News Central

SEIKO WATCH CORPORATION is pleased to announce that SEIKO and FC Barcelona have just entered into a far-reaching and long-term partnership agreement in which SEIKO is appointed as the Official Watch Partner of FC Barcelona and will benefit from marketing and visibility rights for three years.

FC Barcelona and SEIKO seal a global partnership

FC Barcelona. The most successful Club team in world football.

From its foundation in 1899, FC Barcelona has always aimed high, winning its first ever competition in 1902 and reaching the final of the Copa del Rey the same year. Its record of achievement in both national and international football is among the most distinguished in the world. FC Barcelona has won La Liga 20 times, the Copa del Rey 25 times and the UEFA Champions League three times. In 2009, the Club enjoyed a spectacular year, winning all six competitions which they entered and becoming the FIFA Club World Cup winners for the first time. The success story continues this season; FC Barcelona is leading La Liga and has reached the latter stages of the champions League once again.

SEIKO and FC Barcelona. A true partnership.

SEIKO and FC Barcelona believe in the same things. Both are ambitious, both are proud of their long tradition of achievement and both are dedicated to perfection in their chosen art. Most of all, however, SEIKO and FC Barcelona share a conviction that excellence comes from in-house development. Much of the strength of FC Barcelona derives from the success of its youth academy, La Masia. Many team members, including the team's current manager Josep Guardiola and several of its star players, Messi, Iniesta, Puyol, Xavi, Piqué, Pedro, Victor Valdés, Sergio Busquets, Bojan and Jeffren, learned their craft as children in the youth teams at La Masia and have graduated from this academy into the senior side. Similarly, SEIKO's strength as a watchmaker comes from the company's determination, from the very earliest days, to develop every component and every skill in-house. Both FC Barcelona and SEIKO have "manufactured" their past success through significant investments in long term internal development, and both partners continue to share the belief that this philosophy will continue to deliver world-class results in the coming years.

SEIKO Sportura. The watch chosen by FC Barcelona.

The new Sportura collection is central to the SEIKO - FC Barcelona partnership, and the Sportura chronograph has been chosen by the Club as the FC Barcelona team watch. Each member of the squad will be presented with his watch this summer. The watch will carry the Club's crest on the dial.

The privileges of partnership

SEIKO's partnership with FC Barcelona will be expressed in a variety of ways. As the Official Watch Partner of FC Barcelona, SEIKO will benefit from a wide range of rights, including:

- Branding on the clocks on the home stadium scoreboards

- Recognition on the Club's websites and on Barça TV

- Branding on the fourth official's extra time board at La Liga home games

- Licensing rights for branded watches

In addition, SEIKO will have the right to promote the partnership in all forms of worldwide communication, and will be presenting the new Sportura collection against the background of FC Barcelona imagery, starting this summer.

In announcing the partnership, Mr. Javier Faus, the Vice President of FC Barcelona said:

We are delighted with this partnership with such a prestigious and internationally wellknown brand that has always collaborated very closely with the world of sport. We are convinced that this relationship will further encourage both brands to continue their work for excellence and success.

The President and CEO of SEIKO WATCH CORPORATION, Shinji Hattori, stated:

We are delighted to be appointed as an international partner of FC Barcelona. The history, culture and ambition of the Club are a perfect match with SEIKO, and we look forward to a successful cooperation in the coming years.