Barcelona hails ‘landmark’ deal as Nike extends partnership

Spanish Liga football club Barcelona has extended a partnership with sportswear company Nike in a deal reportedly worth a world record total of €155m ($174m) per season.

Neither the length nor the value of the deal was disclosed, but the Diario Sport and El Mundo Deportivo newspapers said that the agreement would run for eight years, from 2018-19 to 2025-26.

Barcelona said that the details of the contract would be announced at the club’s next general assembly, but Diario Sport claims that the deal will be worth a basic €105m per season, with the rest of the total relying on performance bonuses.

“Barcelona and Nike have extended their current sponsorship deal, which was due to end on June 30, 2018,” Barcelona said on Saturday. “The long-term agreement is a landmark in global football and builds upon a highly successful partnership.”

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu added: “We are excited by this new agreement and are confident we will be able to celebrate continued sporting successes together.” Barcelona and Nike signed their first partnership back in 1998.

Earlier this month Nike sealed a new agreement with English Premier League club Chelsea that will be worth £60m (€77m/$86m) per season. Barcelona’s new deal with Nike trumps Premier League club Manchester United’s £75m-per-year deal with Adidas.