Interesting story brewing in Liverpool.
Liverpool have agreed a deal with Nike to take over the kit deal as of next year, for a fee of around £75m per season. BUT, New Balance had a clause in their contract allowing them to match any offer from a new supplier and retain the contract. Given Liverpool are their biggest clients and the way the team is tracking at the moment, they’re pretty keen to retain and have stumped up the cash to do so.
Liverpool however, are saying that regardless of the actual fee, NB can’t match other aspects of the deal such as adequate distribution and supply chains around the world (and *cough*Mbappe*cough*), and thus are not really matching the Nike deal. NB are now taking Liverpool to court, to try and hold onto the sponsorship.
Its all getting a bit messy. Hopefully it doesn’t drag out too long, and personally I’m hoping it falls in Nike’s favour. I kinda think if you’re NB, it surely wouldn’t foster a good relationship to take your client to court to retain them against their wishes.
Exclusive: New Balance and Liverpool head to High Court in battle over kit deal
Nike looked all set to be Liverpool's new kit supplier, but New Balance are refusing to let go of the deal just yet...theathletic.com
It's a sad state of affairs becuase our last three home kits have been, in my opinion, some of the best in club history. A handful of our aways have been great too, and the supporter wear has been brilliant. Paul Maychen, a Reds YouTuber from The Redmen TV, run had an amazing video on the issue where he discussed the realities around having a smaller supplier in Adidas just not being able to meet the sheer demand for liverpool kits.
All home kits over the last three years have sold out of stock, and this years goal keeper kit has too. For a club our size that's embarrassing, and a problem Nike wouldn't have.
But will we get the same quality design work? The proper, deep red? The little nods to iconic kits of the past? I doubt it.
