Sega nearly sponsored Real Madrid in 1999

Reports have resurfaced detailing a near-miss sponsorship deal between the Japanese gaming company Sega and the Spanish football club Real Madrid in 1999. According to a report from the Spanish newspaper Marca, Sega proposed a three-year contract worth 1,100 million pesetas (approximately €6.6 million) per season.

At the time, Real Madrid was sponsored by the German manufacturer Teka, which provided roughly 500 million pesetas annually. Sega’s offer would have effectively doubled the club's sponsorship revenue, surpassing Real Madrid's internal target of 1,000 million pesetas per season.

The proposed deal was intended to support Sega’s aggressive European marketing campaign for the launch of its Dreamcast console. Despite advanced negotiations, the agreement ultimately failed to materialize. Real Madrid subsequently extended its relationship with Teka before later signing with Siemens Mobile.