Istanbul, Turkey
A signing ceremony was attended by Galatasaray SK President Ünal Aysal, Volleyball Responsible and Board Member Mehmet Cibara, CEO Lütfi Ariboğan and Daikin Turkey CEO Hasan Önder, Vice President Takayuki Kamekawa and Vice General Manager Tuna Gülenç who were all in attendance at Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex Türk Telekom Arena, i.e. the headquarters of Galatasaray.
Ünal Aysal, the President of Galatasaray SK, stated that he can be only be happy about this sponsorship agreement with Daikin, which stands as the leader of the air-conditioning market. “We are glad to have this cooperation with a global leader of its sector. Daikin sponsored individual sports in the past, so it’s going to be a “first” for them as this time they are about to support a team. As Galatasaray SK, our cooperation with Daikin is a confirmation of our accomplishments and it excites us. I believe we’ll witness endless achievements with this cooperation”.
The sponsorship includes the name rights of the team, thus as of today Galatasaray will be re-named “Galatasaray Daikin Women Volleyball Team”. Galatasaray Sports Club Volleyball Responsible and Board Member Mehmet Cibara said that the cooperation with Daikin has great importance and that Galatasaray wishes for this cooperation to continue for a long time. “Welcoming Daikin into the Volleyball arena, Galatasaray considers the sponsorship as a union of two major players from different markets on a common field”.
About their support for different sports Daikin Turkey CEO Hasan Önder said: “Daikin is largely investing in Turkey. Within this investment, we continue to support the environment, arts and sports causes around the world through sponsoring Galatasaray women’s Volleyball team. As Daikin, we are selective regarding sponsorship matters. We support high quality, high value brands and institutions that pioneer the social improvement. Thus Galatasaray is a perfect choice for us. As the biggest air-conditioner manufacturer in the world, we are proud to sponsor Galatasaray, which we believe will create a difference with its accomplishments”.
This major cooperation between the two market leaders is considered as the first step to further successes. At the signing ceremony the team’s head coach Massimo Barbolini and Team Manager Orkun Darnel were present. As it is common tradition in sports, the delegation of Galatasaray presented a jersey, with the number 14 of team captain Eleonora Lo Bianco, signed by all players to the Daikin officials as a souvenir of the beginning of this promising cooperation.
On Wednesday, October 17, the team will play its first official game, the Super Cup, against Eczacibasi, bearing the name Galatasaray Daikin Women Volleyball Team.
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