March 16 – In March 2015 Scottish giants Celtic traded in Nike for another US firm, New Balance, as the club’s kit supplier in what was a record deal. Five years later New Balance is being replaced by Adidas in another new record deal.
The Adidas deal is said to be work £30 million over a five year period starting next season. While the deal is being trumpeted as a record not just for Celtic but for any Scottish team in any sport, it is still only £1 million more than the old five-year deal with New Balance – a deal that covered a period of total dominance on the field by Celtic.
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell said: “We are delighted to enter this new, long-term partnership with adidas, one of the world’s leading sports brands. We warmly welcome adidas to the Celtic Family and look forward to an exciting and successful partnership.
“We know through our discussions with adidas that they, as a prestige brand, were eager to be associated with a club of Celtic’s stature and proud history – to be connected to the passion and commitment of our supporters and to Celtic’s wider vision and values,” he continued
“Likewise, everyone at Celtic is delighted to be partnering with one of the dominant names in sportswear manufacturing, an organisation which represents quality and excellence.”
For New Balance it is the second loss of a major UK club sponsorship having lost Liverpool to Nike in a £70 million multi-year deal that starts June 1.
Celtic’s Lawwell is voluminous in his support of the Adidas deal saying: “This is a hugely significant new partnership for Celtic and our supporters and allows us to look to the future with confidence. To be able to create this fantastic new relationship demonstrates the strength and stability of the Club and the power of our enduring story.”
For their part adidas similarly excited, with a spokesman saying that: “Celtic’s successful football history and future ambition make us hugely excited to be working together to create a new chapter with one of the most famous football clubs in the world.”
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