Chelsea will start the season without a sponsor for the second year in a row.
Last year’s sponsor Infinite Athlete only signed a one-year deal, later agreeing to continue with the club in the off-season.
But With Chelsea’s Premier League campaign at home to Manchester City on Sunday, a match which will be broadcast live, they are still without a major sponsor.
Although their shirt does not have an existing sponsor for Sunday’s match, another short-term deal to wear it this season is expected to be announced soon.
People on both sides familiar with the partnership agreement, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect the relationship, clarified that Infinite Athlete will not be the primary jersey sponsor.
What’s the latest?
Although there was no problem when comes to While deals are being negotiated to join the club, including the recent €60m (£51.4m; $65.5m) transfer for Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto, Chelsea have struggled to secure a major sponsor.
Chelsea’s 2024-25 kit will be sold on the website without an existing sponsor, making them the only Premier League club to start the season without securing a partner.
A new sponsor is due to be announced soon and is expected to be close to what Infinite Athlete paid – around £40m for the 2023-24 season.
Have you talked to potential partners?
There were talks with Riyadh Air, an airline owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, but a multi-year partnership to sponsor the men’s and women’s teams did not materialize.
Other discussions have been held in the past with Kaiyun Sports, a betting website.
In September of last year Atlético Chelsea reported were Looking for total package up to £60 metros per year for sponsorship of the former, which includes both the men’s and women’s teams, and sees them compete with Arsenal’s Emirates shirt deal.
However, the women’s team son has sponsorship from Three, a British telecommunications company, for the next season.
What happened last season?
Chelsea enter the 2023-24 season without an initial sponsor after failing to sign Cero at the end of his three-year contract in 2023.
Playing its first eight games without a kit sponsor, the club announced a short-term deal with Infinite Athlete, who have already signed a multi-year partnership..
Chelsea’s kit last season after securing a sponsor (Joe Prior/Visionhouse via Getty Images)
endless athlete reached an agreement with Chelsea to have its logo appear on the front of men’s shirts for one season and will sponsor the club’s training shirt from 2024-25.
The short-term deal allowed the club to secure a more lucrative deal for the 2024-25 season should they qualify for the Champions League.
But their failure to compete in Europe’s elite club competition left them in the same position as last year, and Infinite Athlete were not expected to deviate from their strategic plan and commit to being title sponsor for a second consecutive season.
Will they be able to find a new partner once the campaign starts?
Last season’s deal with Infinite Athlete proved that this is possible.
Premier League rules require all transactions, whether player transfers or commercial deals, to be scrutinised to ensure they do not exceed “fair market value”.
Although clubs announce sponsorship deals before the season, commercial partnerships are typically announced through the league.
And until they are counted to be “fair market value,” there is rarely a problem.
Why are Chelsea happy to accept short-term contracts?
Chelsea will be thinking of signing a long-term contract as the fee will not be as high in the Champions League.
The fear is a multi-year contract for less than what Champions League clubs receive, just to ensure qualification at the end of this season.
This will put them at a financial disadvantage to their domestic rivals, who can earn larger sums due to their participation in Europe’s most lucrative club competitions.
Signing a short-term contract with a company keeps cash flowing for the season and then give them a chance to re-evaluate their situation next summer.
Chelsea when their kit was sponsored by Three (Clive Mason/Getty Images)
I hope they qualify for the Champions Leaguemaximizing its commercial value.
Are brands wary of signing one-year contracts?
Of course, there is debate about whether it makes financial sense for a company to sign a short-term deal worth millions of pounds.
Yes, it will expose the company, but basically he will be signing if he moves to Chelsea. qualification for the Champions League.
The alternative to moving after a year, should Chelsea return to the Champions League, will be that the fee to extend his partnership will be significantly higher. that was paid at the beginning.
An advantage For a short-term deal, Chelsea sources said on condition of anonymity that it would take place at the Club World Cup in the United States next summer.
GO DEEPER
One year to go until the Club World Cup in the United States: what’s happening?
In theory, this should be an attractive proposition for potential partners, as it would likely come from playing a FIFA tournament in the United States.
