Ahead of the new Premier League football season Manchester United have just announced a new kit deal with Adidas, which is believed to be the biggest in Premier League history, writes David Little, a Partner in our Commercial department who increasingly handles Sports Law cases too
The new deal is for 10 years and worth £900 million, which is £90m a year.
“Adidas and Manchester United Football Club are delighted to announce the extension of one of the most exciting, seminal partnerships in world sport,” the club said in a statement last week.
“Manchester United commenced a historic agreement with adidas at the start of the 2015/16 season, reuniting after 23 years.
“In the seasons that have followed, Adidas and Manchester United have excited fans around the world with forward-thinking initiatives, iconic designs on the pitch and fan-favourite culture wear off of it.
“The new deal increases the focus on the Manchester United women’s team since their reintroduction in 2018 – continuing Manchester United and Adidas’s commitment to drive the women’s game forward.”
Manchester United Chief Executive Officer, Richard Arnold said: “The relationship between Manchester United and Adidas is one of the most iconic in world sport, forged through a shared commitment to style, flair and, most importantly, high performance.
“With its roots in the 1980s, our partnership has been reinvented over the past decade with some of the most innovative designs and technology in sportswear. We are now looking forward to refreshing this powerful partnership again through the remainder of this decade and into the 2030s.”
Chief Executive Officer at Adidas, Bjorn Gulden, added: “We are extremely proud to announce the extension of the contract with Manchester United. Adidas and Manchester United are two of the most important brands in international football and it is very natural for us to continue our cooperation. We will combine tradition and innovation to please both the players and the fans.
“We look forward to continuing our partnership with one of the most iconic clubs in football!”
Interesting that Adidas, describe Manchester United as “one of the most iconic clubs in football.” For that amount of sponsorship you’d imagine they’d believe they’ve invested in the most iconic club, surely?
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David Little, is a Partner in the Corporate & Commercial team and also Head of Sports Law for the firm. If you would like to contact him please quote Ref CB415 on either 07968 027343 or 020 7631 4141 or email company@bishopandsewell.co.uk.
The above is accurate as at 04 August 2023. The information above may be subject to change.
The content of this note should not be considered legal advice and each matter should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
