What are the Biggest Kit Deals?
Are you a fan of European football? If so, then you'll know that the kit deals signed by Europe’s top teams can be worth hundreds of millions both for the kit provider and for the club themselves. That's thanks to the millions of fans the world over begging to purchase these iconic symbols.
Whether it's the royal white of Real Madrid or Liverpool's traditional red home kit; each team is kitted out in something that is instantly distinctive. As is the case with any item of clothing that sells hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of units every single year, it’s no wonder that both football teams and their respective providers are raking in astronomical amounts of money year on year.
And it's not just the kit manufacturer that pays an eye-watering amount of money to supply a club's kit. Football clubs also rake in money from adding sponsors to their shirts.
These days, kits have a main sponsor on the front of the shirt as well as sleeve sponsors, sponsors on the back of the shirt, and even sponsors for training wear… companies are literally falling over themselves to be associated with Europe’s biggest and best. One of the main sponsors in the modern game is online betting companies, such as SlotsLV and other reputable iGaming platforms. In fact, 35% of shirt sponsors in the English Premier League come from iGaming providers, and it is a topic that has raised plenty of talking points in the United Kingdom in recent years.
Today, however, we will be looking specifically at kit manufacturers. Here are the biggest kit deals in European football today.
Real Madrid's £950m Deal with Adidas
Real Madrid has been partnered up with Adidas since 1998, but the two renewed their deal in 2019 for another 10 years in 2018. Real Madrid will earn £950 million from the deal over the next decade, making it by far the most lucrative kit deal in European and World football. It is reported that Real Madrid will receive a guaranteed minimum payment of €100 million annually, regardless of shirt sales. That is more than double what they were paid before and puts them ahead of every other major European club.
It makes sense for Adidas to want to continue partnering with Real Madrid. Los Blancos are the most supported football club on the planet and they boast a whopping 330m followers on social media, again more than any other club. Back in 2021, Forbes estimated that the club was worth around $4.75bn, a simply astonishing amount.
They are also the most successful club in Europe. They have won the coveted UEFA Champions League 14 times throughout their illustrious history, with their most recent success coming in Paris last June. They have lifted the famous ‘Big Eared’ trophy twice as many times as the second most successful team in the competition, AC Milan.
Manchester United's £750m 10-Year Deal with Adidas
Manchester United signed a bumper new 10-year deal with Adidas back in 2014, which at the time was the biggest deal of its kind ever to be signed and was worth a staggering £750 million. The deal saw the German sportswear provider take over from Nike, who had been producing the Old Trafford club’s kits since 2002.
The deal was part of Manchester United’s strategy to boost its global appeal and brand awareness around the world. The club had already had success selling shirts across Asia, but now they are looking to expand into other markets such as North America and Latin America as well. It appears that this strategy is paying off so far as the club continues to make huge sums of money, despite its success as a football club declining over the last decade.
The Red Devils were the most successful club in English football when their legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired back in 2013. That year marked the last time that United won the Premier League and in the decade since ‘Fergie’s’ departure, they have since been surpassed by Liverpool as the most successful club in England. The Adidas deal proves that no matter how successful United are, they will still have massive pulling power the world over.
Paris Saint-Germain's €800M 10-Year Deal With Nike
Paris Saint-Germain signed a 10-year €800 million kit deal with Nike back in 2019. The Parisians are looking to use this deal to further grow their fanbase not only in France but also abroad as they aim to become one of Europe's top clubs both on and off the field.
The club from the French capital is one of Europe’s newest powerhouses. They rose to prominence when they were taken over by Qatar Sports Investments back in 2011. Since then, they have spent huge amounts of money attracting the world's top talents to the Parc De Princes, such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Neymar.
