February 20 – Arsenal have extended their shirt sponsorship with Dubai airline Emirates in a five-year deal that is reportedly worth £200 million, a record for the club.
Emirates first partnered with Arsenal in 2004, becoming shirt sponsor in 2006. The airline will now feature on the shirts and training kits until the end of the 2023/24 season.
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said: “Our shirt partnership is the longest running in the Premier League and one of the longest relationships in world sport.
“This mutual commitment is testimony to the strength and depth of our unique relationship. Emirates are again demonstrating their great belief in our approach and ambition and their significantly increased investment will help us continue to compete for trophies and bring more success to the club and our fans around the world.”
Emirates is the club’s stadium naming rights partner in a deal that was signed in 2004 and will run until 2028 (it was extended in 2012). The club’s kit manufacturing deal with Puma, valued at £30 million a year, expires at the end of the 2018-19 season and is expected to significantly increase in the next cycle. Arsenal will also be able to sell a sleeve patch from next season – likely to be worth about £8 million.
As part of the agreement Arsenal will fly on Emirates planes on pre-season tours, while the airline will have marketing rights to develop campaigns and initiatives featuring Arsenal around the world.
Arsenal’s new deal is the second highest in the Premier League, behind Manchester United’s £47 million agreement with Chevrolet. Chelsea receive £40 million per season from their deal with Yokohama and have a separate deal with Carabao to sponsor their training kit.
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