Manchester United opens new category with Columbia deal

English Premier League football club Manchester United has entered into a global partnership with outdoor clothing manufacturer Columbia Sportswear.

The US company has been named United’s first-ever official outdoor apparel partner. Neither the length nor the financial terms of the agreement were disclosed.

As part of the deal, Columbia, the company’s flagship brand, will design and create a club-branded outdoor clothing range. The clothing will be suitable for such pursuits as hiking, climbing, mountaineering and water and snow activities and will be available for purchase this autumn.

“Manchester United and Columbia share a commitment to performance and innovation,” Joe Boyle, senior vice-president of merchandising and design at Columbia, said. “Together, we will deliver to Manchester United fans around the world an attractive line of outerwear featuring Columbia’s most advances proprietary technologies.”