ENGLISH PREMIER League club Everton has announced a three-year kit manufacturing deal with US-based sportswear giant Nike.
The news confirms reports of the partnership which surfaced in the British national media last month. Nike will replace current kit partner Le Coq Sportif at the end of the current season.
Although financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, Frontloaded estimates Nike will be paying Everton around £1m per year, representing a small uplift on the annual £600,000 incumbent Le Coq Sportif is believed to have contributed.
Influential in negotiations with Nike was Everton’s marketing partner, Kitbag. Having signed a £30m, 10-year deal with the Merseyside club in 2009, the UK-based sports retailer assumed responsibility for marketing the club’s merchandise worldwide.
As a result of the Kitbag deal Everton is less dependent on the financial support from a manufacturing partner and will instead benefit more from Nike’s global retail power, in partnership with Kitbag, and extensive kit design experience.
Having recently opted out of extending its manufacturing deal with the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Nike is likely to explore further opportunities in the British market as the brand’s battle with global sportswear competitor adidas heats up ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games (see talking point).