Recent reports from the newspaper Marca have stirred controversy among Real Madrid fans, highlighting how the club has simplified the stadium’s name to "Bernabéu" for certain commercial activities, omitting the full name, "Santiago Bernabéu." For example, the stadium’s official website and social media profiles use the shorter "Bernabéu," and the tour of the stadium is branded as the "Tour Bernabéu." Even test signage and merchandise, like glasses sold during concerts, have featured only the surname of the legendary former president.

This name shortening has fueled speculation that Real Madrid may be preparing for a future sponsorship deal, similar to Atlético Madrid’s "Riyadh Air Metropolitano" or Barcelona’s "Spotify Camp Nou." However, such assumptions couldn’t be further from the truth. Club president Florentino Pérez has repeatedly assured that the name will remain "Bernabéu" forever, honoring the legacy of Santiago Bernabéu, who built the foundation of the club. As Pérez emphasized in a 2022 interview with Tuttosport, “The stadium will always be called Bernabéu. He created all of this; we are merely continuing his work.”

In recent Real Madrid General Assemblies, Pérez reiterated that altering the stadium’s name for sponsorship isn’t on the table. According to the club, such a change wouldn’t generate enough revenue to justify the move, nor would it be necessary from a branding perspective. The name "Bernabéu" itself is already a globally recognized brand, strong enough to serve Real Madrid’s marketing goals without any external sponsorship.

The simplification of the name is purely for commercial efficiency, reflecting a linguistic principle known as "economy of language" as coined by French linguist André Martinet. This concept explains the natural human tendency to use shorter words or phrases. Just as other stadiums are commonly referred to by their abbreviated names—like "the Villamarín" or "the Pizjuán"—"Bernabéu" has become the colloquial shorthand for the Madrid stadium.

Ultimately, any potential decision to rename the stadium for sponsorship purposes would require approval from the club’s Shareholders' Assembly, but this is not being considered. The iconic Bernabéu name remains firmly in place.

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