Chelsea FC Reportedly Getting New Kit Sponsor
Baku, September 10 (AZERTAC). As you may or may not know Chelsea FC`s kit sponsorship deal with Samsung is coming to an end at the close of the 2014-15 season. The current deal with Samsung has been in effect since 2005 and there was an extension signed between the two parties in 2013.The deal was reportedly signed after Chelsea FC`s Champions League triumph but the deal was announced without much publicity. The club was asked why there was such little fanfare for the extension of the deal and they replied that it was not a new partnership so no big announcement was needed.
The extension is reportedly worth around £18 million a year which is far behind the supposed £50 million a year Manchester United is receiving. The deal is also behind Barcelona`s deal with Qatar Foundation worth about £28 million annually and Real Madrid`s £24 million deal with Emirates Airlines.
The rumor mill is suggesting that the new sponsor for Chelsea will be Turkish Airlines. Turkish Airlines is the fourth biggest airline in Europe and has sponsorship deals with Barcelona, Manchester United, and the Turkish national team. No figures have been announced for the supposed deal but it would certainly be a larger fee than what Samsung is paying the club.
There are two reasons why this is a strange move for the club. This may be superficial but the airline`s logo is partially red which may clash with Chelsea`s blue and white color scheme. If the logo can be printed in one color, preferably white, then that potential color clash will not be an issue.
The second potential issue is the lack of endorsement opportunities that an airline can offer as opposed to an electronics giant. Chelsea FC`s players are used in a variety of promotional materials for Samsung and their familiar faces can be plastered all over televisions, cellphones, tablets, and even household appliances. The options are a bit more limited with a European airline as opposed to Samsung that has a global presence.
At the end of the day what really matters is the bottom line. If Turkish Airlines is willing to pay more than Samsung then Chelsea should jump at the opportunity. The more money Chelsea FC receives from their sponsors the more money they can spend on new players. Even if it clashes with the club`s colors or the endorsement opportunities are limited, if the money is right then that is all that matters.
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