Coronavirus: Barcelona gives away Camp Nou naming rights

In an announcement on Tuesday, Barcelona stated that the stadium rights would be ceded to the club's foundation to sell on to a title sponsor.

Barcelona's first vice-president Jordi Cardoner is the director responsible for the foundation, which is in its 25th year.

Barcelona has given away the naming rights to its Camp Nou stadium for next season in an effort to raise money for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

In an announcement on Tuesday, Barca said the stadium rights would be ceded to the club's foundation to sell on to a title sponsor.

Funds generated for the 2020-21 season would be used to invest in research projects in Catalunya and around the world relating to the battle against COVID-19.

Barca have never previously offered up commercial rights for their stadium name.

"An important moment is upon the world, the biggest health, economic and social crisis in modern history," read Barca's statement.

"FC Barcelona has taken an exceptional decision, one that chimes with the answer that humanity requires at such a moment of great uncertainty: that everyone gives their all to counter the effect of this global pandemic which has paralysed the world.

"Conscious that Barca has a commitment to society that forms part of its identity as 'more than a Club', the Board of Directors, the governing body chosen democratically by the members and presided over by Josep Maria Bartomeu, have approved the ceding of the title rights to Camp Nou for the season 2020-2021 to the Barca Foundation.

"[This will] raise money to invest in research projects being carried out in Catalonia and the rest of the world involved in the fight against the effects of COVID-19."

Barcelona's first vice-president Jordi Cardoner is the director responsible for the foundation, which is in its 25th year.

Discussions will take place in the next few weeks to find a sponsor who wishes to acquire the title rights.

"We are very happy to be able to drive forward this initiative that offers something as emblematic as the name of our stadium," said Cardoner.

"Institutions, organisations, businesses may associate themselves with it and as such, contribute to the fight against COVID-19, given that their investment will be used to finance research projects on the illness and projects that are working to eradicate or lessen its effects.

"It will require all our resources to defeat this health crisis and for that reason it is so important that we all together make a solid, firm commitment.

"We are facing a global crisis without precedent in our modern history and we have to assume with courage and calm the responsibility that we have.

"For that reason, from both the club and the Foundation, we consider it vital at this time of humanitarian crisis to use all the resources available at the organisation to fight against the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences. It forms part of our way of doing things and of being as an institution."

Income from the rights sale will be divided between COVID-19 projects selected by members of Barca's board and others opted for by the eventual sponsor.