Puma have managed to out-bid Nike to pen a deal with Arsenal for a kit sponsorship deal worth £30 million-a-year. The deal will come in effect from the end of the 2013-14 season and run for five years.
The magnitude of this deal can be judged by comparing it with Liverpool’s £25m-a-year with Warrior and Manchester United’s 15-year contract with Nike which is worth £287 million. It is the biggest kit deal in English football to date.
However, this means an end to a partnership which has lasted for 20 years. Their current agreement stood at just £55 million over seven years. The increase in income is significant and Arsenal will finally be able to not only keep hold of thier best players but may be even have Arsene Wenger bring in some real star-power.
Arsenal boss, Ivan Gazidis, has been enjoying fair amount of financial success over the years. Even though it has meant sacrificing their dearest assets – Robin van Persie, Alex Song, Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas.
With a new superpower rising in Europe and Arsenal falling behind even their Premier League rivals, it was high time to strike a big deal to compliment the Emirates deal. Hopefully in a couple of years’ time, Arsenal will have enough money that they will be able to return to the top.
The timing of the deal is as such that only yesterday Football Manager Story ran a story on the rise and demise of German football. They simulated the years 2012 through to 2022 on Football Manager 2013 and noticed that after a few years of domination in Europe, Bundesliga suffers a significant drop.
By that time, Arsenal would have had spent three years earning £30 million-a-year, instead of nearly £8 million-a-year on their current deal with Nike. If Arsenal can replicate what Manchester United have done with their expertise in the sponsorship market, Arsenal too can become a force to be reckoned with.
Mirror have already contemplated that Arsene Wenger has already been promised £70 million to spend on transfers. They also claim that Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic tops the wish-list.
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