Microsoft seems to want to get soccer fans interested in its brand and today, a new rumor claims that the Microsoft name could be placed on the stadium of Real Madrid which, by some accounts, is the most valuable sports team in the world, The report comes from Spain's El Confidential, which claims the company is in very early discussions with the team that could result in Microsoft buying the naming rights to Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
The report, which cites unnamed sources, even claims that Microsoft chairman Bill Gates is part of these negotiations, although we are skeptical that Gates would have such direct involvement. However, the story adds that Microsoft and Real Madrid already have a partnership that has Microsoft supporting the soccer team's foundation that helps promote education through sport in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Real Madrid is looking to revamp Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and is currently planning to open the new facility in 2016. The story says that if the talks between the team and Microsoft are successful, that will be the start of Microsoft's stadium name agreement, which could be worth as much as $10 million a year to the team.
Microsoft is rumored to be developing a reality sports TV series centering on street soccer for its Xbox One console and pre-orders of the console in Europe, Australia and New Zealand will get a free downloadable copy of FIFA 14.
Source: El Confidential via Forbes | Image via uggboy/Wikipedia
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