By Simon Bond

     A Spanish company has branded what could have been the last piece of advertising-free space in professional soccer by putting its name and logo on the referee's shirt. 
    Quiero TV, a digital television company based in Madrid, spotted that the only shirt in a professional soccer game not bearing a sponsor's name and logo was the referee's.
     After long negotiations with the Spanish soccer federation last year, the 48 referees of the country's first and second divisions are now wearing yellow and black shirts with the company's distinctive 'Q' logo on one sleeve and its name on the front. 
   FIFA, the world governing authority for soccer, has hinted that with its support the idea could now be copied around the world.
     The sponsorship of soccer team shirts has been part of the game for a long time now. The value of the sponsorship deals has been rising with the popularity of the sport. Last year mobile phone giant, Vodafone, agreed to a $45 million deal to put its name on Manchester United's shirts for the next four years.
    Sports from cricket to snooker have already allowed the sponsoring of officials' uniforms.
  Men's clothing magnate Hugo Boss is a big spender on tennis, putting its name on judges' outfits at a number of leading tennis tournaments.
     Nevertheless, soccer seems to have been remarkably innocent in this matter until now.
    That's likely to change rapidly now that UEFA, the European governing body for soccer, is confirming that it has no objection to referees wearing logos in domestic league games and FIFA is announcing that it is in favor too.
     Quiero's sponsorship runs until the end of the 2004-05 season and costs $8.5 million; 40 percent of the cash is divided among a squad of 48 referees. 
   The remaining 60 percent will be spent on training aspiring match officials at a special refereeing college to be opened this summer.
     Quiero, which runs 14 digital pay-TV channels, first saw its name and logo on referees' shirts back in January and has been delighted so far with the exposure it has received. 
   The TV company is particularly satisfied with the fact that its name is being broadcast on rival television channels that have the terrestrial broadcasting rights to Spanish league soccer.
     However, Quiero executives should be wary of blame-it-on-the-ref syndrome, the brand backlash that can result from a bad call by the referee. 
   The impact of flaring tempers during the recent big game between Real Madrid and its traditional rivals, Barcelona, has yet to be ascertained. The game concluded with a 2-2 draw after the referee--clad in Quiero's name and colors-- disallowed what appeared to be a winning goal for Barcelona in the last two minutes of the game.
   The call was vigorously booed by Barcelona fans, and undoubtedly viewers across Barcelona shunned their TV screens for days after the controversial decision.

-Simon Bond covers European media for Media Life, writing from outside of London.

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