, boosted by the major support for and popularity of the team, even outside Italy. In the same period, Kia Motors Italia confirmed itself as a strong company with very rapid growth. In the first half of 2004, we had sold 11,830 vehicles in Italy, 10,954 of which were cars, which is 0.84% of the Italian market. In the same period this year, we sold just over 19,556 vehicles (18,703 cars), with growth of 65%, passing to 1.53% of the market. At this point, all we need to know now is if it is Kia which brings success to Udinese or Udinese which brings attention to our red and white oval logo”.
