In an official sponsorship-signing ceremony held at Aspire Academy, Nakheel Landscapes has entered a cooperation agreement to be the official sponsor and exclusive turf management partner of Spanish football club Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa, owned by Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF).
The agreement was signed by Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa vice president and Aspire Academy director general Ivan Bravo, and Nakheel Landscapes managing director Ghassan Oueijan. The ceremony was also attended by AZF CEO Mohamed Khalifa al-Suwaidi and Nakheel Landscapes vice president Sheikh Fahad bin Mohamed al-Thani.
As part of the agreement, Nakheel Landscapes will provide financial support and expertise as a “Turf Enhancement Advisor” for six years, starting next season 2017-18, to develop effective methods for maintaining the club’s natural and artificial sport fields. Meanwhile, Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa will provide promotional services.
Commenting on this landmark signing, al-Suwaidi said, “Having worked together with Nakheel Landscapes over the past three years, we have witnessed first-hand what they are capable of. We’re positive that this agreement is beneficiary for both organisations, and AZF is proud to support local companies like Nakheel Landscapes, by utilising their expertise on a local and international level.”
Bravo added: “We finished last season on a high note that led to the club’s promotion to Spain’s second division. At Aspire, we have exerted great efforts to ensure that young Qatari players gain international exposure and experience through our involvement in clubs such as Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa. These efforts will be cemented through partnerships with local Qatari expertise, such as Nakheel Landscapes, who will further support our aim, and we look forward to working together.”
Speaking about the partnership, Sheikh Fahad said, “Nakheel Landscapes is very proud to support the international sporting ambitions of AZF on a long-term basis through this sponsorship agreement.”
For his part, Oueijan said, “On behalf of Nakheel Landscapes’ partners and employees, I would like to thank Aspire Zone Foundation for giving us this opportunity. We wish full success to Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa in the upcoming seasons. We guarantee our full assistance in the club’s activities and the maintenance of the stadium’s turf pitches. This agreement recognises the vital role that AZF plays and the richness of expertise it adds to the field of sports.”
This partnership stems from AZF’s delegation visit to Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa’s stadium to watch their home match against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey. During the visit in November 2016, they saw an opportunity to enhance the quality of the grass further whilst utilising local expertise.
