Barcelona rated top pick for soccer sponsors

European champion Barcelona is the most attractive soccer team for corporate sponsorship, according to a survey by sports marketing company Global Sponsors.

Barcelona, which beat Arsenal 2-1 in May’s final of Europe’s elite Champions League, tops England’s Manchester United and Spanish rival Real Madrid in the survey, the London- based company said in an e-mailed press release.

Barcelona this season is promoting the United Nations Children’s Fund on its jerseys after shunning commercial offers worth $26.3 million a year for its first uniform sponsor.

Chelsea, Premiership champion the past two seasons, is ranked fourth by Global Sponsors. The club’s owner Roman Abramovich has spent more than $730 million on players since buying the club in 2003.

The survey of 100 of Global Sponsors’ contacts and clients used a points system to rank clubs on criteria including quality of current sponsors, average attendance, global media profile and attraction of star players.

The rankings:

1. Barcelona

2. Manchester United

3. Real Madrid

4. Chelsea

5. AC Milan

6. Bayern Munich

7. Arsenal

8. Liverpool

9. Inter Milan

10. Lyon