Jerseys are now a massive part of soccer clubs' business models, with demand for retro kits also booming, writes Adam Maguire
Sport shops here probably won't see much a rush on jerseys this summer, but Euro 2024 is sure to represent another bonanza for merch-makers like Adidas , Nike and Umbro .
Its tie-up with Adidas is worth upwards of €105m per season – and can go higher depending on the main team hitting certain benchmarks . That’s rumoured to see it spend somewhere in the region of €115m a year for the privilege of continuing its decades long relationship. And that’s not counting the marketing boost that they bring – because these brands are effectively doing a sponsorship deal as much as they are a kit supply deal.Absolutely – there’s money to be made for them on top of the fee that the kit-makers are paying for the rights.
But, from the 2000s on, more and more clubs dabbled with annual kit changes and, while people grumbled, they ultimately bought more jerseys. That’s because the FA Cup once had a rule that, where there was a clash in teams’ jerseys, both teams had to wear their alternative kit. Some would argue that’s designed to give another jersey a bit more visibility, so it helps with sales.Clubs like AC Milan and Real Madrid have introduced fourth kits in the past few years – and they really have no purpose whatsoever… there’s a good chance they’ll never actually be worn by a team.
It’s much easier now to find your favourite childhood jersey on places like Ebay or Depop or Adverts.ie. And that nostalgia can extend to the shirt sponsors too – people miss the days of having consumer brands like JVC or Nintendo on there, as opposed to the banks, high-end airlines and betting companies that sponsor clubs today.Nowadays jerseys are carefully crafted to maximise performance, which means they all tend to have roughly the same cut and material. That wasn’t the case in the 70s or 80s. They had a bit more character to them.
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